[Establishment and evaluation of rat and mouse models with addictive behaviors]

Animal models of drug addiction simulate core behaviors such as active drug seeking, compulsive drug use, and relapse, thereby establishing a system for studying the mesolimbic reward circuit. Rats and mice serve as the most commonly used model organisms in this field. Mainstream models are developed based on the principles of operant conditioning and classical conditioning, among which the self-administration paradigm is regarded as the "gold standard" because it can directly simulate active drug seeking and compulsive drug use. These models demonstrate face validity, construct validity, and predictive validity to varying degrees, but also face limitations in fully replicating the complex cognitive and sociocultural factors of human addiction. In recent years, optogenetic and chemogenetic technologies have enabled precise spatiotemporal regulation of specific neuronal types and circuits, promoting research from phenomenological observation to causal verification. Current research trends emphasize integrating multimodal behavioral paradigms, focusing on individual differences, and striving to translate basic research findings into intervention strategies targeting specific neural circuits, providing direction for understanding addiction mechanisms and developing new treatment approaches.