Compulsive alcohol seeking and relapse: Central role of conditioning factors associated with alleviation of withdrawal states by alcohol.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Learned associations between environmental stimuli and drugs of abuse represent a major factor in the chronically relapsing nature of drug addiction. In drug dependent subjects these associations must be presumed to include associations linked to reversal of adverse withdrawal states by drug use-"withdrawal-associated learning" (WDL). However, their significance in drug seeking has received little experimental scrutiny.

Experimental approach

Using alcohol as a drug of abuse, the behavioural consequences of WDL were investigated in animal models of relapse and compulsive drug seeking by comparing the effects of WD L-associated stimuli versus stimuli associated with alcohol without WDL experience in nondependent and post-dependent rats. Brain sites activ

SUBMITTER: Kozanian OO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9388476 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature