Volume 84, Issue 3 pp. 667-681

BEHAVIORAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE NEUROSCIENCE OF DRUG ADDICTION

Gail Winger

Corresponding Author

Gail Winger

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

University of Michigan, Department of Pharmacology, 1302 MSRB III, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0632 (e-mail: [email protected]).Search for more papers by this author
James H. Woods

James H. Woods

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Search for more papers by this author
Chad M. Galuska

Chad M. Galuska

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Search for more papers by this author
Tammy Wade-Galuska

Tammy Wade-Galuska

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 26 February 2013
Citations: 37

Abstract

Neuroscientific approaches to drug addiction traditionally have been based on the premise that addiction is a process that results from brain changes that in turn result from chronic administration of drugs of abuse. An alternative approach views drug addiction as a behavioral disorder in which drugs function as preeminent reinforcers. Although there is a fundamental discrepancy between these two approaches, the emerging neuroscience of reinforcement and choice behavior eventually may shed light on the brain mechanisms involved in excessive drug use. Behavioral scientists could assist in this understanding by devoting more attention to the assessment of differences in the reinforcing strength of drugs and by attempting to develop and validate behavioral models of addiction.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.