Neurobiology of Addictive Behaviors

As one of society’s major public health problems, addiction poses a tremendous threat to the health and welfare of individuals, families, communities, and nations.  Despite the significant new information that scientists have gained over the past two decades from preclinical and clinical studies, a great deal remains unknown about addiction-like behaviors.  Even as scientists learn more about the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction, new categories of addictions are being defined and include addictions to prescription medication, food, Internet, gambling, sex, and shopping.

Scientists have gained significant insight into the neurobiological adaptations that underlie addiction-like behaviors from convergent evidence in the fields of neuroscience, genetics, and psychiatry.]  Many of the articles in the issue deal with animal models for the study of the neurobiology of addiction-like behaviors. The issue concludes with important recommendations for members of institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs) as they consider the multiple facets involved in investigations into the neurobiology of addiction-like behaviors.