MECHANISMS OF DRUG CRAVING--EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES

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DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Abstract) The proposed research will explore the development of a laboratory animal model for the experimental analysis of the conditions under which behavioral measures of the onset of and changes in craving are influenced by drug seeking, drug taking, and the temporal ordering of associated environmental events. The prominent role of craving in drug taking and in relapse during drug abstinence makes the development and application of strategies for the control of drug craving one of the most pressing problems confronting substance abuse treatment and prevention. Basic behavioral indicators including time-sensitive measures of response patterning, general activity levels, social displays, and toy play will be explored in relationship to more conventional indicators of food- and ethanol-seeking response "strength" in the development of a laboratory primate model of drug craving. These time-sensitive measures will be evaluated under conditions directly related to food, preferred non-alcoholic beverage and ethanol consumption as well as under conditions in which the temporal ordering of associated environmental stimuli changes but neither food, the preferred non-alcoholic beverage, nor ethanol is available. Continuous 24-hour measurements will make it possible to investigate onset and change across the range of putative craving indicators throughout the day/night cycle under baseline food, preferred non-alcoholic beverage, and ethanol availability schedules as well as under conditions of limited food, preferred non-alcoholic beverage, and ethanol availability. This comparative analysis will provide basic information on the commonalities and differences in the learning and motivational processes associated with food, preferred non-alcoholic beverage, and ethanol as they relate to the development of a valid and reliable laboratory primate model of drug craving. The availability of such an animal laboratory model will not only provide the essential building blocks for more intensive and extensive research to enhance generalizable knowledge about craving and its relationship to risk taking, aggression, and social interactions but will as well provide a methodology for the preclinical evaluation of potentially effective treatment and prevention strategies for drug craving over a range of abusable substances.