Relapse to drug seeking following prolonged abstinence: the role of environmental stimuli

Successful treatment of drug addiction must involve relapse prevention informed by our understanding of the neurobiological bases of drug relapse. In humans, exposure to drug-associated environmental stimuli can elicit drug craving and relapse. Because exposure to drug-paired stimuli similarly induces drug-seeking behavior in laboratory animals, several animal models of drug relapse have been developed. Here, we review animal models of cue-induced drug relapse and crucially evaluate their validity and utility in addressing human relapse behaviors.

Section editors:Nigel Maidment and Niall Murphy – Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USAM. Foster Olive – Center for Drug and Alcohol Programs, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA