Recent Animal Models of Alcoholism

Animal models on alcohol preference have a long-standing tradition in biomedical research on alcoholism. However, these models allow only limited conclusions regarding alcohol addiction. Therefore, during the past 15 years, researchers have developed new animal models that mimic different aspects of human alcohol addiction, such as craving, relapse, and loss of control over drinking. These models include the reinstatement model, the alcohol deprivation model, and the point-of-no-return model. Some of these models have been pharmacologically validated with anticraving compounds that are used clinically for treating alcoholics. The detailed behavioral characterization of these new models and their pharmacological validation also allow researchers to study the neurochemical and molecular bases of addictive behavior.