Advances in neuroscience identified addiction as a chronic brain disease with strong
genetic, neurodevelopmental, and sociocultural components. We here discuss the circuit …

This article reviews the behavioral neuroscience of extinction, the phenomenon in which a
behavior that has been acquired through Pavlovian or instrumental (operant) learning …

The nucleus accumbens is a major input structure of the basal ganglia and integrates
information from cortical and limbic structures to mediate goal-directed behaviors. Chronic …

Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by the loss of control over drug
intake, high motivation to obtain the drug, and a persistent craving for the drug …

Optogenetic interrogation of neural pathways relies on delivery of light-sensitive opsins into
tissue and subsequent optical illumination and electrical recording from the regions of …

In human addicts, drug relapse and craving are often provoked by stress. Since 1995, this
clinical scenario has been studied using a rat model of stress-induced reinstatement of drug …

Although it is challenging for individuals with cocaine addiction to achieve abstinence, the
greatest difficulty is avoiding relapse to drug taking, which is often triggered by cues …

Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons are proposed to signal reward prediction error (RPE), a
fundamental parameter in associative learning models. This RPE hypothesis provides a …

Chronic opiate use induces opiate dependence, which is characterized by extremely
unpleasant physical and emotional feelings after drug use is terminated. Both the rewarding …

Understanding the brain circuitry that underlies reward is critical to improve treatment for
many common health issues, including obesity, depression, and addiction. Here we focus …