The conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm is a well-established model utilized to
study the role of context associations in reward-related behaviors, including both natural …

Initial subjective response to the rewarding properties of alcohol predicts voluntary
consumption and the risk for alcohol use disorders. We assessed the initial subjective …

Introduction Childhood adversity is pervasive and linked to numerous disadvantages in
adulthood, including physical health problems, mental illness, and substance use disorders …

Abstract Background Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are widespread, devastating and
complex. About 20% of people who consume alcohol develop problem use, accounting for …

For ethical and technical reasons, research in humans has some limitations and requires the
support of animal models. Numerous animal models have been developed over the years to …

Assigning valence to stimuli for adaptive behavior is an essential function, involving the
ventral tegmental area (VTA). VTA cell types are often defined through neurotransmitters …

Background Excessive consumption of ethanol is known to activate the mTORC1 pathway
and to enhance the Collapsin Response Mediator Protein-2 (CRMP-2) levels in the limbic …

Background The potential of abused drugs to induce addiction and compulsive drug-related
behavior is associated with their ability to alter dopamine signaling. Dopamine plays a key …

Ketamine, a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has recently
been approved by the federal drug administration (FDA) for the treatment of depression in …

The present studies were aimed to better understand developmental contributions to the risk
for disordered drinking, and facilitate the long-term goal of developing effective interventions …