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BEHAVIORAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE NEUROSCIENCE OF DRUG ADDICTION
Author(s) -
Winger Gail,
Woods James H.,
Galuska Chad M.,
WadeGaluska Tammy
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of the experimental analysis of behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1938-3711
pISSN - 0022-5002
DOI - 10.1901/jeab.2005.101-04
Subject(s) - addiction , psychology , premise , reinforcement , neuroscience , drugs of abuse , substance abuse , behavioral neuroscience , brain function , drug , addictive behavior , clinical neuroscience , behavioral addiction , cognitive psychology , cognitive science , psychiatry , social psychology , linguistics , philosophy , neurology
Neuroscientific approaches to drug addiction traditionally have been based on the premise that addiction is a process that results from brain changes that in turn result from chronic administration of drugs of abuse. An alternative approach views drug addiction as a behavioral disorder in which drugs function as preeminent reinforcers. Although there is a fundamental discrepancy between these two approaches, the emerging neuroscience of reinforcement and choice behavior eventually may shed light on the brain mechanisms involved in excessive drug use. Behavioral scientists could assist in this understanding by devoting more attention to the assessment of differences in the reinforcing strength of drugs and by attempting to develop and validate behavioral models of addiction.