摘要
Dear Editor, The process of relapse involves firm or aberrant memories of environmental cues associated with drug craving or addiction. To date, it is not known where these memories are stored in the brain, what kinds of regulatory biological factors or molecules are involved, nor why it is so difficult to stop addiction psychologically. Currently, rodent animal models, such as the self-administration and conditioning place preference / aversion paradigm are still widely used in the studies of drug withdrawal syndromes or drug-associate memories. However, the differences between humans and rodents--particularly in terms of genetics, and pathology and pharmacology--have significantly limited the application of further studies on this topic. Essentially, rodents lack the longterm or life-time memories humans possess and lose their drug-associated memory only after a few weeks of withdrawal.
Dear Editor, The process of relapse involves firm or aberrant memories of environmental cues associated with drug craving or addiction. To date, it is not known where these memories are stored in the brain, what kinds of regulatory biological factors or molecules are involved, nor why it is so difficult to stop addiction psychologically. Currently, rodent animal models, such as the self-administration and conditioning place preference / aversion paradigm are still widely used in the studies of drug withdrawal syndromes or drug-associate memories. However, the differences between humans and rodents--particularly in terms of genetics, and pathology and pharmacology--have significantly limited the application of further studies on this topic. Essentially, rodents lack the longterm or life-time memories humans possess and lose their drug-associated memory only after a few weeks of withdrawal.
