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The Two Faces of Social Interaction Reward in Animal Models of Drug Dependence

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Abstract

Drug dependence is a serious health and social problem. Social factors can modify vulnerability to developing drug dependence, acting as risk factors or protective factors. Whereas stress and peer environment that encourage substance use may increase drug taking, strong attachments between family members and peer environment that do not experience drug use may protect against drug taking and, ultimately, drug dependence. The rewarding effects of drug abuse and social interaction can be evaluated using animal models. In this review we focus on evaluating social interaction reward in the conditioned place preference paradigm. We give an overview of how social interaction, if made available within the drug context, may facilitate, promote and interact with the drug’s effects. However, social interaction, if offered alternatively outside the drug context, may have pronounced protective effects against drug abuse and relapse. We also address the importance of the weight difference parameter between the social partners in determining the positive or “agonistic” versus the hostile or “antagonistic” social interaction. We conclude that understanding social interaction reward and its subsequent effects on drug reward is sorely needed for therapeutic interventions against drug dependence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Experimental Psychiatry Unit, Department of General Psychiatry and Social Psychiatry, Center of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 66a, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Rana El Rawas & Alois Saria

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  1. Rana El Rawas
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  2. Alois Saria
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Correspondence to Alois Saria.

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Special Issue: In honor of Dr. Philip Beart.

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El Rawas, R., Saria, A. The Two Faces of Social Interaction Reward in Animal Models of Drug Dependence. Neurochem Res 41, 492–499 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-015-1637-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-015-1637-7

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