Operant Responding for Alcohol: A Specially Bred Animal Model of Anxiety and Alcohol Use Disorder

Abstract

Alcohol abuse and dependence affects a significant portion of the United States population. In America alone, approximately 17 million adults ages 18 and older and an estimated 855,000 adolescents ages 12-meet diagnostic criteria for addiction (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2016). In order to be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder (AUD), an individual must meet specific criteria detailed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). According to the most recent edition (DSM–5), a person meeting at least two of 11 criteria during a 12-month period meets the diagnostic criteria for an AUD (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The severity of an AUD—mild, moderate, or severe—is based on the number of criteria met (see Appendix B for a list of the 11 diagnostic criteria for AUD). Unfortunately, not everyone seeks assistance for their addiction. According to a report published in 2015 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), fewer than 10% of individuals with an AUD received treatment at a specialized facility. Thus, this is a very serious health concern. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that those who do receive treatment will get better. That is, despite extensive research on the etiology of AUD, high incidence, low treatment numbers, and broad treatment methodologies, researchers and clinicians have a tenuous understanding of this disorder at best. [Introduction]