Abstract: This project focuses on investigations of the brain mechanisms of the psychological dependence of abusive drugs. By using various animal models, such as conditioned place preference (CPP), conditioned place aversion (CPA), drug-seeking intensity gradation model of Morris water maze, behavioral and conditioned behavioral sensitization, the roles of environmental stress, positive and negative emotional states on psychological dependence and its relapse, neural mechanism comparisons between drug reward and natural reward were explored from behavioral to neuronal and genetic level

Key words: Learning, Memory, Stress, Psychological dependence, Individual differences, Drug seeking, Natural reward