Use of non-human animal studies

• Why do researchers use animals in addiction studies?

  • allows controlled experiments (e.g. Removing dopamine neurons)

  • allows self-administration studies (rats pressing levers for drugs)
• What are the limitations of using animal studies for addiction research?

  • misses social and psychological factors (e.g. peer pressure, stress, emotional regulation)

  • cannot fully replicate behavioural addictions (e.g. gambling, gaming)

  • findings may not be generalisable to humans because human addiction is influenced by complex social and environmental factors
• Why does this matter?

  • while animal studies provide valuable insights, they cannot fully explain human addiction and should be combined with human-based research