Animal-human correlates of narcotic dependence: a brief review

Abstract

Knowledge of opiate action in laboratory animals can be of great value in developing a rational clinical approach to the treatment of narcotic dependence. Physiological alterations experimentally produced by narcotics have been confirmed in human subjects, and classical laboratory effects of conditioning and operant behavior also have clinical counterparts. Realization of animal-human correlates of narcotic dependence allows a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of existing therapeutic modalities.