Winger, G., Woods, J. H., Galuska, C. M., & Wade-Galuska, T. (2005).
Behavioral perspectives on the neuroscience of drug addiction.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 84, 667-
681.
Neuroscientific approaches to drug addiction traditionally have been based on
the premise that addiction is a process that results from brain changes that in
turn result from chronic administration of drugs of abuse. An alternative
approach views drug addiction as a behavioral disorder in which drugs function
as preeminent reinforcers. Although there is a fundamental discrepancy between
these two approaches, the emerging neuroscience of reinforcement and choice
behavior eventually may shed light on the brain mechanisms involved in excessive
drug use. Behavioral scientists could assist in this understanding by devoting
more attention to the assessment of differences in the reinforcing strength of
drugs and by attempting to develop and validate behavioral models of addiction.
Key words: Drug addiction, neuroscience