Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway on Cocaine-Induced Neuroadaptations: A Novel Target for Therapeutic Opportunities?

Received: December 08, 2016; Accepted: December 26, 2016; Published: December 30, 2016 Drug addiction is a chronic and enduring phenomenon that has been extensively investigated in the last decades. Over the years, different animal models have been designed to contribute to the elucidation of the neurobiological processes involved in relapse behavior and to evaluate potential pharmacotherapies that may prevent or reduce the risk of relapse [1]. Animal models such as behavioral sensitization, conditioned place preference and intravenous selfadministration have been extensively used. The primary difference in these models is the way in which the drug is administered; while the importance of the impact of non-contingent vs contingent drug administration for the molecular basis of addiction is a subject of continuous debate. However, recently it has been described that animal models of addiction (behavioral sensitization vs selfadministration) remarkably overlap in terms of neurocircuitry as well as in the molecular changes underlying their respective behavioral responses [2].