What is Drug Self-administration?

Self-administration occurs when, after a behavioral act or chain of acts, a feedback loop results in the introduction of a drug or drugs into a human or infra-human subject. The drug is usually conceptualized as serving the role of a positive reinforcer within a framework of operant conditioning. For example, animals can be given the opportunity to press a lever to obtain an infusion of a drug through a chronically-indwelling venous catheter. If the available dose of the drug serves as a positive reinforcer then the rate of lever-pressing will increase and a sustained pattern of responding at a high rate may develop. Reinforcing effects of drugs are distinguishable from other actions such as increases in general activity by means of one or more control procedures. Trained subjects can be used to investigate the behavioural and neuropharmacological basis of drug-taking and drug-seeking behaviors and the reinstatement of these behaviors in subjects with a previous history of drug intake (relapse models). Other applications include evaluating novel compounds for liability to produce abuse and dependence and for their value in the treatment of drug dependence and addiction.