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Science 6 June 2008:
Vol. 320. no. 5881, pp. 1352 - 1355
DOI: 10.1126/science.1158136

Reports

High Impulsivity Predicts the Switch to Compulsive Cocaine-Taking

David Belin,1* Adam C. Mar,1 Jeffrey W. Dalley,1,2 Trevor W. Robbins,1 Barry J. Everitt1*

Both impulsivity and novelty-seeking have been suggested to be behavioral markers of the propensity to take addictive drugs. However, their relevance for the vulnerability to compulsively seek and take drugs, which is a hallmark feature of addiction, is unknown. We report here that, whereas high reactivity to novelty predicts the propensity to initiate cocaine self-administration, high impulsivity predicts the development of addiction-like behavior in rats, including persistent or compulsive drug-taking in the face of aversive outcomes. This study shows experimental evidence that a shift from impulsivity to compulsivity occurs during the development of addictive behavior, which provides insights into the genesis and neural mechanisms of drug addiction.

1 Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute and Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.
2 Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bdb26{at}cam.ac.uk (D.B.); bje10{at}cam.ac.uk (B.J.E.)

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)