Patent ID: 8847003

Claim:
An animal model system method for screening compound(s) for use in decreasing craving for an addictive drug in a mammal comprising: (a) Providing a test animal such as a rodent from the group consisting of rat and mouse; (b) Administering an addictive drug to said animal of (a) or allowing said test animal of (a) to self-administer an addictive drug; (c) Administering to said test animal (a) a matrix metalloprotease inhibitor (MMP) or an inhibitor of syndecan-3 ectodomain cleavage; and (d) Observing a decrease in the frequency of self-administration or decrease in at least one indices of motivation for the drug in said animal of (a) following administration of said compound, thereby identifying a compound that decreases craving for the addictive drug.