Overview
- Researchers from Washington State University and Washington University in St. Louis report in eNeuro that rotating new objects in cages reduced voluntary fentanyl intake and weakened stress‑triggered relapse in rats.
- The team modeled addiction stages by tracking ongoing use, a quitting phase, and relapse after a stressor, and enriched rats stopped seeking the drug faster during the quitting phase.
- Rats in enriched settings showed lower levels of stress hormones, and higher hormone levels tracked with relapse in standard housing.
- The effects appeared in both male and female rats housed alone, which highlights a nonsocial approach that could be easier to set up in treatment spaces.
- The authors stress the findings are preclinical, so human studies are needed before programs try broad use in clinics or recovery housing.