Can Alcohol Dependence Be Reversed?
A specific group of brain cells appears to drive excessive alcohol drinking, and targeting these cells may reverses alcohol dependence, at least in rats, a new study finds.
In the study, the researchers trained rats how to self-administer alcohol out of a chamber, and caused some rats to become dependent on alcohol. They then injected the rats with a compound that could inactivate, or "turn off" a very specific set of brain cells in the amygdala.
They found that inactivating these brain cells caused the rats to completely cease their compulsive drinking.
Reference:
http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=167652&CultureCode=en
#neuroscience #alcohol #addiction #research
At least, on the rats brain...nope
ReplyDeletePerhaps this may work with other addictions too. I do wonder if there are longer term side effects
ReplyDeleteCorina Marinescu so it didn't work?
ReplyDeleteThx, I run out of battery and I'll read the publication later.
ReplyDeleteZombie Rats
ReplyDeleteUmmm...looks like it worked on the brain of the rats. Sordatos Cáceres
ReplyDeleteNo idea what happened with your comment Bertrand Nelson . Saw it for a while and ...now it's gone.
ReplyDeleteAbout addiction, for the heroin, there's a secret cure only used in hospitals: it's a blood pressure depressant named in France Catapressan: one of its side-effects is to suppress almost totally the craving and uncomfortable symptoms of the lack of heroin. It's used only in hospitals because the blood pressure must be monitored and the secret is not disclosed outside, i.e. in the streets.
ReplyDeleteI saw it listed twice, maybe a Google+ bug in checking for duplicate posts
ReplyDeleteThis planet usually carries everything needed poisons and remedies alike. Are anyone truly dependent on anything? According to Bruce K. Alexander probably not, probably addiction/substance dependence is due to social acceptance or the lack thereof.
ReplyDeleteThere is only a very , very small percentage of humans that actually cannot stop alcohol consumption without help. Interesting study , but social behaviour , attitude and complicity is not rat driven....
ReplyDeletegordon hoselton Your comment implies that the treatment of the alcohol addiction should include a social or psychological support. But I've read many years ago that a drug has been found by researchers which successfully suppresses the need for drinkers to use alcohol as a crutch when they feel some discomfort because of social or psychological stress. With the drug, they never think to drink when they are stressed and more, they never drink for the pleasure at meals for example. I'm pretty certain that since that time the drug has been commercialized.
ReplyDeleteExcuse me, I make no implications, nor need your implication, Again, it is a very small minority who cannot just stop abusing themselves with alcohol. Of course , it is minority reports that garner sensationalism.
ReplyDeletegordon hoselton I perfectly understood your first comment, it seems to me that you emphasized on the fact that a minority needs some help to stop abusing alcohol. My reply was to cite that a drug suppresses totally the simple thought of drinking for alcohol abusers, whatever the stress they endure. No polemics :-)
ReplyDeleteBertrand Nelson There is nothing in most substances considered illegal drugs; including alcohol that the body needs. Most substance abusers are attempting to self medicate. The remedy you are writing about is most likely ayahuasca or iboga, both substances are considered hallucinogens, however people with bad habbits have through these remedies been able to stop their self destructive and improper substance abuse by finding a deeper understanding in those remedies just mentioned. And everyone who has gone this way admits there is nothing in the substance they have abused that made them addicted; however it was their least bad choice at the time. Substance abuse is a lie, and a way to rule a country through separating people. Making anything illegal gives a false feeling of saferty; and as such separates people even more.
ReplyDeleteGjermund ॐ Gusland Thorsen Not the iboga, nor the ayahuasca. I mentioned an old publication of researchers and with Google, I think have found the name of the medication commercialized:
ReplyDeleteBaclofène (fr) | Baclofen (en) or Lioresal ®:
Presentation: This is a drug that people talk much about it. Basically prescribed for the treatment of involuntary muscle contractions of cerebral or neurological origin (such as multiple sclerosis), baclofen is a muscle relaxant agonist of GABA A receptor, which allows a muscle relaxation and inhibition of some reflexes. Regarding alcohol dependence, GABA would have an important role to play in the "craving", the urge to consume.
Not absolutely certain that it's the good drug but anyway, I wasn't speaking of recreative drugs like the Iboga and similar and above all of switching from the alcohol abuse to that of another drug, my very point is the total suppression of the craving.
Jay Gerlach Studies have advanced on the localization of the parts of the brain involved in addictions. Try to Google 'research brain addiction'
ReplyDeleteJay Gerlach I guess most people would benefit from reading that book.
ReplyDeleteGood thing somebody made the 5 minute or so !yt about addiction.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about dependence, but independence can certainly be reversed...
ReplyDelete