According to team leaders, Ruth Drdla-Schutting and Jürgen Sandkühler along with their research team at the MedUni Vienna’s Department of Neurophysiology (Centre for Brain Research); opioids can be used for more than temporary pain relief. Apparently, a strong enough dose can actually erase our memory traces of pain in the spinal cord.At the most basic level, opioids bind to specific sites, called µ-opiate receptors (MOR), which suppresses the stimulation of pain. Characteristically, opioids are only known to alleviate pain while bound to these sites, therefore once treatment is ceased, pain resumes. Typically, for chronic pain, opioids are administered continuously in moderate doses in order to achieve a permanent binding. This method may result in pain relief, however the treatment is long-term and the
Category: mental health
What Drives the Addict to Make Poor Choices?
Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that the orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortex in the frontal brain regulates our choices that can result in addictive and compulsive behavior. Jonathan Wallis, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at UC Berkeley and the principal investigator of the study researched the phenomenon in which addicts go to any length to fulfill their cravings, despite any negative consequences to health, relationships, finances etc. “In the new study, he and fellow researchers targeted the orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex — two areas in the frontal brain — because previous research has shown that patients with damage to these areas of the brain are impaired in the choices they make. While these individuals may appear perfectly normal on the surface, they
Appetite For Salt May Be Similar To Drug Addiction
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center along with some Australian scientists have discovered that blocking addiction-related nerve pathways in the brain can have a significant impact on sodium appetite. Basically, the nerve cells and connections affected by addictive drugs are the same as those affected by salt.“Their rodent research shows how certain genes are regulated in a part of the brain that controls the equilibrium of salt, water, energy, reproduction and other rhythms — the hypothalamus. The scientists found that the gene patterns activated by stimulating an instinctive behavior, salt appetite, were the same groups of genes regulated by cocaine or opiate (such as heroin) addiction.”Researchers provoked this instinctive behavior in mice either by using a diuretic and withholding salt for a period of time
Bath Salts Trend Quickly Becoming An Epidemic
Many States are taking action against a powerful new designer drug that is rapidly gaining popularity and can be purchased legally. This synthetic drug is most commonly disguised by the name, bath salts. It is also known to many as Tranquility, Zoom, Bloom, Cloud Nine, Ocean Snow, Lunar Wave, Ivory Wave, Purple Wave, White Lightning, Blizzard, Scarface, Red Dove, Star Dust, Lovey Dovey, Snow Leopard, Aura, Hurricane Charlie and Vanilla Sky. Still, the drug can also be purchased as products such as insect repellant or plant food with names like “Bonsai Grow”. Despite serious negative effects, the drug continues to be sold legally for about $80.00USD over the internet, on the street, in convenience stores, smoke shops, gas stations, pawnshops, tattoo parlors, and truck stops etc.
Scientists Develop Vaccine To Treat Heroin Addiction
According to researchers at The Scripps Research Institute, an “immunopharmacotherapy” type of treatment for heroin could be on the horizon. Their proven research with animal models confirms that they have developed a vaccine that counteracts the heroin high. Additionally, the antibodies produced by this new vaccine are also capable of preventing other psychoactive compounds that are metabolized from heroin from reaching the brain and producing euphoric effects.“‘In my 25 years of making drug-of-abuse vaccines, I haven’t seen such a strong immune response as I have with what we term a dynamic anti-heroin vaccine,’ said the study’s principal investigator, Kim D. Janda, the Ely R. Callaway, Jr. Chair in Chemistry and a member of The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology at Scripps Research. ‘It
Binge Drinking Among Young Adults May Be Causing Serious Brain Damage
A new study from the University of Cincinnati has shown that binge drinking among adolescents and young adults may be causing serious damage to their developing brains.Researchers examined high-resolution brain images of 29 weekend binge drinkers between the ages of 18 and 25. For the purposes of their study, researchers consider binge-drinking as consuming four or more drinks at once for females and five or more drinks for males. Results showed that binge-drinking was linked to a thinning of the pre-frontal cortex, a section of the brain responsible for paying attention, planning and making decisions, processing emotions and controlling impulses leading to irrational behavior. A study of the brain’s gray matter, the part of the brain that does the thinking, receiving and transmitting of messages,
E-Cigarettes May Help To Butt Out
Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers report that electronic cigarettes may be more efficient than more common nicotine replacement methods. Their research has demonstrated that electronic cigarettes produced abstinence rates that nearly doubled success rates among other types of tools that help to quit smoking.Specifically, researchers found that 31{c754d8f4a6af077a182a96e5a5e47e38ce50ff83c235579d09299c097124e52d} of participants reported having quit smoking 6 months following having purchased an electronic cigarette. This device is battery-powered and provides doses of nicotine in a vaporized solution without the use of tobacco. In comparison, between 12{c754d8f4a6af077a182a96e5a5e47e38ce50ff83c235579d09299c097124e52d} and 18{c754d8f4a6af077a182a96e5a5e47e38ce50ff83c235579d09299c097124e52d} of participants that tried other methods, such as nicotine patches and gum, claim to have remained abstinent for at least 6 months. The researchers conducted an online survey of 222 first-time purchasers of electronic cigarettes, also known as
Vancouver Safe Injection Site Reduces Deaths
North America’s first supervised injection facility in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is already demonstrating positive results. According to data gathered by the University of British Columbia and the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS from 300 coroner reports between 2001 and 2005, deaths due to illicit drug overdose has decreased by significantly since the facility opened its doors in September 2003. During the period under review, no overdoses occurred in the facility and declined by 35{c754d8f4a6af077a182a96e5a5e47e38ce50ff83c235579d09299c097124e52d} in the immediate surroundings, while deaths resulting from overdose declined by only 9{c754d8f4a6af077a182a96e5a5e47e38ce50ff83c235579d09299c097124e52d} in the rest of Vancouver. Researchers ensured that factors such as changes in drug supply or purity were ruled out. “This study provides the first unequivocal scientific evidence of the benefits of supervised injection facilities, and clearly demonstrates that facilities such
Are Wet Programs Really Effective?
Recently, Jay Leno has attracted more attention to the controversy that surrounds Ottawa’s Inner City Health “wet” program by poking fun it for doling out wine to many of the city’s homeless alcoholics as a method of treatment. Some of the participants in this Canadian treatment program are drinking up to 72 ounces or 3 bottles of wine each day depending on the severity of their addiction. Basically, chronic alcoholic residents of these programs are offered varying amounts of wine with alcohol content ranging from 0{c754d8f4a6af077a182a96e5a5e47e38ce50ff83c235579d09299c097124e52d} – 12.5{c754d8f4a6af077a182a96e5a5e47e38ce50ff83c235579d09299c097124e52d} every hour between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Despite fairly positive research on the effectiveness of these programs, most people cannot fathom how feeding an alcoholic wine could possibly treat alcoholism. For instance, Cyril Morgan, director of the Welcome Hall Mission in
Naltrexone May Soon Treat Heroin Addiction
Recent Norwegian research suggests that naltrexone implants could significantly reduce heroin dependency, which could have an enormous impact on available treatments for heroin addicts. Unlike naltrexone, current treatments for heroin addiction typically involve the use of other addictive morphine-like substances, such as methadone and Subutex. “Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist used primarily in the management of alcohol dependence and opioid dependence. It is marketed in generic form as its hydrochloride salt, naltrexone hydrochloride, and marketed under the trade names Revia and Depade.”Researchers studied roughly 56 willing heroin-dependent patients. Twenty-three of the participants had a total of 20 pellets surgically implanted just beneath the skin, which contained naltrexone and a saline solution that allowed for a slow release of the medication to generate a six-
Non-Habit Forming Painkiller May Soon Hit The Market
Researchers at Stony Brook University have developed a powerful new painkiller that is said to possess no apparent side effects or addictive qualities could be available for purchase within the next year or two. At present, this miracle drug is in Phase II clinical trials in England and Canada.A painkiller or analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain. The term analgesic is derived from Greek “an”, meaning without, and “algos”, meaning pain. These drugs include paracetamol (better known as acetaminophen), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and opioids such as morphine and opium. Commonly prescribed painkillers include OxyContin, Vicodin, Methadone, Darvocet, Lortab, Lorcet and Percocet, all of which cause dependence.During the ‘90s, Dr. Simon Halegoua, Professor of Neurobiology