A recent article (see citation at end of this post)* summarized in ScienceDaily
for June 26, 2013, reported on a study that suggests that some day it
may be possible to block that portion of the brain in alcoholics that
has been sensitized to alcohol and is responsible for cravings triggered
by cues such as taste or smell of alcohol. The study was of rats who
had become exposed to, and dependent on, alcohol, and who developed
cravings for alcohol that were triggered by exposure to the taste of
alcohol.
The researchers were "***able to identify and deactivate a brain pathway linked to memories that cause alcohol cravings in rats, a finding that may one day lead to a treatment option for people who suffer from alcohol abuse disorders and other addictions. One of the main causes of relapse is craving, triggered by the memory by certain cues -- like going into a bar, or the smell or taste of alcohol, said lead author Segev Barak, PhD ***." The memories were deactivated by giving the rats a drug that blocked the memory of alcohol for up to two weeks.
The authors also stated: ""One of the main problems in alcohol abuse disorders is relapse, and current treatment options are very limited." Barak said. "Even after detoxification and a period of rehabilitation, 70 to 80 percent of patients will relapse in the first several years. It is really thrilling that we were able to completely erase the memory of alcohol and prevent relapse in these animals. This could be a revolution in treatment approaches for addiction, in terms of erasing unwanted memories and thereby manipulating the brain triggers that are so problematic for people with addictions."
This study is, of course, just a preliminary one in laboratory animals, and raises many questions, including my basic issue that quick fixes for addiction through use of medication are not a treatment of perhaps the more difficult aspects of addiction, namely, the mental and spiritual issues all persons with addictive disorders have that need to be addressed. As always, comments are invited. Jan Edward Williams, 06/26/2013.
The researchers were "***able to identify and deactivate a brain pathway linked to memories that cause alcohol cravings in rats, a finding that may one day lead to a treatment option for people who suffer from alcohol abuse disorders and other addictions. One of the main causes of relapse is craving, triggered by the memory by certain cues -- like going into a bar, or the smell or taste of alcohol, said lead author Segev Barak, PhD ***." The memories were deactivated by giving the rats a drug that blocked the memory of alcohol for up to two weeks.
The authors also stated: ""One of the main problems in alcohol abuse disorders is relapse, and current treatment options are very limited." Barak said. "Even after detoxification and a period of rehabilitation, 70 to 80 percent of patients will relapse in the first several years. It is really thrilling that we were able to completely erase the memory of alcohol and prevent relapse in these animals. This could be a revolution in treatment approaches for addiction, in terms of erasing unwanted memories and thereby manipulating the brain triggers that are so problematic for people with addictions."
This study is, of course, just a preliminary one in laboratory animals, and raises many questions, including my basic issue that quick fixes for addiction through use of medication are not a treatment of perhaps the more difficult aspects of addiction, namely, the mental and spiritual issues all persons with addictive disorders have that need to be addressed. As always, comments are invited. Jan Edward Williams, 06/26/2013.
*Segev
Barak, Feng Liu, Sami Ben Hamida, Quinn V Yowell, Jeremie Neasta,
Viktor Kharazia, Patricia H Janak, Dorit Ron. Disruption of
alcohol-related memories by mTORC1 inhibition prevents relapse. Nature
Neuroscience, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nn.3439
No comments:
Post a Comment