Increasing the brain level of receptors for dopamine, a pleasure-related chemical, can reduce use of cocaine by 75 percent in rats trained to self-administer it.
Earlier research had similar findings for alcohol intake. Treatments that increase levels of these chemicals -- dopamine D2 receptors -- may prove useful in treating addiction.
d2 receptorsGene Therapy For Addiction: Flooding Brain With 'Pleasure Chemic...ScienceDaily Fri, 04/18/2008 - 13:00
Gene therapy reduces cocaine use in ratsEurekAlert! - Chemistry, Physics and Materials Sciences Tue, 04/15/2008 - 23:00
Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have shown that increasing the brain level of receptors for dopamine, a pleasure-related chemical, can reduce use of cocaine by 75 percent in rats trained to self-administer it. |
