A new study centered on rats who were addicted to cocaine has revealed promising results when those who were given the therapeutic for serotonin 2C receptors became much less likely to pull the level for more cocaine even when related stimuli were issued.
If the results prove to be the same in humans these would help curb the onset of relapse behaviors and make it easier for recovering addicts to resist the urge by eliminating a good portion of the brain chemical pull towards addictive behaviors.
The researchers are also excited as their findings may also prove useful for treating depression, impulsivity disorders, obesity and schizophrenia – whether or not they were symptoms developed through addiction or by other means related to serotonin 2c receptors.
Researchers have developed a treatment that may help reverse chemical imbalances made to the brain by habitual drug use and could one day help recovering drug addicts avoid future drug use.
When tested on rats, the new treatment was effective in reducing the animals’ cravings, according to the findings published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
When someone habitually misuses drugs, their brain chemistry is changed in ways that make it harder for them to quit taking drugs despite negative consequences.
Once someone has developed this brain disorder, their mind pays sharper attention to cues that encourage drug use, making it harder for them to abstain.
Serotonin, a brain chemical that transmits information between neural regions, is a key player in these changes.
The researchers found that the serotonin 2C receptors in drug addicts do not work as well as they should. Click Here to Continue Reading
