Posted by azdrugrehabctr on March 21, 2017 under Addiction Trends, AZ Drug Rehab News | 
Blocking the effects of drugs is not a new concept. In fact, those struggling with heroin addictions or addictions to any other opioid can use Suboxone or methadone to help with overcoming withdrawal symptoms. These drugs work by blocking the dopamine receptors in the brain so the person cannot feel the euphoric high of the opioids, thus allowing them to get off the drug without fear of relapsing. However, a medication that blocks the effects of cocaine has yet to be developed, but that may soon change. A research group at the University of Cincinnati may have come up with the first blocking medication suitable for cocaine addicts.
The drug works by introducing a specialized antibody (a protein that fights against specific antigens) into the blood stream. That antibody then attaches to the cocaine molecules inside the person’s body. When the antibody attaches to the cocaine it prevents the drug from reaching the brain, which is the part of the body that triggers the high. So, if someone is struggling with a cocaine addiction they can receive this medication and any time they use cocaine during those thirty days the antibodies will attack the drug before the user can ever feel it’s effects. In order to achieve maximum benefit, the user would have to get a dose of the antibody every 30 days.
But, the medication can only be effective if the user maintains their monthly doses of the antibody. This is a point that researchers are anxious for people to understand. Just like any other medical intervention for drug addiction, the medication only works if the person is serious about getting off the drugs.
“It will help keel people that are motivated to stay off cocaine do so by making sure any relapse event does not lead to a sustained relapse event. If people are not highly motivated to quit cocaine, there is no reason that this will be helpful,” explained Andrew Norman, lead author of the study.
While the antibodies are not on the market yet, the research team is hoping to get FDA approval for human trials soon. As of now they have only tested their medication on lab animals.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on March 4, 2017 under Addiction Trends, AZ Drug Rehab News |
A new screening test is being developed to help alert parents and healthcare workers of a potential for abuse among teenagers. Prior research has proven that young people who score high on novelty seeking tests are more likely to develop drug or alcohol addictions in the future. However, scientists believe they may have found a better way to determine the potential for addiction in teenagers. By using a brain scanning test called Monetary Incentive Delay Task (MID), researchers believe they get more accurate results and therefore they can potentially help more patients avoid a life of drug and alcohol dependence.
In order to test their theory, scientists gathered 144 children who had taken and scored high on the novelty seeking tests. Novelty seeking is a personality trait associated with impulsiveness, extravagance, and disorderliness. In the past, teenagers who have scored high on these tests had slightly higher chances of becoming addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.
The researchers specifically chose the 144 young adolescents who had taken these tests because they scored high, but had not developed drug addictions. They then gave them a video game where the child could play for points that could eventually be converted into money. While the child was playing the game, they were also hooked up to an MRI. This is important because scientists are interested in measuring the brain as the child begins to plan for future rewards, like the amount of money they can earn while playing the game.
Traditionally, children show less brain activity than adults when they plan for future rewards. However, drug use diminishes this brain activity even further. So, the scientists are essentially getting a baseline and will monitor these children as they move through their teenage years. If any of the children develop an addiction towards drugs, the scientists will be able to compare their baseline brain activity to their present-day brain activity. They are looking to determine if drug use in teenagers is because of low brain activity (which can be caught and monitored) or if drug activity suppresses further brain activity.
The ultimate goal for these scientists however is to be able to one day diagnose people with future drug abuse, so the problem could be addressed before the individual started taking drugs in the first place.
