Forum for Science, Industry and Business
Sponsored by:     Siemens  n-tv 
Search our Site:

Topic (optional):

 

Home Reports Life Sciences Content

Mechanism behind cocaine craving identified

next article
15.08.2008

A possible future way to prevent relapses into drug dependence has been discovered by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden and the German cancer research center DKFZ. The target is the dopamine-producing nerve cells in the midbrain.

 

Earlier research has shown that these cells become more excitable when a person takes drugs. To find out the functional meaning of this, these researchers used a mouse model for cocaine dependence.


When they blocked the cells' receptors for glutamate ­- the brain's most important signal substance -­ the risk of relapsing into addiction vanished. The findings are being published in the highly ranked journal Neuron.

Dopamine-producing nerve cells are central to the brain's reward system. Dependence-inducing drugs cause concentrations of dopamine to rise in the surroundings, which in turn affects other nerve cells and brings about various physical and mental reactions.

Cocaine has a very rapid impact on dopamine levels, which explains why it is one of the most addictive drugs.

"When you take cocaine, the number of glutamate receptors increases, rendering the cell more excitable. When we block this process, we prevent relapses into addiction. This is interesting clinically since that is the phase when we can get hold of patients," says David Engblom, a neurobiologist at Linköping University and the study's lead author.

An addict who wants to give up drugs could thus be offered a 'vaccination' against relapsing. But much more research remains to be done before such treatment can become a reality.

The article "Glutamate Receptors on Dopamine Neurons Control the Persistence of Cocaine-Seeking" by David Engblom et al. is being published in Neuron on August 14.

Contact:
David Engblom, Assistant professor,
Division of Cell Biology,
cell phone: +46 (0)70-2611302; e-mail: daven@ibk.liu.se

Åke Hjelm | Source: Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Further information: www.vr.se

next article

More articles from Life Sciences:

nachricht Genome sequence for the domestic horse to be unveiled
06.11.2009 | University of California - Davis

nachricht Common plants can eliminate indoor air pollutants
06.11.2009 | American Society for Horticultural Science

All articles from Life Sciences >>>

B2B Search

Product / Service
Company / Organisation

Latest News

Airborne nitrogen shifts aquatic nutrient limitation in pristine lakes

06.11.2009 | Studies and Analyses

Genome sequence for the domestic horse to be unveiled

06.11.2009 | Life Sciences

New Study in Geology Uses Satellite Imagery to Identify Active Magma Systems in East Africa’s Rift Valley

06.11.2009 | Earth Sciences

VideoLinks

Event News

Texas Tech University Hosts Major Textile Conference in India

06.11.2009 | Event News

Brief Highlights of the Fluid Dynamics Conference, Minneapolis

30.10.2009 | Event News

EUROSAFE Forum 2009 Brussels: "Safety Implications of an Increased Demand for Nuclear Energy"

29.10.2009 | Event News