Social Recovery » Addiction News

Stress-induced Changes in Brain Circuitry Linked To Cocaine Relapse

admin — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Stress-evoked changes in circuits that regulate serotonin in certain parts of the brain can precipitate a low mood and a relapse of cocaine-seeking, based on mouse studies.

Genes That Drive You To Drink (But Don’t Make You An Alcoholic)

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Your genetic make up may predispose you to drink more but may not increase your genetic risk for alcoholism. New research pinpoints genetic pathways and genes associated with levels of alcohol consumption but not with alcohol dependence in rats and humans.

Polymorphism of An Opioid Receptor Linked To Alcohol Misuse Among Adolescents

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

A genetic study has examined the association between a polymorphism of the µ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene and alcohol misuse among adolescents. Results suggest that teens who carry the G allele (A118G) of the OPRM1 gene are at increased risk for alcohol problems because they experience alcohol as more pleasurable or rewarding than teens without A118G.

Taking Medicine For HIV Proves Hard To Swallow For Many People

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Two new studies illustrate just how hard it is to make sure people take their HIV medication. One study looked at the effects of drinking alcohol on adherence and showed the risk for non-adherence was double among drinkers compared to abstainers.

Crushing Cigarettes in A Virtual Reality Environment Reduces Tobacco Addiction

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Smokers who crushed computer-simulated cigarettes as part of a psychosocial treatment program in a virtual reality environment had significantly reduced nicotine dependence and higher rates of tobacco abstinence than smokers participating in the same program who grasped a computer-simulated ball, according to a new study.

Junk Food Diet Causes Rats’ Brain Pleasure Centers To Become Progressively Less Responsive

admin — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Brain pleasure centers became progressively less responsive in rats fed a diet of high-fat, high-calorie food, a new study has found. As the changes occurred, the rats developed compulsive overeating habits — and became obese. The overeating continued even when it meant the rats had to endure an unpleasant consequence (a mild foot shock) in order to consume the food.

Exercise Makes Cigarettes Less Attractive To Smokers

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Exercise can help smokers quit because it makes cigarettes less attractive. A new study shows for the first time that exercise can lessen the power of cigarettes and smoking-related images to grab the attention of smokers.

Chronic Voluntary Alcohol Consumption Impairs Neurogenesis

admin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:00:00 +0000

A new study found that chronic alcohol consumption reduces the number of new brain cells that form in the hippocampus of adolescent rhesus monkeys. This finding suggests these cells are vulnerable to alcohol and their presence may be essential for preventing alcohol dependence.

Cocaine Exposure During Pregnancy Leads To Impulsivity in Male, Not Female, Monkeys

admin — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Adult male monkeys exposed to cocaine while in the womb have poor impulse control and may be more vulnerable to drug abuse than female monkeys, even a decade or more after the exposure, according to a new study. The findings could lead to a better understanding of human drug abuse. The study was presented yesterday at the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

Amino Acid May Help Reduce Cocaine Cravings

admin — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A new study in rats has found that N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a commonly available and generally nontoxic amino acid derivative, reverses changes in the brain’s circuitry associated with cocaine addiction. The reversal appears to lessen the cravings associated with cocaine, thus providing protection against relapse.