Detox from cocaine by laser

The work of Swiss scientists recently published in Nature has opened a new direction for cocaine detoxification.

The research team at the University of Geneva led by Professor Christian Lüscher successfully tested the deletion of all 'vestiges' of cocaine on the brain of mice. This is the next step of the discovery since 2009, also of the Lüscher group, about the mechanism that makes addicts hard to stop getting cocaine. There are two addictive mechanisms that need to be clearly distinguished. First, with substances such as heroin, morphine, alcohol, etc., the addict is physically dependent, can suffer a struggle when there is a lack of 'medicine'. The second mechanism causes addicts to be psychologically and physiologically dependent, often feeling 'nostalgic' to the level of addictive behavior. Detoxification of cocaine is very difficult because in the second mechanism, the brain has been left with indelible imprints.

According to Lüscher's research team, a mechanism that attacks one part of the brain is responsible for remembering and 'encouraging' vital things like eating, sex, etc. With a first-time action. happens (like pressing a button to select food), the brain produces dopamine , a neurotransmitter capable of creating a sense of excitement and a change in behavior. Thanks to the neurotransmitters, the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the mid-brain is exchanged with the prefrontal region called the nucleus accumbens , marking the feeling of 'satisfaction' with conditions for beneficial action to take place. Professor Lüscher said: 'When the body is used to and remembering, dopamine will no longer be released. However, this process is always activated every time you use cocaine, gradually becoming addictive. '

Remove 'cocaine memory'

Cocaine increases the amount of dopamine and some receptors to increase the amount of information exchanged between the two regions and leave a mark on the brain. This imprint will be increasingly engraved if addictive substances are used regularly for a long time. Therefore, the addict will 'get back to our old ways' even if he has just been given a long cessation.

In the past, a number of measures have been tried to erase the toxic 'traces' of cocaine, such as electrical stimulation in some areas of the brain. However, this approach does not help identify the target correctly. Lüscher 's group introduced a more effective mouse treatment of cocaine addiction: bringing the virus (not potentially harmful) containing channelrhodopsin , a type of light - sensitive protein into neurons. Channelrhodopsin after being grafted onto the neuron by the virus will help the research team to control the response of nerve cells through lasers. When stimulated by the appropriate number of slides, the conversion of information between two VTA-nucleus accumbens regions will return to the original level. "Detox" mice with lasers then react to cocaine as if they have never seen it. In other words, 'cocaine memory' has been removed.

This result is highly appreciated by neuroscience experts but still needs further research. First, mice after laser treatment were only followed for a few months, so it took longer for them to confirm that the effect would not change. On the other hand, the introduction of viruses into human neurons will not be applied if it is not certain that there will be no side effects.