They may be able to turn "off" the brain neurons affected by alcoholism

**UniqueStranger** · 03-23-2017, 06:24 PM

Quote:Once the specific neurons were labeled in this way, the researchers injected a compound that could inactivate only the alcohol-linked neurons. The neurons were effectively silenced, and the results were remarkable.

'I wasn't sure if I believed it'
Much to the researchers' surprise, the rats completely stopped compulsively drinking alcohol. The change was not momentary, either, it lasted for as long as the rats were monitored.

Because the response was much stronger than expected, the team went on to run the experiment a second and third time to check the findings; each time, the results were the same. Once the specific amygdala neurons were silenced, the need for alcohol evaporated. As study leader Olivier George says: "It's like they forgot they were dependent."

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/312817.php

The researchers need funding to continue studies on people, as these findings were from studies done on rats.

This is hope for those that can't kick the addiction.

**Octo** · 03-23-2017, 07:00 PM

Very interesting...

Quote:Another interesting aspect of the study was a difference that the team found between casual binge drinking and addictive drinking. Switching the neurons off did not have an impact on nondependent drinking, the brain just switched on a new set of neurons and continued.

**UniqueStranger** · 03-23-2017, 07:04 PM

Yeah, they should also look into binge drinking too and how to turn that "off" too.

But as my nephew says about self-medicating (and occasional binge drinking) - "What's the worse that can happen? You wake up in the morning and find yourself wrapped around a toilet".

**Octo** · 03-23-2017, 07:09 PM

(03-23-2017, 07:04 PM)UniqueStranger Wrote: Yeah, they should also look into binge drinking too and how to turn that "off" too.

**UniqueStranger** · 03-23-2017, 07:19 PM

(03-23-2017, 07:09 PM)Octo Wrote:
(03-23-2017, 07:04 PM)UniqueStranger Wrote: Yeah, they should also look into binge drinking too and how to turn that "off" too.

Yes, only so we will be able to control the duration and intensity of the binging...from a scale from say 100 - 10,000. So set it to 100 during a family get-together and set it to 9,999 when warranted - or should those numbers be reversed? This will be a useful drug.

**JayRodney** · 03-23-2017, 07:21 PM

My stock in AA just tanked, if you'll pardon the expression.

**UniqueStranger** · 03-23-2017, 07:24 PM

(03-23-2017, 07:21 PM)JayRodney Wrote: My stock in AA just tanked, if you'll pardon the expression.

It's all about control and the right drugs.