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Researchers block addictive, relapse behavior in addicted rodents
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Researchers at MUSC discovered that a research drug called MTEP
(3-((2-methyl-4-thiazolyl)ethynyl)pyridine) helped laboratory rodents
kick their methamphetamine habit and decreased their chance of relapse.
The results of the study, led by Foster Olive, Ph.D., earned
first article in the March 2009 issue of Neuropsychopharm-acology. A
full copy of the study is available at http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v34/n4/full/npp2008140a.html.
MTEP blocked a type of protein, called the mGluR5 receptor, which
normally binds the brain’s chemical messenger glutamate. These
receptors are found in high concentrations in brain regions that are
affected by methamphetamine, a highly potent and addictive illegal drug
commonly referred to as “meth.” When these receptors were
blocked by MTEP, rodents were less motivated to obtain meth and did not
relapse when exposed to signals, or cues, that were previously
associated with meth intake. The work supports a growing body of
evidence in favor of a new class of medications that targets mGluR5
receptors for treating drug addiction. The study also demonstrated that
MTEP did not affect food intake or general activity, suggesting that
the rodents were still able to function normally. A lay summary of the
study process is available upon request.
“mGluR5 receptor inhibitors are currently in clinical trials for the
treatment of other medical conditions, and our study in rodents
provides evidence that this class of drugs, if eventually approved by
the FDA, might be of use in reducing meth use in addicts or preventing
relapse,” said Olive, assistant professor in the Institute of
Psychiatry and Center for Drug and Alcohol Programs. “These findings
also highlight the importance of the brain chemical glutamate in
meth-taking behavior. Most prior studies have focused on the ability of
meth to induce the release of one of the brain’s ‘pleasure’ chemicals
called dopamine.”
Meth addiction is a significant public health problem, and there are
currently no medications to treat it. Practitioners now use a
combination of psychosocial or cognitive behavioral therapy in
inpatient and outpatient settings to treat meth addiction, but some
argue that these therapies offer high relapse rates.
A very addictive and powerful psycho-stimulant, meth is cheap and
relatively easy to make by the average person. Although the number of
people using meth remains relatively stable, the number of people
entering treatment for meth addiction has more than doubled in the past
five years.
In addition to the numerous psychiatric and cognitive problems that
chronic meth use produces, meth addicts often experience serious health
consequences, such as heart problems and infectious diseases.
Friday, Feb. 27, 2009
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