Understanding cocaine addiction is central to treating it. Scientists have long known that there are certain areas of the brain related to pleasure and reward that are activated by certain behaviors, like eating dessert or using drugs or alcohol. The research in this area has been narrowing down the region and specific neurons involved with cocaine addiction.
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New research has found that a vaccine can block the effects of cocaine by combining elements of the common cold virus with a particle that mimics cocaine. This could be the first medication to treat cocaine addiction, and could help treat other addictions, such as nicotine and opiates.
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A new study has found that nearly one is five white individuals carries a genetic variant that significantly increases his or her odds of severely abusing cocaine. This variant, which is characterized by tiny gene mutations, changes the brain’s response to the rewarding effects of substances such as cocaine. Ohio State University researchers found that carriers of the variant were more than three times more likely to be susceptible to cocaine abuse, which can lead to overdose and death.
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Exercise is beneficial to many systems in the body and also affects mood positively. It elevates the heart rate, improves muscle strength and builds immunity. Mentally, people who exercise generally experience less depression and anxiety. Exercise is one of the basic components for a healthy lifestyle.
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When many people think of patent medicines, they conjure up images of wagons going town to town with sales agents promoting “cure alls,” or of the days of the old west when these drugs gained large-scale popularity. Many people may not realize, however, that patent medicines of the late 1800s and early 1900s contained dangerous drugs like heroin and opium, often without knowledge to the user. The drugs were heavily advertised, and their abuse helped contribute to the establishment of today’s drug regulations that help safeguard millions of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.
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Treatment centers that work with cocaine addicts in their recovery are working against a number of effects that make cocaine a dangerous substance. Lethargy, depression, psychosis, and physiological damage are possible dangers when dealing with cocaine dependence, along with the risk of fatal overdose. As with many addictive substances, once an individual completes treatment, they are still at a high risk for relapse.
With a name that can raise eyebrows, the fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous continues to promote abstinence and recovery for thousands of members across the globe. Like other 12 Step-based programs, the members of Cocaine Anonymous (C.A.) gain strength from a shared struggle and commit to assisting other people as they recover from the addiction.
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A researcher from the University of Cincinnati was awarded a $2.5 million five-year grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to develop a potential immunotherapy for cocaine addiction. One of the four winner of the NIDA’s first Translational Avant-Garde Awards for Innovative Medication Development Research, Andrew Norman, PhD, is a professor in the psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience department at the University of Cincinnati.
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Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan is blaming her father for her own interest in cocaine, as he is a former drug addict. Lindsay has been in rehab three times since 2007, and has been caught with cocaine by police.
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Lady Gaga (whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) has spoken out about her former addiction to cocaine in her new biography, LADY GAGA: Just Dance, written by Helia Phoenix. The 23-year-old pop star said, “I wanted to be the artists I loved, like Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol…And I thought the only way to do it was to live the lifestyle.”
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