High Blood Pressure Medication May Have Been the Cure for Addiction All Along

Okay, that’s not entirely true, but researchers at the University of Texas used a medication approved for the treatment of high blood pressure to eliminate the cocaine and alcohol addiction in rats. according to Medical News Today. Research has isolated a compound called isradipine may be able to reduce the chance of relapse by 100%. When used on lab rats, their memories of addictive substances, as it related to their environment and physical stimuli (scent, sound, etc.) appeared to be completely suppressed- or gone altogether. To sum it up, this medication (which isn’t even new!) eradicates the lingering memories of addiction, despite being in old environments of abuse.

A massive factor of relapse is typically attributed to immersing one’s self with things that remind them of using drugs. It can be as simple as being in a room you used to abuse addictive substances in, hanging out with the people you associate with use, or even seeing 33 milliseconds of a movie involving drug use or drinking. It’s that simple- and that’s why many people relapse, especially within their first months out of residential drug treatment. But the University of Texas may have changed all that.

Meet Hitoshi Morikawa, the expert neuroscientist who lead the study; his goal was to discover how the brain rewires itself to become dependent on addictive substances. He wanted to focus on memory and reward responses specifically, as they are the main factors contributing to relapse and addiction. Morikawa’s intent is to help rewire the addicted brain by liberating it from the burdensome memories of addiction; from large factors such as being in the same room as the addictive substance, to the tiniest detail down to the colors associated with each drug.

Medical News Today quotes Morikawa, “Addicts show up to the rehab center already addicted. Many addicts want to quit, but their brains are already conditioned. This drug might help the addicted brain become de-addicted.”

Because isradipine is originally for lowering blood pressure, researchers will have to continue to tweak their studies, as to not endanger safe blood pressure ranges- but the prospect of further study should be shortcoming, as this medication has already garnered the approval from the FDA.

If you could would you volunteer in human trials?

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The post High Blood Pressure Medication May Have Been the Cure for Addiction All Along appeared first on Harbor Village Florida.

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