New Research on Cocaine Addiction

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There have been new developments in the area of cocaine addiction research. These new research findings suggest that structural abnormalities in the brains of cocaine addicts are related partially to drug use but also partially to a predisposition toward addiction. The research, published in a recent issue of the journal Neuron, maps the topography of the addicted brain and provides a new understanding about the effect of cocaine on neural systems connected to cognition and motivation. Dr. Hans Breiter, who headed the study, explains that previous studies had shown that there are differences between how addicts and non-addicts make decisions and judgments, but it wasn't well understood how these differences related to changes in the brain structure of addicts. "Claims have been made that cocaine, potentially in connection with alcohol or other drugs, may be toxic to brain cells. We sought evidence supporting a hypothesis that brain thickness is reduced in some brain regions in addicts, is related to altered decision-making and cognition, and might to some limited degree, be connected to their exposure to cocaine," he explains. Gaining insight into this recent research will help us at Mark Houston Recovery better tailor a plan to help those addicted to cocaine become free of their drug addiction.

The Science of Cocaine Addiction

The study found that brain regions involved with regulation of attention and reward were significantly thinner in cocaine addicts when compared to non-addicts. Behavioral tests showed that this thinner region, a cortex in the brain, was associated with restrictions in preference-based judgment and decision-making. What does this mean? Basically, the fact that this thinner area of the brain is related to a reduction in the level of preference, and the range of decisions reflecting these preferences, features a fundamental idea of addiction - the general loss of interest in many things besides drug use. And while some of these cortical thickness differences were associated with the subjects' years of drug use, researchers also found differences in the symmetry of the cortex thickness between control subjects and cocaine addicts that implied a predisposition to drug abuse. Breiter explains that differences in the structure of the right and left sides of the brain are important for many behaviors, and when these normal differences in the brain structure are changed, it may be due to genetic reasons. Their study found an altered right/left relationship in a part of the frontal cortex of the brain that was associated with decision-making and judgment in addicts. They also found that in cocaine addicts, the overall brain thickness was more uniform than for non-addicts, which points to predisposing factors being a potential contributing factor to the drug addiction.

Mark Houston Recovery for Drug Addiction

These findings are enlightening, but what do they mean for cocaine addicts? Overall, these observations provide evidence that cortical thickness abnormalities associated with cocaine addiction may be a reflection of both drug use and a preexisting inclination to drug abuse. This gives further credence to the idea that addiction is a disease with a genetic bias. At Mark Houston Recovery, we open our doors to all those who are afflicted with drug or alcohol addiction. At our addiction recovery center, men will learn how to overcome their addiction through working the 12 steps, learning life skills, and becoming more spiritually aware. Contact us today if you or a loved one needs help with alcohol or drug addiction.