In a fascinating article from the Houston Chronicle posted on Yahoo News, comes the story of an innovative treatment for cocaine addiction..vaccines. Novel thinking is what makes the brain so special. This treatment has potential to help one of the scourges of our society.
HOUSTON – Two Baylor College of Medicine researchers in Houston are working on a cocaine vaccine they hope will become the first-ever medication to treat people hooked on the drug. “For people who have a desire to stop using, the vaccine should be very useful,” said Dr. Tom Kosten, a psychiatry professor who is being assisted in the research by his wife, Therese, a psychologist and neuroscientist. “At some point, most users will give in to temptation and relapse, but those for whom the vaccine is effective won’t get high and will lose interest.”
The vaccine, currently in clinical trials, stimulates the immune system to attack the real thing when it’s taken.
The immune system “” unable to recognize cocaine and other drug molecules because they are so small “” can’t make antibodies to attack them.
To help the immune system distinguish the drug, Kosten attached inactivated cocaine to the outside of inactivated cholera proteins.
In response, the immune system not only makes antibodies to the combination, which is harmless, but also recognizes the potent naked drug when it’s ingested. The antibodies bind to the cocaine and prevent it from reaching the brain, where it normally would generate the highs that are so addictive.
“It’s a very clever idea,” says David Eagleman, a Baylor neuroscientist. “Scientists have spent the last few decades figuring out reward pathways in the brain and how drugs like cocaine hijack the system. It turns out those pathways are difficult to rewire once they’ve seen the drug. But the vaccine just circumvents all that.”
Kosten asked the Food and Drug Administration in December to green-light a multi-institutional trial to begin in the spring and is awaiting a response.
Approval would mark a breakthrough in the treatment of cocaine addiction, which now mostly involves psychiatric counseling and 12-step programs. It presumably would be the final clinical hurdle before the vaccine “” more than a decade in the making “” might be approved for treatment. But one expert warns against expecting too much.
“Addiction vaccines are a promising advance, but it’s unlikely any treatment in this field will work for everyone,” said Dr. David Gorelick, a senior investigator at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Still, if they prove successful, they will give those working in drug addiction an important option.”
A healthy brain is associated with a healthy, successful life. Strive to keep your brain healthy. Until next time, please know that success starts with a healthy brain. Failure is often the result of a brain gone wrong. The good news is that no matter how bad you have been to your brain it is never too late to change your brain and change your life. To your brain health,
Daniel Amen, MD
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As a recovered cocaine addict who lived the addicted life to fullest on all sides of the law, I can positively affirm that this approach will definitely not work. The only way to avoid becoming hopelessly addicted is to not use cocaine … PERIOD. This idea will only help some users rationalize their addiction by believing that if it gets out of control, which it will, they just need to go get vaccinated. Silly Idea.
WALTER H. STEINLAUF
Hello Dr. Amen,
Wow! This is a really innovative way of fighting addiction. Going into the AOD field any and all information is always welcomed.
I am amazed at the idea to attach it to the cholera, fooling the body and then the body readjusts to both chemicals and fights it! I have heard of many trials in the AIDS battle that did not work. I hope this does!
Thanks for all you give Dr. Amen,
Steven
Dr. Amen,
If this vaccine works on cocaine, does the same vaccine work on the AD/HD stimulant medications which are similar? If so, the many cocaine addicts who are self-medicating their undiagnosed AD/HD will really be out of luck when they are properly diagnosed! I certainly hope that this concern has been or will be recognized and addressed prior to the very first injection.
Jann Snyder, AD/HD Coach
Fortunately antibodies are very specific to individual molecular shapes. It is unlikely that an antibody to the cocane molecule would cross react with ADD drugs. Jann Snyder was thinking and we do need to look at all the facits of new approaches.
Byron
Thats a great question. Some of us that are being treated with stimulant medications may not want to do so for the rest of our life. We just don’t know how to stop.
Dr Amen,
I loved your program “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life” and learned so much about the brain and how it works! I would welcome an opportunity to interview you!
My name is Kenneth Brown and I am a Profit Evangelist and Chief Profitability Officer for growth-oriented companies. Simply, I show companies how to be more profitable! I have an Internet radio show entitled: “The Passionate Entrepreneur!†The mission of the show is to educate, inspire and promote entrepreneurship! My passion is entrepreneurship! I teach business owners about the principles and best practices of profitability. I interview interesting entrepreneurs and would interview you on my show!
I am an accomplished writer who has been published over twenty articles and commentaries. I also created a business online network, resource website, blog, podcast and wiki dedicated to encouraging, supporting and promoting entrepreneurship! Perhaps, our interview will produce additional content for my other websites! In addition, I am about to launch a global barter system for business owners and entrepreneurs to encourage more collaboration and greater opportunities!
When would you like to conduct the interview? There is no face to face meeting required! All we need is an available date and time and telephone!
Sincerely,
Kenneth Brown
This post is inspiring, fresh and ultra awesome! You have a very progressive looks. Reading this blog is a great pleasure.
you have a great blog, i bookmarked it so i can get back fast and often, good luck.