Research gives new insight into food, drug and alcohol addictions

[Lunar Loops]

This from The Telegraph (UK):
Research gives new insight into food, drug and alcohol addictions

Last Updated: 6:01pm BST 21/05/2008

A new generation of drugs that could curb excessive eating along with alcohol and drug abuse could result from a fundamental new insight into addiction, writes Science Editor Roger Highfield.

A protein that builds up in parts of the brain linked with addiction to cocaine, as well as in response to food, has been found by a team led by Dr Jean-Antoine Girault of INSERM, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
Blocking the process could help treat addictions. Both food and drugs of abuse trigger the accumulation of the protein in the nucleus of brain cells involved in the brain's reward systems, report the researchers from France, Japan and America led by Dr Girault in Nature.

Cocaine and amphetamines induced a rapid accumulation in parts of the brain called the nucleus accumbens and the dorsal striatum that lasted several hours, while morphine led to a build up around the nucleus accumbens.
In principle, the findings are relevant to alcoholism too, he says, though he adds that alcohol "is a messy drug that does many things."
The team made the discovery when they observed that mice with a specific change in this protein called DARPP-32 were less likely to show obsessive food - or drug-seeking behaviour: for example, they gave up more easily in 'nose-poke' trials, in which they have to poke a lever to get food, and the number of pokes required is then increased.
This protein seems to be a key component of a signalling pathway, one overlooked until now, by which the brain learns that such substances give pleasure.
And drugs that can reduce levels of the protein could be useful to treat addictions and alcoholism, though he stressed that practical exploitation of this fundamental understanding is some years away.
"Additional work is necessary to design them. In addition, one should be cautious since such drugs may not be able to "treat" addiction once it is established", says Dr Girault, who is Director of the Institut du Fer à Moulin.

[oggy]

Nice one. Thanks for posting this up.

Do you have any info on what this protein/amino acid that builds up in parts of the brain? Also is there a rebound affect when one stops taking DARPP-32?

DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein)

Quote from wiki:

A common version of the DARPP-32 gene has been shown to improve the transfer of information between the striatum and the prefrontal cortex. When this process works well it leads to improved and more flexible cognition.

However this same version of the gene has been linked to an increased risk of schizophrenia. While this gene typically improves cognitive ability, it may have a negative effect when other genetic and environmental factors interfere
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AMINO ACID NUTRITION THERAPY:

Neurotransmitters, including epinephrine and norepinephrine, GABA, serotonin and dopamine, are closely tied to addiction behavior. With the use of various amino acids, brain chemistry can be changed to help normalize and restore deficiencies in the neurotransmitters that spur cravings that can lead to addiction and relapse.
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Looks like it comes back down to good old nutrition once again. Swim is now 4 weeks clean of methadone and was drinking 3 protein drinks a day (about 100-150g's of protein/amino acids) and a good diet and felt amazing but the last week and a half he stopped the protein shakes and has been quite down. Drinking one at this very second and will keep it up. Amino acid therapy should be done for at least 3-6 months not weeks, silly Swim.

Thanks great info.

oggy added 146 Minutes and 34 Seconds later...

The protein is phenylalanine = dopamine and the other is glutamine = gamma-aminobutyric acid.

The nucleus accumbens, a major component of the ventral striatum, and the dorsal striatum are primary targets of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which is a pathway that plays a critical role in reward and addiction.

What we eat affects the formation of neurotransmitters, and some diet-related neurotransmitters have a significant affect on our mood, our appetite and our cravings. (sounds like addiction)

This in turn causes the brain to communicate in the form of an impulse (craving for certain foods) the need for certain neurotransmitters that it requires to restore balance.(addiction)

While many other factors influence the level of these chemicals, such as hormones, heredity, drugs, and alcohol, three neurotransmitters—dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin—have been studied in relation to food, and this research has shown that neurotransmitters are produced in the brain from components of certain foods.

When our body has enough Dopamine we're blessed with feelings of bliss and pleasure, euphoric, appetite control, controlled motor movements, and we feel focused.

When we are low in Dopamine we feel no pleasure, our world looks colorless, we have an inability to "love", and we have no remorse about personal behavior.(come down!)

The brain cells which "manufacture" dopamine use l-phenylalanine as a "raw material" (precursor.) Phenylanine is an essential amino acid found in the brain and blood plasma that can convert in the body to tyrosine, which in turn is used to synthesize dopamine. Sources of phenylanine are high-protein foods such as meat, cottage cheese, and wheat germ.

A healthly, balanced diet is rich in whole “natural” and unprocessed foods. It is especially high in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, seeds and nuts. Fruits are vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants that protect the body cells from damaging. They also help raise serotonin levels in the brain.

Beans and legumes are rich in protein and are healthful boosters of both dopamine and norepinephrine. Also, Protein Meat, Milk, Eggs, Cheese, fish and other seafood are very healthy, high-protein, dopamine-and-norepinephrine-booster food.

The simple way. Increase your glutamine intake when you want to chill and if you want energized then icrease your phenylalanine intake. Don't let the money thirsty drug company's treat you like a fool or even the supplement company's (all tho they do come in handy when one isn't hungry).

Gaba is a specific inhibitor of dopamine and norepinephrine.

If your GABA deficiency is mild to moderate you should be able to balance it with diet, supplements, exercise and lifestyle modifications. The amino acid glutamine is necessary for the production of GABA. Start with adding foods that are rich in glutamine (Mgs. Per 6-8 oz. serving) such as: almonds 10.3 g., bananas 220 mg., beef liver 6.5 g., brown rice 940 mg., halibut 7.9 g., oats 7.4 g., walnuts 5.4 g., spinach 680 mg..

Additional nutrients to add to your program include: inositol in doses of up to 2-12 grams per day, thiamine 400 mg. per day, niacinamide 100 mg. per day and Pyridoxine 10 mg. per day. Also taking either the herb valerian root or passionflower will boost GABA levels. GABA itself is generally not well absorbed.

Sorry but ISO there is no easy way out and taking a pill to stop you taking other pills is just silly.

At the end, it comes back down to nutrition, you are what you eat, its as simple as that! Your a growing plant or marijuana weed, now you wouldn't feed it burger and fries or it will be small and weak, same goes for our bodies and mind and it should be treated with the same respect as an F1 car and you would never use cheap fuel or you are guaranteed to be last or not even finnish.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Nice bit of additional material. Thanks.

[Lunar Loops]

Apologies I'd not been online since, but you appear to have done your own research.

As you say eat healthy and be healthy, it's not rocket science, but it is something that we appear to have lost in a sea of additives.

[cyndi]

Actually that is tough for swim in this recovery deal. She tends to overeat and definitely not heathy after a long period of time using and some cleantime now. Almost like she has substituted food for drugs if that makes sense. She has everything against her, hormones....going thru menapause so a walking talking one now, heredity......everyone in the family was an addict/alcoholic, in fact she can't think of anyone she was related to that was sober...sad but true. She is very ocd which isn't good. She should eat healthy but not sure how to make herself.