Faulty brain signalling 'linked to addiction'RSS Feed

Faulty signalling in the brain could increase cravings for sugar and drugs, scientists have said.

Researchers at Uppsala University revealed that the brain injury, which is caused by a failure of the co-signalling of glutamate and dopamine, causes hypersensitivity to rewards.

Lower doses than usual were found to be enough to increase the propensity to ingest the substance, which applies to both sugar and cocaine, according to the research which has given scientists an insight into addiction.

The brain's reward system gives off feelings of pleasure and happiness when the individual has exercised or eaten well, for example.

This reward system can be "kidnapped" by other rewarding substances, which are not good for the individual, such as alcohol and recreational drugs.

The feelings of reward in these cases are so powerful that the nerve cells in the system are rewired, causing addiction.

Lead researcher Asa Mackenzie said: "This is extremely interesting, but more research is needed in order to understand how this can be used in drug development, for instance."

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Posted by Paul Breen
 

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