New research shows that reducing the abundance of a set of microRNAs – small amounts of genetic material that influence gene expression – reduces the urge for cocaine in mice. As mice become addicted to cocaine, the brain experiences changes in gene expression. The researchers offered cocaine to mice whose neurons don’t have Ago2, an essential protein in the production and function of certain microRNAs.
Mice deficient in Ago2 consumed less cocaine. More research is needed to determine which of the 23 Ago2 dependent microRNAs control cocaine addiction in mice. The research hopes to learn whether similar pathways happen in the human brain.
