The brain chemical called dopamine has always been suspected as a contributing factor to alcohol abuse and substance abuse.
A new report in the online publication of Nature Neuroscience shows that a specific dopamine receptor within the brain - D2 - contributes to reward seeking behavior as well as the rewarding effects of cocaine.
The findings show when the D2 receptors are deprived of dopamine, and when a non-addicted individual is presented with drugs that are more commonly abused, the D2 receptors give more pleasant experiences than those within individuals whose dopamine levels are within normal range.
“Science and the human body are fascinating, particularly when it comes to addiction,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center in Canaan, Connecticut. “Some scientific studies may seem fragmented and disconnected, but when one looks at the entire body of empirical data gained from research such as this, we begin to see the big picture of addiction. The lack of presence of dopamine has always been known to contribute, to some degree, to the proclivity towards addiction. Hopefully, one day we can put all of these pieces together so that we can have have greater prevention of drug abuse and addiction.”
If you or a loved one’s life has been affected by substance abuse, Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center can begin helping you put the pieces back together.
The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as a Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specialization and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 13 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.
The program, along with its professional addiction treatment team, have earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Walters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.
If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or if you have any questions, please contact Mountainside
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center for a confidential inquiry at 800-762-5433.
