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Scientists in Shanghai may have discovered a way to turn cocaine addiction on and off through a switch-like protein.
Cocaine affects the brain by increasing the level of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays important roles in many brain functions, including the feeling of reward and pleasure.
The drug works by inhibiting proteins that reabsorb dopamine, causing it to build up and leading to a "high".
The researchers found that as addiction is being formed, a protein known as dopamine transporter, or DAT, moves from inside the neuron to the cell's surface, which means that the key difference lies in the DAT's location in the brain.
A countermove would block the migration so that the development of the addiction may be put off.
The team believes the key to blocking addiction lies in VAV2, a small protein that acts as a molecular switch to regulate the migration of the DAT.
According to the scientists, the discovery of VAV2's role may hold the key to cocaine rehabilitation efforts. Other types of drug addictions would require different solutions.
For humans, although gene removal is ethically questionable, ways can be designed to suppress the gene through medication.
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