Scientists Discovered Area of Brain Responsible for Drug Addictions

Researchers at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile discovered the area of the brain responsible for drug addictions. The group, led by Fernando Torrealba, determined through their research that the insular cortex has an effect on drug cravings. If the area was blocked off in rats, the rats were no longer craving drugs. The research was published in 'Science', published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). This discovery may aid in the development of effective therapies to treat drug addictions as well as even behavioral disorders.

The insular cortex, also called insula, belongs to the interoceptive sensory system of the brain. Its location is deep within the brain. The system registers what the body perceives as the state it is in and what its needs are. The scientists indicate the study also showed that this region of the brain might be responsible for the guidance of behavior.

The scientists blocked the insular cortex in amphetamine-dependent rats through an injection of a drug, which stopped neuronal activity in this particular region of the brain. Before the injection was made the rats were anxiously seeking out amphetamines. After the injection, they stopped this behavior and returned to normal rat activities. The blockage was only temporarily and when the blockage of the insula was removed, the rats once again showed addictive behavior.

In another experiment, lithium was injected into the rats. Lithium is normally used to treat mood disorders. However, a side effect is gastrointestinal pain. When the lithium was injected without the insula blockage, the rats showed such gastrointestinal discomfort by lying on their bellies. However, if the lithium was injected after the insula had been disabled, the rats did not exhibit any signs of gastrointestinal pain and behaved normally.

The study provided a new angle to the role of the insular cortex. The study's findings can have a great impact on the development of effective treatment method for addictions and maybe even behavioral disorders.

The study at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile was only performed on rats. A similar study has yet to be done on human test subjects to show that the findings also apply to humans. The researchers also want to concentrate on prolonging the time frame for the blockage of the insula in order to extend the effect of the drug craving prevention. Furthermore, they want to research whether other ailments could be treated through blockage of the insular cortex.