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Posted on 09/28/2024 9:18:43 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
The effects of sustained drug abuse can manifest in many ways. Loss of memory and reduced cognitive functions are some of the effects that can persist for years. Neurobiologists have now identified a mechanism in the brain that generates drug-induced cognitive impairments.
Scientists investigated how methamphetamine and phencyclidine (PCP or "angel dust"), which take effect by activating different targets in the brain, induce a similar reduction in cognitive ability. How could the same difficulties in memory emerge in response to drugs that trigger different actions in the brain?
The results of this investigation showed that meth and PCP caused neurons to change the way they communicate through a process known as neurotransmitter switching.
Neurotransmitter switching is a form of brain plasticity, an evolving area of research investigating how the brain changes function and structure in response to experience.
Examining the cerebral cortex of mice, the investigators found that meth and PCP each caused a switch from the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate to the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the same neurons in the prelimbic region, an area of the frontal cortex involved in executive functions.
This switch was linked to a decrease in memory task performance since drug-treated mice performed well in the tasks when the expression of GABA was blocked.
Further experiments showed that even after repeated exposure to the drugs, the researchers were able to reverse this neurotransmitter switch using molecular tools to locally decrease the brain's electrical activity or using clozapine, an antipsychotic drug. Each of these treatments reversed the memory loss, restoring the performance of mice in the cognitive tasks.
"These results suggest that targeted manipulation of neuronal activity may be used to ameliorate some of the negative effects of repeated drug abuse," said Pratelli.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
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That’s why they call it “dope”
“ Clozapine is capable of undoing memory loss from drug abuse, it appears.”
Yeah but it’s like Thorazine which can cause memory loss itself.
It’s a strong anti-psychotic. Kind of like a chemical lobotomy.
Dave? Dave’s not here, man.
Whew!
I only sniffed glue.
;)
As always, I enjoy reading your drug and medical treatment comments -- even if they don't always tell the whole story.
So, please tell us if this drug, used primarily to treat schizophrenia, is addictive.
You seem to imply in your comment that swapping one addictive drug for another, even if medically approved, is a good thing. I do wonder if this might be an example of one step forward and one step back.
Just a thought.
I am not a doctor, and clozapine is administered under close watch by medical professionals. I can point to medical concerns described about issues with withdrawal from it, but addiction to clozapine would likely not be an issue, if kept within the study's reversal timeline for treatment, which was shown to be two weeks for the mice used in the study. In sum, it appears the study shows a short course of clozapine worked to undo a pretty damaging aspect of these drugs (taken from part of the research paper):
“VGLUT1CRE::mCherry mice that received PCP displayed 1.9 fold more GABA+/mCherry+ PL neurons than controls 17 days after the end of PCP-treatment, indicating that neurons had maintained the acquired GABAergic phenotype (Fig. 6a–c). In mice that received clozapine treatment after PCP, the number of GABA+/mCherry+ neurons was reduced compared to that of mice treated with PCP alone (559 ± 55 vs 1124 ± 94) and was not different from that of saline-treated controls (Fig. 6a–c). Clozapine did not affect the number of GABA+/mCherry+ neurons in saline-treated mice, suggesting that this drug selectively reverses the PCP-induced change in glutamatergic neuron transmitter identity. We found that clozapine rescued PCP-induced memory deficits in the NORT and SAT, without affecting the behavioral performance of controls (Fig. 6d–g and Supplementary Fig. 16a–d).“
This is an amazingly positive opportunity that can be explored with doctors, because that is the only way to get clozapine. The purpose of the post was to provide insight that can be shared with doctors or patients to further explore.
I do not have the time to put in various concerns or considerations on all of these threads. I trust others can do some of that work. I do provide insights, where possible, but only dig into the actual studies on occasion. Fortunately, these each typically have links to the full study or abstract, if the study is behind a paywall.
Clozapine sounds like a Benzo. Benzo’s are magic. They can do darn near anything.
Olanzapine (2-methyl-4-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-10H-thieno[2,3-b][1,5] benzodiazepine) is a novel antipsychotic agent of the theinobenzodiazepine class developed by Eli Lilly & Co. It has a pleotrophic pharmacology and affects the dopaminergic, serotonergic, muscarinic and adrenergic systems.
But its better for you than PCP.
As someone who overcame two life-threatening conditions with the help of modern medicine, my own research, and, most importantly, my God, my experience is it's never as simple as the studies may present. There ain't no magic bullet.
While my research came from studies, my personal experience is that studies are just the tip of the iceberg, leading to greater understanding. Frankly, the studies are early findings. Most frequently, results are not clinically available, even if brought to the attention of your medical team. I categorize them as "good to know," but that's about it.
That's not to say that trials by well-qualified clinicians and their institutions are not extremely good options, though. Educating oneself and interacting with your medical team as a participant, not simply as a patient, is critically important in dealing with any serious condition.
As an example, years ago, I was prescribed a drug, clonazepam, for sleep while I was in the hospital. I became reliant on that drug to sleep over several years. It had terrible mental side effects over time -- not pointed out by my docs. I've never done drugs in my life, don't smoke, and watch my health, but coming off that "brain drug" cold turkey took at least two weeks of hell. I now know what withdrawal is!
In any event, just sharing.
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