New Brain Research Investigates the Addiction Progression

Addiction Treatment
Image: webmd.com

As a physician practicing addiction medicine, Kathleen Whaley, MD, helps people who cannot control their use of alcohol and other drugs. Dr. Kathleen Whaley has also worked in detoxification settings for those withdrawing from various substances.

The brain’s response to addictive drugs is the subject of a study performed at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Scientists are investigating the differences between a person who can control their drug intake and those whose lack of control leads to significant abuse.

Writing in the journal Nature, senior author Dr. Christian Luscher describes an experiment on mice involving the brain’s reward system when exposed to addictive drugs. To mimic the human experience of chemically-induced pleasure, researchers conditioned the mice to press a lever in order to receive neural stimulation.

Once the lever-pressing habit was established, researchers added a device that emitted a mild electric shock on activation. Experiencing the shock was considered analogous to human beings having negative consequences from drug use, such as social isolation and being jailed.

Forty percent of the mice stopped pressing the lever once the shocks began, while 60 percent of them continued to stimulate themselves despite the pain. What began as a controlled activity became compulsive for the second group.

This is only the beginning of Dr. Luscher and his team’s research. Since all the mice were genetically identical, the reasons for the different responses remain unknown. The scientists plan to examine factors in life experiences that may affect the neural circuitry of the mice.

Three Hiking Destinations in Western New York

 

Black Creek Park
Image: scenichudson.org

Dr. Kathleen Whaley, a board-certified physician who holds an MD from Indiana University, enjoys staying physically active in her free time through pursuits such as hiking. As a resident of western New York, Dr. Kathleen Whaley lives in a region that is home to a variety of quality hiking destinations. Some of the best of these are:

Black Creek Park

Located outside of Rochester, this 1,500-acre park attracts hikers with numerous trail options. Among these is the Creek Trail, which visitors can access near the canoe launch.

Chestnut Ridge Park

Local experts advise following the Eternal Flame Trail a mile and a half into the southwestern section of this Buffalo-area park. There, hikers will find a flame that burns within a waterfall, the product of a minor natural-gas leak.

Letchworth State Park

This Castile destination balances stunning scenery with 66 miles of trails. Along with three breathtaking waterfalls, the park’s seven-mile Gorge Trail allows for views of a 600-foot-deep gorge and a railroad bridge that crosses it.

Researchers Looking to Psychedelics for Possible Addiction Treatment

 

Addiction Treatment
Image: webmd.com

Board-certified in addiction medicine, Kathleen Whaley, MD, has provided medication-assisted addiction treatment to patients at New York and Indiana hospitals. As part of her ongoing education in the field, Dr. Kathleen Whaley keeps up with current research as it pertains to new and innovative methods of treating addiction.

For many years, the prominent thinking about conditions like addiction and depression centered on the notion that they had to do with imbalances in the brain’s chemistry. Recent studies, however, have linked addiction to more concrete neurological causes that affect portions of the brain called neurites, which they say retract in response to these conditions. Researchers have begun conducting research on psychedelic medications to promote neural plasticity and the expansion of neurite networks, resulting in greater brain connectivity.

They performed experiments on both vertebrate and invertebrate animals and found the same level of neurite development across numerous species. While psychedelics themselves probably won’t be used in treating addiction, other drugs that use similar mechanisms that could be targeted to specific areas of the brain are likely to be developed, and could become a entirely new avenue for treating addiction and depression.

ASAM’s 50th Annual Conference to Take Place in 2019

ASAM
Image: ASAM.org

An addiction medicine physician with certification from the American Board of Addiction Medicine, Kathleen Whaley, MD, has worked with institutions, such as Conifer Park, Sycamore Springs Hospital, and Serenity Medical Center. Kathleen Whaley, MD, also maintains membership in organizations, such as the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).

Since 1954, ASAM has sought to enhance addiction treatment, encourage research in the field, and advocate for greater public knowledge regarding addictions. In 2019, the society will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Annual Conference named Innovations in Addiction Medicine and Science.

The 2019 ASAM Annual Conference will take place April 4-7 in Orlando, Florida, at the resort hotel, the Hilton Orlando. The conference will bring together a diverse range of healthcare professionals from clinicians and physicians to students and policymakers. It will also provide continuing medical education courses through accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).

Those who attend the conference will have the opportunity to learn about new research in the field of addiction medicine, explore practical application for clinical practice, and hear about policy changes. They can also enhance their careers by networking with other professionals and gaining access to a variety of resources.