Heroin addiction gene identified and blocked

Does it block just the cravings or does it block the high? Well I guess it wouldn't matter to you once you started taking treatment.
 
Well I would have thought we'd see in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences... but as I say, it's not published yet.

Also people seem to be getting some facts mixed up. From the report in New Scientist, this gene-target has only been shown to block reinstatement of use, not the fact that the drug in habit forming in the first place.

Also, if this AGS3 is what I think it is (activator of G-protein signalling 3) it will cause serious side effects if given systemically (as opposed to directly into the brain).

Finally, I don't think the DEA will be unhappy about it. The DEA didn't mind about naloxone, and they don't mind about potential anti-bodie therapies, so they wouldn't mind about this.
 
It appears from the article that they isolated a sequence in a herpes virus which targets AGS3, and acts as a binding agent to the protein. So once the binding occurs, the protein is not capable of triggering a reward deficit state within the nucleus accumbens.

Of course, if AGS3 is common elsewhere, that could possibly pose a problem.
 
This is an utter breakthrough! Hell yes. Everytime i start getting a little bored about the current situation, science blows me out of the water yet again. Being an opiate addict myself, i cant wait to hear more about this. I'm also probably starting naloxone soon, so i have a lot of positive things to look forward to.

Good luck everyone. have a good day. And thanks for the discussion/article.
 
Invalid Usename said:

Of course, if AGS3 is common elsewhere, that could possibly pose a problem.
Click to expand...

i thought of this also, but they stated that the rats showed no other side effects.

Originally posted by BilZ0r

Also, if this AGS3 is what I think it is (activator of G-protein signalling 3) it will cause serious side effects if given systemically (as opposed to directly into the brain).
Click to expand...

another good point! who knows what these drugs could do once entered into your blood stream.

this breakthrough will make some think that heroin will be a drug with no consequences, they will be sorrily mistaken when a bunch of doctors have to stick a big needle in your head to fix you 8)

and the drug only helps with addiction, it doesnt fix the rest of your body that is hurting from prolonged heroin use.

EDIT: damn i hate starting the new page :P
 
I wish my brain's reward system was not setup to put drugs ahead of sex, food, and sleep. :/
 
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