Dopamine Cure for Addiction

The human body resembles a computer, with a "motherboard" that sends signals telling the rest of the "machine" what to do. Our motherboard is the brain, which send chemicals called neurotransmitters to different areas of the body to tell those areas how to respond to different physical and mental stimuli. One of these neurotransmitters is called dopamine, a chemical that some researchers believe holds promise for treating drug addiction.

Understanding Dopamine

• According to Dr. Eric H. Chudler of the University of Washington, the neurotransmitters produced by the brain and sent to the necessary receptors in the body dictate our actions and responses. Dopamine is present in numerous areas of the brain, and is responsible for balancing emotion, movement and motivation and for providing the feeling of pleasure.

Can Dopamine Treat Addiction?

• Dopamine is also used to treat many diseases and conditions, including Parkinson's. There are two types of dopamine receptors located throughout the body: D1 and D2. The D2 receptor is the one commonly associated with addiction. This receptor is the one that tells a person: "Wow! That felt great! Let's do it again!" This is one of the major causes of addiction. However, dopamine, although often associated with causing addiction, may also be able to help in curing addiction.

  A study published in the April 2007 "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America" suggests there may be a possible connection between D2 dopamine receptors and drug addiction. The study focuses on the psychostimulant cocaine, but may indicate that dopamine could be used to treat other types of addiction.

  To treat addiction successfully with dopamine, a medication would need to block the D2 receptor from receiving a pleasurable signal from the brain. As of 2009, more studies still need to be performed to ascertain that dopamine can have this type of beneficial effect when used to help cure addiction.