Getting delirium tremens? A worm could help you kick the bottle Essay Example
Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have created mutant worms that are immune to the effects of alcohol, offering a potential breakthrough in alcohol addiction treatment. By inserting a modified human alcohol target into the worms, researchers hope to find new drugs that can help those suffering from alcoholism. While this does not mean one can out-drink their companions or resemble James Bond, it does provide hope for the large number of alcoholics around the world, including India, which is seeing significant losses due to alcoholism.
According to Jon Pierce-Shimomura, corresponding author and assistant professor at the University's College of Natural Sciences and Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, this is the first instance of changing a human alcohol target to prevent intoxication in an animal. An alcohol target refers to a neuronal molecule that binds alcohol, and there are numerous such mole
...cules. What's noteworthy about this modified alcohol target - a neuronal channel known as the BK channel - is that the mutation solely impacts its reaction to alcohol. The BK channel usually governs several critical functions, including neuronal activity, blood vessel function, respiratory tract function, and bladder function. Nonetheless, the alcohol-insensitive mutation does not impair these functions in any way.
"Our research shows that we were fortunate enough to discover a method to make the channel insensitive to alcohol while maintaining its typical operation," explained Pierce-Shimomura. "These findings offer promising evidence that future medications could potentially target this section of the alcohol receptor to prevent problems in individuals with alcohol abuse disorders," Pierce-Shimomura further added. Nevertheless, Pierce-Shimomura pointed out that it is still uncertain which aspects of these disorders would benefit
from such treatment. Unlike drugs like cocaine that have a specified target within the nervous system, alcohol has multifaceted effects on the body and affects numerous targets within the brain.
The effects of alcohol addiction, including tolerance, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms, can potentially be impacted by various alcohol targets. Caenorhabditis elegans, the worms utilized in the study, provide a good model for intoxication. They exhibit slower crawling and decreased wriggling from side to side when exposed to alcohol. In addition, intoxicated worms stop laying eggs, which accumulate in their bodies and can be easily counted. The study utilized a modified human BK channel based on a mutation discovered by lead author and graduate student Scott Davis. This modification could be inserted into mice, allowing further investigation into whether this specific alcohol target also affects tolerance, cravings, and other relevant symptoms in humans.
- Cocaine essays
- Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized essays
- Drug Abuse essays
- Teenage Drug Abuse essays
- alcoholism essays
- Casino essays
- Cell Phone Addiction essays
- Heroin essays
- Smoking essays
- Social Media Addiction essays
- Tobacco essays
- alternative medicine essays
- Aspirin essays
- Cannabis essays
- Cardiology essays
- Cloning essays
- Dentist essays
- drugs essays
- Hemoglobin essays
- Medical essays
- Medical Ethics essays
- Organ Donation essays
- Patient essays
- Pharmacology essays
- Plastic Surgery essays
- Surgery essays
- Therapy essays
- Vaccines essays
