Treatment of Addiction
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a complex disorder that involves problematic patterns of substance use. It can range from mild to severe (addiction). Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive substance seeking and use despite adverse consequences. Of these, alcohol use disorder is the most common substance addiction in the United States, followed by nicotine and marijuana. Approximately 10% of people aged 12 or older in the United States suffer from an alcohol use disorder. Addiction treatment requires a combination of psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and medication, and the exact approach will vary from person to person, depending on the type of illness and circumstances of the addiction.
What Medications Can Help Treat Addiction?
Different types of medications may be useful at different stages of treatment to help patients stop abusing drugs, stay in treatment and avoid relapse. Common medications used to treat addiction and withdrawal include:
- Opioid: methadone, buprenorphine, extended-release naltrexone, lofexidine.
- Nicotine: nicotine replacement therapy (available as a patch, inhaler, or gum), bupropion, varenicline.
- Alcohol: naltrexone, disulfiram, acamprosate.
Pathophysiology Research of Addiction
The pathophysiological processes of addiction are complex and include neural adaptations, gene expression, changes in neurotransmitters, alterations in neural circuits, and changes in neuronal activity.
- Neuroadaptation: Long-term use of addictive substances leads to adaptive changes in neural circuits in the brain, including changes in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamic neurons. Such neuroadaptive changes increase the acquisition and use of addictive substances.
- Changes in neurotransmitters: Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit information between neurons, such as dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Long-term use of addictive substances can lead to changes in the levels of these neurotransmitters, which can affect an addict's mood, thinking, and behavior.
- Genetic factors: Research has shown that genetic factors play an important role in the onset and development of addiction. Certain genes affect the metabolism and absorption of addictive substances, which in turn affects the degree and duration of addiction.
- Environmental factors: Environmental factors also play an important role in the occurrence and development of addiction, such as the stability of the family environment, the level of support from the social circle, and stress.
In conclusion, the pathophysiological process of addiction is very complex, involving changes in multiple neurons, neural circuits, and neurotransmitters. The treatment process also requires a combination of factors and sometimes requires integrated interventions such as pharmacotherapy, psychological counseling, and social support.
How Can We Help?
Ace Therapeutics provides addiction pathophysiology research services to help you gain a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of addiction. Our services include but are not limited to
- Animal model building: We help you study the onset and development of addiction by building animal models of addiction.
- Behavioral testing: We use behavioral testing to assess the behavioral performance and neurobiological mechanisms of addiction in animals.
- Brain imaging techniques: We use a variety of brain imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), to quantitatively analyze and assess addiction characteristics.
- Neuropharmacology experiments: We use neuropharmacology experiments to assess the effects of different classes of drugs on addictive behaviors and brain functions.
- Cellular and molecular biology experiments: We use cellular and molecular biology experiments to study the cellular and molecular biological mechanisms of addiction.
In addition, we offer drug development services for the treatment of addiction.
- Selecting the right target: Target is the key to drug development. We can conduct in-depth research on the neurological process of addiction and the corresponding neurotransmitters, and select the target with modifiable ability.
- Screening for suitable drugs: Drug screening is one of the core processes in preclinical drug development. We can use molecular sieving and molecular simulation techniques to screen for candidates with good bioavailability and drug efficacy.
- Conduct in vivo and in vitro experiments: After selecting and screening drug candidates, we need to conduct in vivo and in vitro experiments, including pharmacokinetics, safety evaluation and efficacy evaluation, to ensure the safety, and efficacy of the drugs.
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Our Belief
Ace Therapeutics is committed to conducting research and scientific evaluations from multiple perspectives to accelerate your efforts in the development of drugs for Addiction. If you are interested in our services, please make an inquiry to learn how we can support you in your project.
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