Important Research
Our speaker on July 24th was Dr Mark Thomas. Dr Thomas who spoke on how when exposed to altering chemicals such as drugs and alcohol, the brains behavioral response alters.
There are circuits in the brain that connect sensory information to appropriate behavior, and figuring out what part of the brain deals with stimulation is part of the research that is being done to curb the demand for opioids. Opioids are the drug of choice for Americans in our society right now.
Some of the Critical Research Topics include addiction brain patterns, discovering the where and how to intervene and disrupt cravings and relapse, finding non-addictive pain relief, and developing addiction targeting vaccines which would disrupt the ability of addictive substances to react the brain.
The brain’s circuits are intricate and the research must be done to find out how brain function and response can be returned after prolonged drug use and addiction. The University of Minnesota has a top team currently in place to be able to continue the research and maybe even find a path that leads to fewer addictions within our society.