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Drugs lead to brain brake failure

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 A single dose of morphine was found to lower the inhibitions of rats, even after the drug had left their systems, a finding that may help scientists better understand addiction in humans, US researchers said.

In rats, the painkiller blocked the brain’s ability to strengthen connections, or synapses, that ratchet down reward or pleasure, researchers from Brown University reported in the journal Nature.

“What we have found is that the inhibitory synapses can no longer be strengthened 24 hours after treatment with morphine, which suggests that a natural brake has been removed,” said Julie Kauer, a professor of molecular pharmacology, physiology and biotechnology at Brown.

“This happens 24 hours after the animal had one dose of morphine. There is no morphine left in the brain. It shows that it is a persistent effect of the drug,” she said in a telephone interview.

Kauer said the finding adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting a link between learning and addiction and may help in the development of drugs to treat addiction. “Strengthening synapses, we think, is the beginning of the formation of memory,” she said.

By shutting off the natural ability to strengthen connections that inhibit pleasure, the brain may be learning to crave drugs, she said.

Kauer said the brain has two kinds of neurons  those that excite the nerve connections and those that inhibit or depress them.

“If inhibition is reduced, you get runaway excitability,” she said. This imbalance may boost the firing of neurons that make dopamine, the brain’s “pleasure chemical” activated after rewarding experiences such as eating, sex, and the use of addictive drugs.

Kauer found the changes in a small section of the midbrain that is involved in the reward system. While her study looked at the early response to addictive drugs, she intends to study the effect over time.

Source:The Times Of India

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News on Health & Science

TIPS FOR RAISING HEALTHY GIRLS

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Adolescence is a time of change and upheaval. This can be a challenging time as you watch your daughter grow independent, make decisions and develop into a young adult. Some risks that are unique to teen girls, such as decreased self-confidence, depression and early puberty, can lead to drug and alcohol abuse. Even during this difficult time, parents are the most important influence in their child’s life. You can help your daughter navigate this exciting, but stressful time. Below are tips on how to raise healthy, drug-free daughters.

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MAXIMIZE time together to build a strong bond with your daughter.
Spend time just listening to your daughter’s thoughts and feelings, fears and concerns. Teens who spend time, talk and have a close relationship with their parents are much less likely to drink, take drugs or have sex.

Really listen to what your daughter is saying. Make the time to ask your daughter about her school, friends and activities and interests.
Talk to your daughter about tough issues, such as the dangers of drug and alcohol use.
Make special time each week to talk and enjoy each other’s company.

MODEL coping skills to manage stress and pressure.
Adolescence can be a stressful process for teens. You can be a more supportive parent by understanding where the stress is coming from and model positive, healthy behavior and coping skills.

Set positive examples on how to cope with stress, such as setting realistic goals, learning to prioritize, getting enough sleep and engaging in physical activity.
Teach your daughter skills to handle negative peer pressure, such as how to say no.

MOTIVATE your daughter’s self-confidence by recognizing her strengths, skills, and interests.
Research shows that many girls experience a sharp decline in their self-esteem and self-confidence during early adolescence. Parents can help their daughter develop a healthy sense of worth.

Provide meaningful roles for your daughter in the family. Treat your daughter as a unique individual, distinct from siblings or stereotypes.
Encourage your daughter to develop an identity based on her talents and interests; downplay appearance and weight, and tell her a beautiful body is a healthy and strong one.
Promote healthy activities, such as exercising or doing community service. Teenagers enjoy giving to others, but they need your support.

MONITOR your daughter’s activities and behaviors with love and limits.
Show your unconditional love, but don’t be afraid of setting rules. Parental disapproval of drug use plays a strong role in keeping teens drug-free. Parental monitoring has been shown to be effective in reducing risky behaviors among teens.

Praise your daughter as often as possible. Show love, warmth and interest in your teen, but set clear “no-drug” rules, limit time spent watching TV and using the Internet.
Always know where your daughter is, whom she is with and what she is doing. Know her friends and the parents of those friends. Have regular check-in times.
Attend your daughter’s school events and recreational activities. It will make your teen feel loved, help her maintain good grades and increase her enjoyment of school.

Source:The New York Times

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Parents Take Notice: Your Teen Could Be Using Prescription Drugs

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Just when you thought you had covered the bases with your teenager about drugs and alcohol, you are hit with a new trend in drug abuse: prescription drug abuse. Unfortunately, prescription drug abuse is on the rise among our youth. Data from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows the second most popular category of drug use after marijuana is the non-medical use of prescription drugs.Always remember, taking prescription drugs without a doctor’s approval and supervision can be a dangerous  even deadly    decision.

What can you do to prevent prescription drug abuse?

Once again, the answer is simple: Talk to your kids. Let them know that you oppose all illicit drug use   including prescription and OTC drug use. Monitor their behavior by randomly checking up on them to make sure they are where they say they are. Know their friends and their friends   families.

Also, itâs time for you to take inventory in your own home. Keep your prescription medications out of reach. They should not be in a place where your kids or their friends can find them. Put them in a safe place where only you have access. Move your OTC medications to a safe place as well. Just as you do for alcohol, make a note of the levels in each bottle.

Monitor the Web sites that your child visits on the Internet.
Some teens actually order medications via Web sites (or “pill mills”) that are not monitored by the FDA. These sites are sometimes in countries outside of the United States. Be sure to review the history trail on your computer and carefully track where your teen is making purchases on the Web especially if you allow them access to your credit card, or if they have their own card.

What are the signs of abuse?
The symptoms are pretty obvious: slurred speech, staggering walk, sweating, nausea, vomiting, numbness of extremities, dilated pupils, drowsiness, dizziness. If your teen shows these signs of drug abuse, ask questions immediately — then talk calmly with them about the risks of abuse. Also check your mail and your Internet history to make sure your child isn’t ordering medications over the Internet. There are Internet pharmacies that will sell to just about anyone.

What can you say to your teens?
If your teen shows these signs of drug abuse, ask questions immediately — then talk calmly with them about the risks of abuse. Make it a rule that they should never take prescription drugs unless you or their physician prescribes them. Visit the Action Guide for Parents for more information on how to start the conversation.

Always remember Parents can make a difference. Your kid may be mad now, but they will thank you later.

For more information and resources on this topic visit:
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
NIDA InfoFax

Source:The New York Times

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