Cocaine screws with your genes!

Science Daily reports that NIDA has discovered a 'key epigenetic mechanism in the brain' to help explain cocaine's addictiveness:

The study, published in the January issue of the journal Science, shows how cocaine affects an epigenetic process (a process capable of influencing gene expression without changing a gene's sequence) called histone methylation. These epigenetic changes in the brain's pleasure circuits, which are also the first impacted by chronic cocaine exposure, likely contribute to an acquired preference for cocaine.

That's right, kiddies: cocaine reprograms the expression of your DNA.

Read the full article for the shocking truth.

» more at: www.sciencedaily.com

Posted By amazingdrx at 2010-01-07 20:08:03 permalink | comments

Tags: cocaine addiction DNA epigenetic

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GK.. : 2010-02-06 22:24:14

Additionally, Ohnoes comment reminded me of a salvia trip video actually worth watching. Warning: do not have liquids in mouth while watching.

[link]

GK.. : 2010-02-06 22:21:44

Not surprising. I think this has been pretty well understood for some time without the knowledge of any specific mechanism in the brain. But when it starts to get really tricky is when I ask myself if that had anything to do with LSD catalyzing my shift toward agnosticism. Or if marijuana has neurochemically intervened on my personality, allowing me to more easily rationalize my political beliefs. Call it methylation if you'd like, but when researching such a complex organ I'm beyond confident there are countless variables left unaccounted.

thenightwatch. : 2010-01-08 17:34:33

yeah, this should have been pretty obvious forever. any change in the body has to be affected by some means.

guest : 2010-01-08 12:24:49

Everything affects methylation, this isn't news!

Ohnoes. : 2010-01-07 20:56:13

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

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