Some individuals more likely to seek new experiences

The use of recreational drugs is often associated with poor decision making and novelty seeking behaviour, and it seems that often those who are impulsive and are interested in trying new things do tend to be more likely to try drugs and other risky types of behaviour.

Recent research using animal studies have suggested that it may be due to neural networks in the brain that lead some people to be more likely to seek new experiences and act in risky ways. 

The brain is a very complex machine and there is a great deal we still do not know about how it works.  But research is constantly making discoveries about how certain processes work, including those that are involved in drug misuse, and what some recent animal studies have suggested is that the brain mechanisms that are involved in cocaine use are also associated with a decreased appetite (DrugFree.org, 2012).  Therefore it could be that whose who exhibit a decreased appetite may be at a greater risk from potential cocaine use.  The researchers also suggest that the reverse may also be true; that those with an increased appetite appear to be less likely to misuse cocaine.

These findings could be important in not only helping professionals identify people at risk of cocaine use, but may also be useful in developing new ways in which rehabilitation clinics can treat addictive behaviours, which use the brain's chemistry to overcome addiction.

However, this research is still in the early stages and has yet to be tested using human participants.  But if these findings can be verified for humans, and they can be adapted and applied to the use of drugs in humans it could drastically change the way in which people are both identified and treated for drug addiction.

DrugFree.org.  (2012).  Decreased interest in food linked with greater interest in cocaine, mouse study suggests.  Sourced from: http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/drugs/decreased-interest-in-food-linked-with-greater-interest-in-cocaine-mouse-study-suggests

Published by on 10/07/2020.