How substance abuse rewires the brain

Image source: news.harvard.edu

For a long time, history had judged addiction as a failure in morals. Thankfully, the rise of more scientific and behavioral approaches to the handling and treatment of substance abuse has overridden the pervading notions that moral and religious reeducation was enough. These likewise made it clear that neuroscience is key in understanding addiction, says Dr. Curtis Cripe of the NTL Group.


Scientists now know that chronic exposure to and abuse of drugs alter the brain, particularly leading to the so-called fragile X mental retardation protein or FMRP. This very protein is also the leading cause of intellectual disability and autism. Researchers are now keen on looking further at brain molecules that control the development of drug addiction with the hope of discovering new treatment methods.

Image source: psychologytoday.com

FMRP is particularly an issue for those repeatedly exposed to cocaine, as the drug uses the protein to create changes in the brain that are connected to addiction-related behaviors. It must be noted that while some experiences modify the brain by allowing one to remember and learn, alterations caused by substance abuse are harmful, end up reinforcing addictive behaviors.

It is the conditioned brain that itself makes addiction recovery difficult, and those affected by chronic drug use will struggle to combat a brain that has been rewired to accommodate addiction. But to beat it, the very mechanisms that have caused it must be used, consciously working rigorously on the behaviors to live more healthily, adds Curtis Cripe. It will take time and much effort to rehab the drug-conditioned brain, but it must nonetheless be done.

Dr. Curtis Cripe has behind him a diverse multidisciplinary professional and academic background, having worked in aerospace, engineering, software development, bioengineering, addiction recovery, psychophysiology, psychology, and child neurodevelopment. For similar posts, visit this blog.

First eight years of life critical in preventing substance abuse

Studies suggest that the vast majority of people who become addicted to alcohol, tobacco, and drug usually had their first taste of the bad stuff when they were young – in fact very, very young. In recent decades, substance abuse has even become more prevalent among pre-teen children, showing the sad reality that no child is safe from an epidemic of addiction. 

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Now it appears that different factors affect a child’s self-control and overall mental health from pregnancy through the eighth year of life, according to an online guide on early childhood interventions launched by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in March 2016. While substance abuse usually begins during teenage years, it has existing biological, psychological, social, as well as environmental roots that start even prior to birth. 

“We now know that early intervention can set the stage for more positive self-regulation as children prepare for their school years,” said NIDA director Dr. Nora D. Volkow in a media release announcing the launch of “Principles of Substance Abuse Prevention for Early Childhood,” which tackles major influences on early development issues such as lacking school readiness skills and uncontrolled aggression. 

It is deemed crucial to understand what draws kids to drugs, and be armed with basic information about the substances that currently prevail in their neighborhood. It is also important to be cognizant of the signs that a drug problem might be taking root in the home. 

Image source: Pixabay.com 

Dr. Curtis Cripe was the founder of the Crossroads Institute, which formulated neuroengineering programs to diagnose and treat a wide array of neurological dysfunctions, including addiction and learning disorders. Learn more on this page.