(NewsNation) — A new study found a treatment developed for Parkinson’s disease could also be used to treat those suffering from alcohol-related substance use disorders.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University implanted a virus carrying a specific gene that codes for a protein into the brain of monkeys in hopes of altering the brain’s dopamine pathways.
The protein is glial-derived neurotrophic factor, or GDNF, and researchers used it to enhance the neurons in the brain that produce dopamine, a feel-good chemical that produces a rush of pleasure.
Chronic alcohol consumption reduces the amount of dopamine in the brain, which can lead people to drink more in an effort to get the effects of dopamine production.
The study found monkeys who underwent the GDNF procedure reduced their drinking by more than 90% compared to a control that did not get the treatment.
In order to insert the virus in the brain, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to guide them as they injected the gene into a specific area. That technique is already used in treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
Because the treatment involves brain surgery, researchers suggested it would only be useful for treating those with extremely severe alcohol dependency.