NIDA Notes Articles: Medication Development

In Animals, Receptor Puts Brakes on Nicotine Consumption

March 2012

New research suggests that differences in tobacco consumption reflect, in part, differences in the functional efficacy of a specific type of receptor in a pathway of the brain. In animal studies, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors with the α5 subunit played a key role in producing aversive responses to nicotine, thereby dissuading further consumption of the drug.

Medication Reduces Rats' Return to Methamphetamine Seeking

July 2011
Reports on a new medication strategy under investigated in animal studies that shows promise for preventing relapse to drug abuse.

Modafinil Normalizes Sleep During Early Cocaine Abstinence

December 2010
Describes a study investigating the effectiveness of modafinil in enhancing sleep among cocaine abusers who are currently abstinent.

N-Acetylcysteine Postsynaptic Effect Limits Efficacy

January 2013

Clinical trials of N-acetylcysteine to help people recovering from drug abuse avoid relapse have demonstrated only moderate efficacy. New NIDA-supported research shows that while a low dose of the medication activates receptors associated with lowered drug-seeking behavior, a higher dose appears to activate receptors associated with increased drug-seeking behavior. The result suggests that a medication or combination of medications that stimulate the receptor GluR2/3 and block mGluR5 may work better than N-acetylcysteine alone.