Cocaine addiction causes the brain to age more rapidly: in fact, the same key molecules typical of old age and related disorders accumulate in large numbers on the DNA of nerve cells, which modify the functioning and structure of the brain . This was discovered by a study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry and led by the German University of Heidelberg, which compared human brain tissues recovered post-mortem from 21 people who had a cocaine use disorder and 21 people who did not problem.
Cocaine is one of the most addictive substances known to exist: it acts as a strong central nervous system stimulant and interferes with the brain’s reward circuits, forcing cells to transmit pleasurable signals until the high wears off. According to estimates made in the United States, one in five people who use cocaine develops an addiction. However, much of what we know about the mechanisms by which cocaine acts on the brain comes from studies carried out on mice: researchers led by Eric Poisel have therefore tried to shed light on what happens in the human brain, studying in particular a region called Brodmann area 9 (BA9), an area of the frontal cortex thought to be involved in self-perception and self-control.
The results confirm other research conducted in the past: cocaine users show different sections of the DNA of nerve cells covered with molecules called ‘methyl groups’, the same ones that accumulate with age and change the way genes are translated into protein. This means that the brain of those suffering from cocaine addiction tends to age faster. However, the authors of the study caution that, given the small number of samples examined, the data will need to be confirmed by wider research.
Source: Ansa
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