Conjecture: What perpetuates addictions is the following:
Addictions are begun by excitement, novelty and escape seeking. The under 21 year old population is especially vulnerable because of developmental stage. Those treated for pain and disability are vulnerable due to lifestyle changes that reduce BDNF. Those who experiment are vulnerable because opiates, and stimulants reduce BDNF. So vulnerability to addictions are increased or decreased by BDNF levels.
Opiate Use and Depressant lifestyle change- reduces BDNF, leading to dysphoric mood and greater need to achieve escape velocity either up or down.
BDNF increases improve mood, memory and metabolism and reduces the need for escape velocity either up or down.
The desire to resume drugs for euphoria and escape remains inversely proportional to BDNF levels.
Some persons have "addictive personality" in proportion to their risks for dysphoric moods. I.e. Bipolar patients. See abstract below.
The evidence supports a lifestyle that increasing BDNF results in a better mood, better memory and better metabolism. Less pain and less dysphoric mood reduces but does not eliminate relapse. I am convinced, by the overwhelming evidence, that, the disease, addiction could be partially prevented or reduced by increasing BDNF before drug use and after treatment.
The options include:
Lifestyle alone.
Lifestyle plus supplements.
Lifestyle, supplements and nonnarcotic medications.
Lifestyle, supplements, nonnarcotic medications and opiate agonists.
Addiction would be treated like asthma. Control the stage of disease and reduce therapy to the lowest cost lowest risk medication as determined by control.
In abstract below, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum levels are lowest after withdrawal rising but lower than normal controls after 26 weeks of abstinence. The rise indicates successful treatment! and increasing resilience? My conjecture states that lifestyle changes, supplements and nonnarcotic medications that raise BDNF levels above normal would increase resilience against addictions generally.
In abstract below, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum levels are lowest after withdrawal rising but lower than normal controls after 26 weeks of abstinence. The rise indicates successful treatment! and increasing resilience? My conjecture states that lifestyle changes, supplements and nonnarcotic medications that raise BDNF levels above normal would increase resilience against addictions generally.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum levels in heroin-dependent patients after 26 weeks of withdrawal
Joseph Thomas (Tony) Liverman, Jr. MD
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