High cocaine doses can cause the brain to start eating its own cells based on a new mouse study. The drug can cause extreme results from a process that involves cells cannibalizing themselves. "Autophagy" normally causes the brain's enzymes to get rid of extra debris in cell "pockets" by dissolving it.
The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. It was conducted by John Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States.
Lead researcher Dr. Prasun Guha explained that a cell is like a house that is always making trash. Autophagy is a "housekeeper" that takes out the trash, but cocaine makes the process get rid of important things the brain needs.
Researchers did studies on dead mice. High doses of cocaine had caused cell death due to autophagy, and the scientists even found signs of autophagy in mice whose mothers had received the drug while pregnant.
The researchers showed that the experimental drug CGP3466B that has been used in clinical trials for Parkinson's treatments could prevent mice's nerve cells from dying due to autophagy, according to The Telegraph. It is safe in humans.
However, the research team shared more studies are required. They would reveal if the drug can prevent cocaine's harmful effects.
Co-author Dr. Maged Harraz also works at John Hopkins University. He explained that since cocaine triggers autophagy new medicines could be developed to make it less toxic.
Studies show that cocaine does not just affect the inside of a person's body. It can also cause damage to a person's outside, according to RT.
A study in 2015 about the effects of cocaine use revealed it causes long-term restructuring of brain cell connections that change the sensitivity of the brain to future doses. It could help to produce new therapies to help recovering cocaine addicts "erase" their addictions.
The study was published in the journal Cell Reports. It showed that cocaine use caused the brain to become less sensitive to lower doses of the drug for at least five days. This highlights how one dose can change brain circuits' sensitivity to later doses.