Laboratory for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroimaging
The Laboratory for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroimaging has taken on the war on drugs in a unique way. Stephen Dewey, PhD, and Wynne Schiffer, PhD, have put virtually every drug of abuse to the test on the brain to tell the story of what these substances do to brain function and structure. The findings have led to a deep understanding of how the brain can so easily and permanently be altered by chronic exposure to drugs and suggests that even occasional use can permanently alter the inner workings of the brain.
They have scanned brains exposed to caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates, heroin and chemical solvents and have shown in detail what happens and under what circumstances the changes can become life-long. They also study the brain’s behavioral signatures in response to drug exposure. More recently, Drs. Dewey and Schiffer have focused on the development of a novel treatment for drug abuse. This treatment reduces cravings for drugs of abuse and has been shown to be effective in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial in cocaine-dependent subjects. A medicine called vigabatrin, which was developed as an anti-epilepsy drug, has been tested for its ability to block drug use. Pilot studies in both cocaine and methamphetamine abusers are now demonstrating efficacy as well as an ability to lower the motivation to seek out these drugs. Larger drug trials are now underway.
Dr. Schiffer uses functional imaging techniques to simultaneously measure brain neurochemical activity and behavior so they can understand different brain regions and the molecular pathways involved in drug-seeking behavior. Drs. Dewey and Schiffer also study the effects of drug exposure during development – from adolescence through to adulthood. Dr. Schiffer has also taken on the very intriguing universe of nanoparticles and is using brain and body scans to track nanoparticles in living systems. She is trying to figure out whether accumulations of nanoparticles in the body results in a change in metabolism that could alter brain and body function.
View a presentation of Dr. Stephen Dewey's talk entitled, "The Devastating Impact of Addiction," on YouTube.