China News Service, Shenzhen, July 17th (Zheng Xiaohong, Zhu Zuying) A reporter learned from the Shenzhen Academy of Advanced Technology (hereinafter referred to as the "Shenzhen Advanced Institute") of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that the Nell Neural Plasticity Nobel Prize Laboratories of the Institute cooperated with Stanford University in the United States. Chen Xiaoke's team discovered two new functions of neural pathways for opioid addiction: separately regulating the formation and maintenance of addiction memory.
The researchers also successfully eliminated the memory associated with addiction in mice by inhibiting one of the pathways and prevented the occurrence of relapse behavior. The related research results were published on the famous neurobiology academic journal Neuron on July 16.
Zhu Yingjie, executive director of the Noel Prize Laboratory for Neuroplasticity at Shenzhen Advanced Hospital, said: "Different from common types of memory such as learning and cognition, drug addiction will form persistent, stubborn, and highly environmentally relevant memories in the human brain. Once you return to the past environment or contact with a toxic friend after detoxification, this kind of related memory can be easily awakened, which can trigger drug addiction again and cause relapse."
According to reports, the results published in the journal Neuron this time were the first major breakthrough made after the establishment of the key laboratory. This study found that it can also be used for reference to other stubborn deep memories, such as fear memory and post-traumatic stress disorder. Zhu Yingjie said that the team plans to build this key laboratory into China's leading and internationally influential drug addiction research institution within five years to help China's drug control and detoxification efforts.
It is reported that since the Nell Neuroplasticity Laboratory was settled in Shenzhen Advanced Institute in March last year, under the leadership of Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Erwin Nell, a research team of more than 40 people has been gradually established. , Learning and memory, pain and other aspects of work, while doing research results, while introducing talents to build a laboratory. (Finish)