Scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine have identified mitochondrial changes in cells that take place in cocaine addiction. The work was published yesterday in Neuron.
In mice exposed repeatedly to cocaine, researchers found that there was an increase in a molecule that downstream caused an increase in mitochondria fission in a reward region of the brain. Using a chemical called, Mdivi-1, the researchers were able to block the change. The researchers were also able to block the responses to cocaine by genetically manipulating the fission molecule within the mitochondria of brain cells.
In addition, they also saw a similar change in the mitochondrial fission molecule in tissue collected from post-mortem human individuals who were cocaine dependents.
"We are actually showing a new role for mitochondria in cocaine-induced behavior, and it's important for us to further investigate that role," said Mary Kay Lobo, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology. "We are interested to see if there are mitochondrial changes when animals are taking opiates. That is definitely a future direction for the lab."