Study shows the connection between transport proteins and addiction

A study conducted by the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medical College found how transporter proteins - molecular machines in the cell membrane of neurons that regulate the signals between cells and recycle neurotransmitters - may impact drug abuse and depression.

Researchers said that neurons communicate with each other by releasing chemicals known neurotransmitters into the gap between them, which is called a synapse. To stop the signal, specialized transporters must remove the neurotransmitter from the synapse by pushing it back into the releasing cell.

The team of researchers said that this process is beneficial in some treatments of diseases like depression because it allows neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which affect mood, to build up in the synapses. However, stimulant drugs like cocaine and amphetamines interfere with particular transporters.

Parents who suspect their child is using illicit substance or suffering from depression may wish to enroll them into treatment for troubled teens. This program can help them overcome their addiction and learn to live a healthy lifestyle.

According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 21.8 million Americans age 12 and older used illicit drugs in the month prior to the survey.