"Gambling addiction can be controlled by manipulating brain neurons"
Oct 28, 2024
A study found that manipulating the shape of some of the branch thorns of brain nerve cells reduces nerve cell excitement and can control gambling addiction behavior.
Researchers Kim Jung-hoon, Kim Hwa-young, and Kwak Myung-ji of Yonsei University's School of Medicine, and Choi Se-young and Choi Soo-jung of Seoul National University's School of Dentistry announced on the 28th that artificially manipulating proteins expressed in the left nucleus of the cerebrum and changing the shape of the branch thorns can induce changes in risk selection behavior.
Most addiction patients tend to take risks to obtain the substance or target that causes addiction even if negative results are expected. These characteristics show not only drug addiction but also behavioral addiction patients such as gambling addiction.
Until now, gambling addiction research has been limited on humans, but this is the first time that an animal model has manipulated brain proteins and analyzed the brain mechanisms of risk-selective behavior in depth.
The research team separated a risk-seeking group that chose a small reward for experimental mice through gambling game training, but ultimately more reward, and a risk-seeking group that chose a large reward but ultimately less reward.
Measurements of the electrophysiological properties of the cerebral lateral left nucleus in these mice showed that the cell excitability of the risk-seeking group was lower than that of the risk-averse group.
The research team overexpressed a mutant gene that mimics the phosphorylation of a protein called radixin, which regulates the maturity of branch thorns in neurons, in the left nucleus of the hedging group through the virus.
Among the branching thorns in the lateral left nucleus of the hedging group, the head of many mushroom-shaped thorns was reduced and cell excitability decreased. This shape change was similar to the state of branching spines in the risk-seeking group. In fact, risk-seeking mice increased their risk-seeking propensity after receiving radicin.
Professor Kim Jung-hoon said, "This study is meaningful in that it has found that the shape and electrophysiological characteristics of the lateral left nucleus differ depending on the type of risk selection behavior, and that artificially manipulating the shape of the branch can control risk selection behavior. We expect it to help us understand the brain science mechanisms of decision-making disorders vulnerable to gambling addiction diseases."
On the other hand, this study was supported by the Basic Laboratory Support Project and the Medium-sized Research Support Project organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The results of the study were published in the latest issue of the international journal 『Progress in Neurobiology』.
Researchers Kim Jung-hoon, Kim Hwa-young, and Kwak Myung-ji of Yonsei University's School of Medicine, and Choi Se-young and Choi Soo-jung of Seoul National University's School of Dentistry announced on the 28th that artificially manipulating proteins expressed in the left nucleus of the cerebrum and changing the shape of the branch thorns can induce changes in risk selection behavior.
Most addiction patients tend to take risks to obtain the substance or target that causes addiction even if negative results are expected. These characteristics show not only drug addiction but also behavioral addiction patients such as gambling addiction.
Until now, gambling addiction research has been limited on humans, but this is the first time that an animal model has manipulated brain proteins and analyzed the brain mechanisms of risk-selective behavior in depth.
The research team separated a risk-seeking group that chose a small reward for experimental mice through gambling game training, but ultimately more reward, and a risk-seeking group that chose a large reward but ultimately less reward.
Measurements of the electrophysiological properties of the cerebral lateral left nucleus in these mice showed that the cell excitability of the risk-seeking group was lower than that of the risk-averse group.
The research team overexpressed a mutant gene that mimics the phosphorylation of a protein called radixin, which regulates the maturity of branch thorns in neurons, in the left nucleus of the hedging group through the virus.
Among the branching thorns in the lateral left nucleus of the hedging group, the head of many mushroom-shaped thorns was reduced and cell excitability decreased. This shape change was similar to the state of branching spines in the risk-seeking group. In fact, risk-seeking mice increased their risk-seeking propensity after receiving radicin.
Professor Kim Jung-hoon said, "This study is meaningful in that it has found that the shape and electrophysiological characteristics of the lateral left nucleus differ depending on the type of risk selection behavior, and that artificially manipulating the shape of the branch can control risk selection behavior. We expect it to help us understand the brain science mechanisms of decision-making disorders vulnerable to gambling addiction diseases."
On the other hand, this study was supported by the Basic Laboratory Support Project and the Medium-sized Research Support Project organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The results of the study were published in the latest issue of the international journal 『Progress in Neurobiology』.
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