A B.C. neuroscientist has received a $2.5-million grant to research magnetic stimulation to treat substance-use disorders.
Nanaimo香蕉视频直播檚 Travis Baker, an assistant professor at Rutgers University-Newark, is working with robot-assisted transcranial magnetic stimulation technology to alter the brain香蕉视频直播檚 response to addictive substances.
The technology applies precisely directed magnetic pulses to alter the brain香蕉视频直播檚 reward-response circuitry. It targets the anterior cingulate cortex 香蕉视频直播� the portion of the human brain that, when stimulated, releases dopamine, the hormone which produces the sense of well-being and pleasure and motivation to repeat the behaviour.
In cases of addiction, that part of the brain can become hyper-stimulated and create an overwhelming desire to seek out the addictive substance or behaviour.
香蕉视频直播淸It] is really sensitive to these drug cues, so it creates this bias in the system香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈 Baker said. 香蕉视频直播淲e know that [transcranial magnetic stimulation] has the ability to increase and decrease neural activity 香蕉视频直播� so if it has potential to do that, would I be able to increase and decrease reward-related activity?香蕉视频直播�
The $2.5 million grant from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse 香蕉视频直播� part of the National Institutes of Health 香蕉视频直播� will cover two phases of Baker香蕉视频直播檚 research over five years. The first phase of the grant will help him fine-tune the targeting of the system to optimize the stimulation or inhibiting of the reward response.
The second phase will test the method on smokers by applying stimulation while they perform a task for a monetary reward, then replaying the scenario, but applying an inhibiting protocol when they perform a task for a drug-related reward. Baker hopes to reverse the smokers香蕉视频直播� bias to a preference for money over nicotine.
香蕉视频直播淭he whole point of this grant is to try and figure out where on the surface of the skull 香蕉视频直播� or circuits of the brain 香蕉视频直播� to put this current,香蕉视频直播� he said.
He sees the potential for the results of his work, not as a stand-alone cure for addiction, but as an additional aid in treatment.
Baker was 22 when he decided his future wasn香蕉视频直播檛 working in sawmills or oil rigs where he香蕉视频直播檇 been working, and to go to university to follow his longtime passion for psychology and the sciences.
He graduated from Vancouver Island University with a bachelor香蕉视频直播檚 degree in psychology in 2004 before moving on to University of Victoria where earned his masters degree in science and his PhD in cognitive neuroscience in 2012. He did post-doctoral work at the Montreal Neurological Institute until 2016 when he went to the U.S. to search out opportunities to continue his research and is now an assistant professor at Rutgers University-Newark香蕉视频直播檚 Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neurosciences.
香蕉视频直播淚 found a really good position here at Rutgers University,香蕉视频直播� Baker said. 香蕉视频直播淚 was able to start up my own lab and get all the toys I wanted to carry on with the research that I香蕉视频直播檇 been doing up to that point.香蕉视频直播�
He said his inspiration for the work came through someone close to him who has suffered from drug addiction, and he has always been interested to read about philosophy, the human brain and similar subjects. It was in his first semester studying psychology at VIU that he realized he was where he belonged and he set about learning and absorbing as much as he could 香蕉视频直播� he credits professors Tony Robertson and Elliott Marchant with guidance that helped set him on his career path.
This summer, Baker he hopes to return home to Vancouver Island to visit his family whom he hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been with since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a nice place to be,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 miss the Island, that香蕉视频直播檚 for sure.香蕉视频直播�
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chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
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