Strong interpersonal relationships have been shown to ward off drug addiction, and new clues as to why come from prairie voles—rodents that form long-term, monogamous bonds with their mates. Kimberly A. Young of Florida State University and her colleagues found that pair-bonded voles responded less than unattached, sexually naive voles to the rewarding properties of amphetamine. The drug boosted dopamine, a brain chemical involved in pleasure and motivation, equivalently, but pair-bonded voles had fewer receptors ready to receive the dopamine signal. Such evidence that social attachments alter the brain’s response to drugs may spur new ideas for addiction treatment.

This article was originally published with the title How Partners Prevent Addiction.

2 Comments

1. 1. xprof 09:56 PM 11/21/11

   This finding is nothing new. Previous studies in the laboratory revealed that when isolated mice were given a choice of plain water or water laced with heroin, they would automatically go for the heroin laced water; but when those mice were moved to a larger cage with other mice, they ceased choosing heroin and opted for the plain water. Other studies of veterans from the Vietnam war discovered that GI's who had become addicted to heroin in Vietnam retained their addictions upon returning to the U.S. if they were not accepted back into a family and community; but if they did find such acceptance, they soon gave up their addictions.
   
   Leo Toribio
   Pittsburgh, PA

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2. 2. Nate C in reply to xprof 02:54 PM 11/22/11

   "Strong interpersonal relationships have been shown to ward off drug addiction, and new clues as to why come from prairie voles—"
   
   "This finding is nothing new."
   
   That’s the first thing the author says. The author goes on to explain how:
   
   "Pair-bonded voles had fewer receptors ready to receive the dopamine signal.”
   
   pair-bonded, as apposed to in a cage with other mice
   
   That is new. Science moves one step at a time. The general public has the luxury to assume many relationships based on observations, but scientists have the burden of proving in order to find exactly why. This allows other scientists to apply the new knowledge, not baseless assumptions, to better humanity. There is no place for alchemy in the scientific world.
   

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