November 1, 2011
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmHow Partners Prevent Addiction
Prairie voles in monogamous relationships respond less to drugs
By Michele Solis
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
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.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
