Tuesday, September 11, 2007

A Gain for TECHNOCORRECTIONS

On the other hand from the above, researchers into how substance abuse changes gene expression of proteins and leads to addiction are making headway:

. . . "Addiction is a brain disorder that manifests itself by repetitive behaviors despite negative consequences. Currently, there is an abundance of information known about the cellular and behavioral changes that occur during addiction, but little is understood concerning the changes that occur at the molecular level with regards to gene expression. Understanding the changes that occur between transcription and protein synthesis is key to revealing the mechanism that leads to addiction."

Dr. Potashkin's studies focus on how the primary RNA transcript is processed by splicing to produce a mature transcript. The fidelity of splicing must be maintained since errors may lead to the development of disease.
…………………
The study also provided clues about the signaling pathway that is activated that leads to splicing regulation. This information provides several potential therapeutic targets for drug addiction.

[An interesting new effort at alcohol abuse prevention funded by the feds. Middle school curricula feeding off the curiosity and self-absorption of kids to show them exactly how booze screws up their bodies and minds. Will be interesting to see the results.]

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