Zap Your Addiction

The war on drugs isn’t working, so it’s time to shine some light on the subject. By stimulating one part of the brain with laser light, researchers have shown that they can wipe away addictive behavior in rats–or do the opposite: turn non-addicted rats into compulsive cocaine seekers.

An estimated 1.4 million Americans addicted to that drug, and it’s frequently the cause of emergency room visits–482,188 in 2008 alone–and it is a top cause of heart attacks and strokes for people under 35.

Neurologist Antonello Bonci says, "When we turn on a laser light in the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain that controls compulsion), the compulsive cocaine seeking is gone."

This new study demonstrates the central role the prefrontal cortex plays in compulsive cocaine addiction. It also suggests a new therapy that could be tested immediately in humans.

Any new human therapy would not be based on using lasers, but would most likely rely on electromagnetic stimulation outside the scalp. Clinical trials are now being designed to test whether this approach works.

If you need to zap your addiction to FOOD, a light beam won’t do it–YOU need Anne Strieber’s famous diet book. It shows you how to lose weight without ever going hungry! And you won’t go hungry at our Nashville Symposium, because your ticket price includes breakfast Saturday and Sunday and lunch on Saturday, plus talks by some of the most exciting researchers in the world! (NOTE: Subscribers can still listen to this show).