A new study from the University of Maryland (United States), supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) tested the effectiveness of this drug to treat cocaine addiction.
142 cocaine addicted adults were followed for 12 weeks. 71 of them were treated with a placebo, and the remaining 71 with topiramate, a medicine prescribed for migraines and epilepsy. The 142 volunteers were also taken in charge psychologically and were followed by doctors addictologists.
Scientists found that patients on topiramate were more successful in abstaining from cocaine, and lowering their weekly cocaine dose. After 12 weeks, their general health improved. In contrast, they did not observe any noticeable change in the volunteers treated with placebo.
University researchers hypothesize that “this antiepileptic drug decreases the excitability of neurons subjected to intensive stimulation, to increased activity in the brain of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or to a decrease in the excitatory activity of glutamate on brain receptors. “
Although this medication has very few side effects (tingling of the skin, taste distortions, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating), it has previously been associated with a risk of glaucoma (a degenerative disease of the optic nerve that causes progressive loss of vision).
But as to date there is no drug or vaccine to fight against cocaine addiction, researchers conclude that topiramate can be a safe and effective treatment to fight this addiction.
“Powerful exciting, cocaine causes significant psychological dependence, ”recalls the Interministerial Mission for the Fight against Drugs and Drug Addiction (MIldt). “It is difficult to stop an intense consumption of cocaine as the need to start again (called” craving “) is important”.
This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry.
There are 15-19 million cocaine users worldwide. Cocaine is a psychoactive substance (which acts on the brain).
