Radiolab The Fix
9 snips
Dec 18, 2015 
In this engaging exploration, journalist Andy Mills teams up with Amy O'Leary, who uncovered a memoir by Dr. Amison about curing addiction with baclofen. They delve into the intriguing neuroscience of cravings with Dr. Anna Rose Childress, while Billy Webb shares his personal journey through alcoholism and the transformative role of naltrexone. Discussion spans the cultural divides in addiction treatment, the limits of traditional approaches like AA, and the emerging potential for medications to reshape how we understand and address addiction.
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Memoir Sparked A Medical Mystery
- Amy O'Leary discovered a French cardiologist's memoir describing sudden, complete indifference to alcohol after he self-experimented with baclofen.
- That vivid personal story prompted her to investigate off-label use and sparked wider interest in medication for addiction.
Patient's Dose Tests Revealed Unexpected Effect
- Anna Rose Childress learned baclofen's potential when a paraplegic patient, Ed Coleman, reported loss of cocaine high at higher doses he was taking for spasms.
- That patient's dose experiments inspired others, including Dr. Amison, to try baclofen for craving suppression.
Many Drugs Can Silence Craving Or The High
- Multiple medications (naltrexone, baclofen, acamprosate, gabapentin, etc.) can target craving or the drug high and reduce reinforcement.
- Clinical studies show substantial success for some drugs, but uptake remains extremely low in practice.
