A B.C. neuroscientist has received a $2.5-million grant to research magnetic stimulation to treat substance-use disorders.
NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 Travis Baker, an assistant professor at Rutgers University-Newark, is working with robot-assisted transcranial magnetic stimulation technology to alter the brainB次元官网网址檚 response to addictive substances.
The technology applies precisely directed magnetic pulses to alter the brainB次元官网网址檚 reward-response circuitry. It targets the anterior cingulate cortex B次元官网网址� the portion of the human brain that, when stimulated, releases dopamine, the hormone which produces the sense of well-being and pleasure and motivation to repeat the behaviour.
In cases of addiction, that part of the brain can become hyper-stimulated and create an overwhelming desire to seek out the addictive substance or behaviour.
B次元官网网址淸It] is really sensitive to these drug cues, so it creates this bias in the systemB次元官网网址次元官网网址� Baker said. B次元官网网址淲e know that [transcranial magnetic stimulation] has the ability to increase and decrease neural activity B次元官网网址� so if it has potential to do that, would I be able to increase and decrease reward-related activity?B次元官网网址�
The $2.5 million grant from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse B次元官网网址� part of the National Institutes of Health B次元官网网址� will cover two phases of BakerB次元官网网址檚 research over five years. The first phase of the grant will help him fine-tune the targeting of the system to optimize the stimulation or inhibiting of the reward response.
The second phase will test the method on smokers by applying stimulation while they perform a task for a monetary reward, then replaying the scenario, but applying an inhibiting protocol when they perform a task for a drug-related reward. Baker hopes to reverse the smokersB次元官网网址� bias to a preference for money over nicotine.
B次元官网网址淭he whole point of this grant is to try and figure out where on the surface of the skull B次元官网网址� or circuits of the brain B次元官网网址� to put this current,B次元官网网址� he said.
He sees the potential for the results of his work, not as a stand-alone cure for addiction, but as an additional aid in treatment.
Baker was 22 when he decided his future wasnB次元官网网址檛 working in sawmills or oil rigs where heB次元官网网址檇 been working, and to go to university to follow his longtime passion for psychology and the sciences.
He graduated from Vancouver Island University with a bachelorB次元官网网址檚 degree in psychology in 2004 before moving on to University of Victoria where earned his masters degree in science and his PhD in cognitive neuroscience in 2012. He did post-doctoral work at the Montreal Neurological Institute until 2016 when he went to the U.S. to search out opportunities to continue his research and is now an assistant professor at Rutgers University-NewarkB次元官网网址檚 Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neurosciences.
B次元官网网址淚 found a really good position here at Rutgers University,B次元官网网址� Baker said. B次元官网网址淚 was able to start up my own lab and get all the toys I wanted to carry on with the research that IB次元官网网址檇 been doing up to that point.B次元官网网址�
He said his inspiration for the work came through someone close to him who has suffered from drug addiction, and he has always been interested to read about philosophy, the human brain and similar subjects. It was in his first semester studying psychology at VIU that he realized he was where he belonged and he set about learning and absorbing as much as he could B次元官网网址� he credits professors Tony Robertson and Elliott Marchant with guidance that helped set him on his career path.
This summer, Baker he hopes to return home to Vancouver Island to visit his family whom he hasnB次元官网网址檛 been with since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a nice place to be,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 miss the Island, thatB次元官网网址檚 for sure.B次元官网网址�
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chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
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