Laser Zaps Away Cocaine Addiction In Rats

Thinking about this in the context of recent detection of electronic waves of information flow through the brain at different frequencies as opposed to just direct electro/chemical connections as well as with laser cooling in which laser light photons interrupt the surface plasmonics of a semiconductor thus slowing kinetic energy (and instantly dropping temperature by dozens of degrees), could this be an example of lased photons interrupting the surface plasmonics of the area such that transmission of information is interrupted in the same way that transmission of heat was interrupted via laser cooling?

Um, is this a type of laser burn lumbotomy and or just killing the addictive type brain cells or after hitting the brain cells with laser light are they still alive?

I don't know... shooting people with lasers seems like a decent way to stop their drug use. And even if it doesn't work, you could use it to raise money. Charge people $10 to zap a coke addict.

Why are we always looking for ways to bypass the consequences of our actions? Couldn't this money have been better spent on cancer research?

The people in the US spend enough money on weight loss products each year to feed every starving person in the world? Actions have consequences. Deal with them.

Good points. The research money could definitely have been used for more mandatory worldly problems. But drug addiction is definitely another huge worldly problem. So helping the world end drug abuse is never a bad thing.

Even highly addicted rats will return to normal when put in a natural environment, even if the cocaine is freely available. This was shown in the "Rat Park" experiments of the 60's, and debunks the animal model of compulsive addiction.

We must understand that seemingly addictive behavior is a choice, even in humans, and therefore no amount of medical or psychological treatment will help unless it recognizes this simple fact. The person will not stop using until they want to stop. In many cases addiction is a form of brainwashing ("I am powerless") and in some cases it is pure fakery/sociopathy.

@Addictionmyth

Just think about how many people are involved in the „Treatment“ of addiction. There is the private sector and there is the court ordered variety. Not to mention the funding for the research and also the “medication” that goes with the “treatment”.

If the approach was taken that the self destructive behavior is a product of a lack of will power and not having anything better to do with ones time, a significant shift in the money allocation for this subject would be quite likely. This would greatly offend the numerous individuals who have a personal self interest in seeing that the “You are powerless and need therapy” perspective towards self destructive behavior not only continues but is expanded.