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Gene Narcotic Attenuation Program attenuates substance use disorder, a clinical subtype of reward deficiency syndrome

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Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of a putative activator of brain reward circuitry on outcomes in a 1 -y prospective comprehensive outpatient clinical program. As part of the Gene Narcotic Attenuation Program, Haveos (Synaptamine)™ was administered for the treatment of substance use disorder. Seventy-six patients (45 males and 31 females; mean age, 33 y [standard deviation, 7.0]) who had been given a diagnosis of serious substance use disorder were recruited. After exclusion of 15 patients who dropped out before the end of the study, self-reported craving decreased from program entrance to 12 wk (visual analog scale whereby 0 represents no craving and 5, the strongest craving) for 61 compliant patients (mean decrease, 2.85, 95% confidence interval [Cl], 2.65, 3.05); this improvement was significant (P < .001). Building up to relapse scores (each of 5 individual items and summary value) showed similar improvement after 1 y of treatment; the mean decrease in scores was significant for stress (t=3.3; P=.002), depression (t=4.0;P < .001), anger (t=4.4;P < .001), anxiety (t=4.5,P < .001), drug craving (t=5.4,P < .001), and summary building up to relapse (t=4.1;P < .001). Also, recovery score measures of energy level (t=8.4;P < .001) and ability to refrain from drug-seeking behavior (t=7.4;P < .001) showed significant mean increases from entry to 1 y. During the study, the alcoholic dropout rate was only 7% (4 of 57), which was significantly (Fisher’s exact test,P < .001) lower than the 73% (11 of 15) dropout rate reported for psychostimulant users. Although these results are significant, any interpretation must await the performance of rigorous double-blind studies.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Thomas J. H. Chen PhD

  2. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, 27157, Winston-Salem, NC

    Kenneth Blum PhD

  3. GenWellness, Inc., San Diego, California

    Roger L. Waite DC

  4. Salugen, Inc., San Diego, California

    Brian Meshkin BSc

  5. Department of Academic Informatics Services, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas

    John Schoolfield MSc

  6. Allied Nutraceutical Research, Lederach, Pennsylvania

    B. Williams Downs BSc

  7. Path Medical Research Foundation, New York, New York

    Eric E. Braverman MD, Vanessa Arcuri BSc & Michael Varshavskiy

  8. Synaptamine, Inc., San Antonio, Texas

    Seth H. Blum BA & Julie Mengucci RN

  9. Community Addiction Recovery Association, Sacramento Drug Court Provider, Sacramento, California

    Carolyn Reuben MS

  10. Hospital Universitario, Madrid, Spain

    Tomas Palomo MD, PhD

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  1. Thomas J. H. Chen PhD
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Correspondence to Kenneth Blum PhD.

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Chen, T.J.H., Blum, K., Waite, R.L. et al. Gene Narcotic Attenuation Program attenuates substance use disorder, a clinical subtype of reward deficiency syndrome. Adv Therapy 24, 402–414 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02849910

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