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Submission + - Alcohol craving blocker developed

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: A team from Melbourne's Howard Florey Institute discovered blocking the action of the brain's orexin system can also prevent someone relapsing of alcohol cravings. This chemical is involved in the "high" felt after drinking alcohol or taking illicit drugs. Orexin-producing cells are also thought to play a part in regulating feeding, so the researchers believe they could also help treat eating disorders. Alcohol-related deaths rose to 8,386 in 2005 compared to 4,144 in 2001 in the UK, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Hospital admissions for alcoholic liver disease have more than doubled in a decade, reaching 35,400 in 2004/5. In rat studies, a team led by Dr Andrew Lawrence created a compound which was seen to block the "euphoric" effects of orexin. In one experiment, rats that had alcohol freely available to them stopped drinking it after receiving the orexin blocker.
It's funny. Laugh.

David X. Cohen Interviewed on New Futurama 240

Posted by Zonk from the everybody-loves-hypnotoad dept.
eldavojohn writes "Toyfare has a short but exclusive interview with co-creator of Futurama David X. Cohen. There's a lot of information about how they plan to continue the series. He also reveals they're halfway through writing the new season and just starting animation. When asked about his favorite minor character of the show, Cohen responded 'Hypnotoad. By the way, we are looking into producing a full 22-minute episode of Everybody Loves Hypnotoad for the DVD release. I am serious.'"

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