After more than four years of data collection and analysis in rodents, Robison said he has discovered a correlation in the feed-forward loop between two proteins, DeltaFosB and CaMKII, that build off of one another when cocaine is involved and fuel long-term addictions.

Robison said when giving cocaine-infused rats a genetically modified medicine, these feed-forward loops reversed, preventing the normal response to cocaine — a pattern that also could alter and reverse the addiction to cocaine in humans.

“This is not a cure for addiction,” he said. “This (research) is evidence for some places where we can intervene in the addictive process and perhaps develop those … in the future.”

The study was funded with multiple grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Robison said. He could not report an estimate of the amount.

Mazei-Robison said although different types of drugs affect the brain in different ways, cocaine is one of the most addictive and difficult drugs to shake.

Dennis Martell, the director of health promotion at Olin Health Center, said throughout the past few years, drug use at MSU has been decreasing.

According to the MSU Student Health Assessment for Spring 2012, cocaine is not the most commonly used drug amongst students, falling behind marijuana and other illegal drugs, including inhalants and opiates.

About 96 percent of student respondents reported never using cocaine, according to the assessment. Responses showed cocaine use decreased about 1 percent from 2010.

Neuroscience freshman Megan Kechner, who works as an undergraduate research assistant for the program, said she feels as if this statistic is an accurate representation of students at MSU. But it’s important to realize addictions do exist, she said. This is one of the reasons that sparked Kechner’s interest in studying addiction.

“I see it as not necessarily common in today’s society, but it is something that needs to be brought up and future research is only benefitting this happening,” she said.

Director of the MSU Neuroscience Program James Galligan said Robison and Mazei-Robison’s research can lead to advances in the treatment of narcotic addictions about 10 years from now, hopefully reducing the risk of lifelong addictions to cocaine.

“(Cocaine addicts) are always at risk for relapse,” he said. “What A.J. and Michelle have done, they have identified some specific protein changes in the brain (in) cocaine using rats and mice that could last a lifetime … and similar changes occur in human users.”

Martell said if any student is having trouble with an addiction or knows someone who needs help, they should contact the Counseling Center.