Archives
February 2007
2/28/07
Monkey Junkies
2/28/07
2/28/07
2/28/07
2/27/07
2/27/07
2/27/07
2/27/07
2/27/07
2/26/07
2/26/07
2/26/07
2/26/07
2/26/07
2/25/07
2/25/07
2/24/07
2/24/07
2/23/07
2/23/07
2/23/07
2/23/07
2/23/07
2/22/07
2/22/07
2/21/07
2/21/07
2/21/07
2/21/07
2/21/07
2/20/07
2/20/07
2/20/07
2/20/07
2/20/07
2/19/07
2/19/07
2/19/07
2/19/07
2/19/07
2/18/07
2/17/07
2/16/07
2/16/07
2/15/07
2/15/07
2/15/07
2/15/07
2/15/07
2/14/07
2/14/07
2/14/07
2/14/07
2/13/07
2/13/07
2/13/07
2/13/07
2/13/07
2/13/07
2/12/07
2/12/07
2/12/07
2/12/07
2/12/07
2/12/07
2/11/07
2/11/07
2/10/07
2/10/07
2/9/07
2/9/07
2/9/07
2/9/07
2/9/07
2/8/07
2/8/07
2/8/07
2/8/07
2/8/07
2/7/07
2/7/07
2/7/07
2/7/07
2/7/07
2/6/07
2/6/07
2/6/07
2/6/07
2/6/07
2/5/07
2/5/07
2/5/07
2/5/07
2/5/07
2/4/07
2/4/07
2/3/07
2/3/07
2/3/07
2/3/07
2/2/07
2/2/07
2/2/07
2/1/07
2/1/07
2/1/07
2/1/07
2/1/07
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
4:45:00 PM EST
Hearing Misguided Angel -- Cowboy Junkies
This is both funny and sad:
Nicotine use is highly addictive in primates, say researchers who conducted an unusual study of squirrel monkeys.
The study by researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and the U.S. National Institutes of Health examined the reinforcing effects of nicotine. It found that squirrel monkeys who could give themselves nicotine by pressing a lever initially used it very little - but over time developed a "high motivation" for using it.
"The number of the lever presses that the monkey had to perform to get a single injection of nicotine progressively increased," said Dr. Bernard Le Foll, a CAMH scientist and associate professor at the University of Toronto.
Before you laugh at the poor monkeys, you should know that the researchers say that "the animal model... closely mimics human activity." Yes, you're no better than a squirrel monket in this regard. And it even has thumbs, too, so you don't even have it beat there. Sometimes it's hard to be a primate.
Written by johnmscalzi Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | 
digg this
4:45:00 PM EST
Hearing Misguided Angel -- Cowboy Junkies
Monkey Junkies
This is both funny and sad:
Nicotine use is highly addictive in primates, say researchers who conducted an unusual study of squirrel monkeys.
The study by researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and the U.S. National Institutes of Health examined the reinforcing effects of nicotine. It found that squirrel monkeys who could give themselves nicotine by pressing a lever initially used it very little - but over time developed a "high motivation" for using it.
"The number of the lever presses that the monkey had to perform to get a single injection of nicotine progressively increased," said Dr. Bernard Le Foll, a CAMH scientist and associate professor at the University of Toronto.
Before you laugh at the poor monkeys, you should know that the researchers say that "the animal model... closely mimics human activity." Yes, you're no better than a squirrel monket in this regard. And it even has thumbs, too, so you don't even have it beat there. Sometimes it's hard to be a primate.
Written by johnmscalzi Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | digg this
This entry has 6 comments: (Add your own)
-
Mmmm. Is it possible to be addicted to money?
Yah. While there would be no chemical dependency associated with this particular addiction, you'd have the same dopamine rush that every gambler gets while sitting at the blackjack table.
Addictions come in all shapes and sizes. -
I'd smoke if I were a monkey... not too much else to do. Wouldn't pay for the smokes, either... I'd just climb in people's windows and steal their Newports.
-
wouldnt a person (or monkey) just whack a bar to get anything that's good? doesn't this mean everything good is addictive? I mean, is there ever a point that nicotine isn't worth it?
if the monkey has to whack a bar 100 for nicotine, does he still do it? 1000? 10000? Is it ever NOT worth it? If it's never not worth it, definitely an addiction.
but like, lets say I have to whack a bar 100 times for $1. I'll do it. 1000? maybe. 10000? probably not - am I addicted to money? -
I'm not surprised at all. But then I'm an intern pharmacist.
AJ in SF
3/1/07 11:34 AM