http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=can-hg...-dam&sc=rss

'Abuse of opiates such as heroin, methadone and morphine destroy brain cells, reducing attention span and memory. But new research shows there may be a way to regain some lost patience and recall.

Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA that brain cells targeted for early death by continued opiate use may be salvaged by injections of synthetic human growth hormone (HGH). HGH is a chemical naturally secreted by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain that stimulates cell growth and reproduction. The scientists say their findings open the door to new ways to treat and prevent damage from abuse of opiates in addicts as well as patients undergoing chronic pain management.

Previous studies show that chronic opiate use can disrupt new cell growth (neurogenesis) in the hippocampus, a midbrain region implicated in short-term and so-called episodic memory (places, people and emotions linked to events). Growth hormones seem to keep neurogenesis moving smoothly until old age when levels drop, leading to less cell production and general memory decline. Elderly patients treated with synthetic growth hormones have experienced improved memory, says study co-author Fred Nyberg, a professor of pharmaceutical biosciences at Uppsala.'