Explained: Can a surgical chip help end alcoholism?

For a long time, China has been combatting alcoholism. In a bid to assist its patients conquer alcoholism, a Chinese hospital has begun offering a surgical chip. According to South China Morning Post, a 36-year-old man in China has had a five-minute surgery to implant a chip that will help him kick his alcohol addiction. He is now the first person in the country to receive this kind of addiction treatment. For several months, the Naltrexone chip is supposed to help people remove their alcohol cravings. Let’s take a closer look. Also read: On the Rocks: Does South Korea have a drinking problem? China’s first surgical chip implanted As part of a clinical trial directed by Hao Wei, a former vice-president of the United Nations’ International Narcotics Control Board, a man with the last name Liu, underwent a five-minute surgery on April 12 at the Hunan Brain Hospital in central China. According to Hao and his coworkers at Central South University’s Second Xiangya Hospital, who are experts in substance misuse and addiction mechanisms, the chip is projected to reduce alcohol cravings for up to five months. Liu, a native of the central Chinese region of Hunan, has been an alcoholic for 15 years, as per SCMP. On a typical day, he would consume roughly half a litre of Chinese liquor before getting aggressive. He used to have a bottle of Chinese liquor before breakfast every day and would drink till he passed out while at work and into the evening. “Whenever I didn’t have a bottle on me, I felt very anxious,” he said. According to Xiaoxiang Herald, Liu expressed his hope that he can now live a life free of alcohol. Also read: UK dog undergoes rehab for alcohol addiction: Can animals turn alcoholics? How will the Naltrexone chip help? According to The Star newspaper, once implanted, the chip releases naltrexone, which is absorbed by the body and targets receptors in the brain. Naltrexone is frequently used in addiction therapy to prevent relapse. Disulfiram, the standard treatment for alcohol addiction up until the late 20th century, has been replaced by naltrexone. While disulfiram causes unpleasant side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, naltrexone is milder and works by blocking the area of the brain that chemically rewards drinking. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), naltrexone is an opioid antagonist (inhibitor) that works by attaching itself to opioid receptors in the brain. People who take naltrexone claim to have fewer alcohol cravings and feel less pleasure when they do use alcohol, explained The Coleman Institute for Addiction. Patients are better able to refrain from drinking and concentrate on their recovery programme since Naltrexone supports sobriety. This tiny implant is placed beneath the skin of the patient to ensure that they receive a consistent dose of opiate blockers and don’t forget or skip their medication. Zhou Xuhui, director of Hunan Second Provincial Central Hospital, claimed that the chip works for nearly five months and aids in the fight against an individual’s psychological demand for alcohol, reported The Star. Zhou stated that he hoped the technology could aid in the recovery of those who had drug addictions. Also read: Alcoholism: In the bar, in the Car, it's gone too far Does it have any risks? According to the mental health and addiction treatment center, Eleanor Health, naltrexone implants are a secure way to treat opiate addiction and alcohol use disorder. However, this strategy carries several negative effects such as pain, tenderness, swelling, redness, itchiness, infection or irritation. Also read: Not UK, not France, not Germany, it's Latvia that tops booze consumption in Europe Alcoholism in China According to a 2018 study by The Lancet medical journal, China has the highest rate of alcohol-related fatalities globally. TAs per the research, there were 650,000 such deaths among males and 59,000 among women in 2017. The largest alcohol consumers were found to be men between the ages of 45 and 59. In China, alcohol has been a factor in a number of social difficulties, including road accidents and domestic violence, in addition to a number of health issues. Nevertheless, some in China’s online community have raised concerns about whether regulations are required for such therapies over concerns about who can perform the surgery that changes a person’s behaviour, as per SCMP. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.