DOUBTS ON RISKY 'CURE'

DRUG addicts, and many of their doctors, believe that there is an addictive
personality, but scientific evidence to prove one exists is scanty.

Certainly there can be a genetic link related to a development of addiction.
British doctors, like their Russian colleagues, would agree that addicts
often display obsessional characteristics. Many alcoholics, for instance,
are not only obsessed by arranging their next drink, but have an
overwhelming interest in anything to do with alcohol and drinking.

The skill in the mapping of the various activities of the functioning brain
is advancing rapidly; but usually faulty working in one or another part of
the brain is associated with under, rather than over, activity.

Although invasive brain surgery to remove a focus of epileptic seizures is
successful, surgery designed to obliterate small sections of the brain to
help someone's psyche is a risky business, and has not proved generally
advantageous.

Operations of this type were tried 40 years ago to treat those whose mental
state prevented them from living a normal life. Such conditions, known as
borderline personality, intractable schizophrenia and very severe anxiety
states, were treated in this way. Although there were anecdotal reports of
success, the patients tended to relapse, or some were reduced to a
zombie-type existence.

Few British doctors would recommend this new Russian treatment until its
safety and value has been confirmed by multi-centre randomised trials.