The Brain Reward Cascade and Salugen's Core Technology

Salugen's core technology focuses on the genetic factors leading to substance abuse and tolerance.   By identifying genetic factors involved in substance dependence and tolerance, Salugen helps physicians better provide treatment.  Salugen's Wellness Division provides products to address brain chemical imbalances found more often in people who struggle with weight issues, stress concerns, mood imbalance and other conditions. Through both over the counter and prescription-only solutions, Salugen is able to deliver products proven in clinical studies to reduce excess cravings associated with the Top 3 Leading Causes of Preventable Death.*

The interactions of separate subsystems of the brain diagramed below merge together into the much larger “brain reward” system. These activities take place simultaneously and in a specific sequence, merging like a cascade. This cascade begins with serotonin, involves dopamine, endorphins, GABA, and norepinephrine, and ultimately, results in satiation or a sense of peace and well-being when these systems work normally. If there is a deficiency or imbalance, the system will work abnormally, causing the sense of well-being to be displaced by feelings of anxiety, anger, or low self-esteem. This can lead to the craving for a substance that masks or relieves those bad feelings such as carbohydrate (sugar) binging or chronic overeating, alcoholism, or drug dependence, as well as other addictive or compulsive behaviors.

Figure: Brain Reward Cascade 

Salugen has proposed a system called the brain–reward cascade. As described below, the brain-reward cascade, when functioning normally, allows an individual the feelings of satisfaction and well-being by allowing for the release of Dopamine (DA) at the “reward site” of the brain.

In this cascade simulation, the serotonergic system in the hypothalamus leads to the stimulation of delta /mu receptors by serotonin to cause a release of enkephalins. Activation of the enkephalinergic system induces an inhibition of GABA transmission at the substania nigra by enkephalin stimulation of mu receptors at GABA neurons. This inhibitory effect allows for the fine tuning of GABA activity. This provides the normal release of dopamine at the projected area of the nucleus accumbens (reward site of the brain). Thus the release of DA induces a feeling of well-being, “reward” and “happiness”. Salugen’s core intellectual property around dopamine activation may be applicable in both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical intervention and may hold an important key to one of the most prevailing medical dilemmas – reward deficiency.