FOXNews.com: Army funding development of anti-suicide nasal spray

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Army funding development of anti-suicide nasal spray Aug 17th 2012, 16:46 As the suicide rate among soldiers hits record highs, the Army is funding the creation of an 'anti-suicide' nasal spray in hopes of decreasing those numbers, The Daily reported. The Army has given researchers at the University of Indiana's School of Medicine a $3 million grant to develop the spray, according to The Daily.  The project will be led by Dr. Michael Kubek, an associate professor of neurobiology. Kubek and his colleagues say a snort of a naturally-occurring neurochemical, called thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), may be able to treat mental health problems such as depression and suicidal thoughts. Earlier trials of TRH have shown that a boosting a person's levels of the hormone can quickly decrease suicidal ideas, depression and bipolar disorders. But TRH is unable to cross the blood-barrier, meaning doctors must perform a spinal tap to administer it to patients. New advancements in nanotechnology, however, have given rise to the possibility of using a nanoparticle drug-delivery system to usher TRH across the blood-brain barrier through the nasal cavity. If the project succeeds, Kubek said the nasal spray won't replace traditional antidepressants, but rather act as a 'quick-fix' for patients in crisis.  Like other military breakthroughs before it, the spray may also end up in the hands of civilians one day. "This is far from a soldiers-only solution," Kubek said. "Potentially, if this works, we have an entirely new type of pharmacology." Click for more from The Daily.

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