EPISODE 58: Helping Overcome Opioid Withdrawal with Navid Khodaparast, Ph.D.EPISODE 58: Helping Overcome Opioid Withdrawal with Navid Khodaparast, Ph.D.
Positive Recovery MD
This week, Dr. Powers and Julie DeNofa are joined by Navid Khodaparast, Chief Science Officer and Founder of Spark Biomedical. Dr. Khodaparast has a Ph.D. in Neurophysiology that focuses on using Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) to promote innate...
40:17•1 Feb 2022
Breaking New Ground in Opioid Withdrawal: Dr. Navid Khodaparast's Insights
“So anything that you do repeatedly over time is going to create brain pathways and boom. So you're sort of almost like a stroke victim in that not that a whole part of the brain is dead, can't work, it's just that you have these super highways of dysfunctional but easy systems that kind of take over and are when you're on automatic pilot.”
What if there was a groundbreaking way to tackle opioid withdrawal that didn't rely solely on traditional methods? In this episode of Positive Recovery MD, Dr. Jason Powers and Julie DeNofa sit down with Dr. Navid Khodaparast, a leading expert in neuromodulation and the Chief Science Officer at Spark Biomedical. With over a decade of experience in translating neuromodulatory therapies for neurological and psychiatric disorders, Dr. Khodaparast brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.
He dives into the science behind Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) and its potential to promote brain plasticity and aid in opioid withdrawal. His research has paved the way for multiple VNS clinical trials, including those focused on stroke rehabilitation. But that's not all—Dr. Khodaparast also discusses how opioids disrupt the vagus nerve system and cause brain dysfunction.
He sheds light on how his innovative Sparrow device, which uses VNS, has been FDA-approved for opioid use disorder and has shown promising results in clinical trials. This device works by stimulating the vagus nerve, which in turn binds to opioid receptors and releases dopamine, offering pain relief and pleasure. Beyond the technical details, Dr. Khodaparast shares his personal reflections on addiction and recovery, emphasizing his passion for helping babies suffering from neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.
He also touches on the future of neuromodulatory therapies and their potential applications in treating addiction. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in cutting-edge solutions for opioid use disorder, offering a blend of scientific insights and heartfelt reflections.
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