Relapse prevention: Using sound to reduce the probability of recidivism and suffering following detoxification.

The truth of the adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", is exemplified by the opioid crisis now facing the world. While the best way to rid society of drug addiction is to prevent it from occurring in the first place, this is highly unlikely in the near future given the many ways that individuals can be first exposed to some potentially addicting substance. When an addiction is established, the first treatment for it is detoxification, but the insidious nature of addiction is its propensity to relapse. Too often, detoxified addicts resume drug use despite knowing that they are exposing themselves to serious, sometimes fatal, consequences. In an attempt to ward off relapse following detoxification, drug treatment centers, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, half-way houses, etc., offer different types of programs to help addicts stay clean. Examples of such treatments are 12-step programs, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), faith-based programs, and so forth. In addition, narcotics like methadone and suboxone, are sometimes prescribed to control the cravings that drive relapse, but this approach simply substitutes one drug for another. We now hypothesize that the auditory system can be used as a sensory conduit to modify the hijacked brain reward system of recently-detoxified addicts. As a rationale for this hypothesis, we present evidence from basic science studies showing the effect of music (the sensory input) on the brain, and from clinical trials employing music in a variety of neurological conditions. We then summarize an IRB-approved randomized control trial we performed to determine if our sound intervention could reduce the probability of relapse in recently-detoxified subjects. We end with suggestions for further study.

Male contraception: Prospects for sound and ultrasound.

The worldwide human population growth rate, which doubled during the 20th century, as well as the increasing fertility rate, have contributed to an increasing and evolving emphasis on contraception. With respect to female contraceptive methods, many have been developed, marketed, and are widely available. In contrast, male contraception has been limited to condoms, which pose logistical challenges, and vasectomy, which is largely irreversible. The use of sound to achieve effective and safe male contraception is a promising but unproven hypothesis. Based on the existing and incomplete totality of evidence, we hypothesize that the combination of sound with a modified ultrasonic technique in a single system will provide a practical delivery method that merges all of the appropriate and prescribed frequencies to have spermicidal qualities that may result in effective and safe male contraception. It is also plausible that any experimental male contraceptive method that heats the testicles where they can no longer produce sperm offers the possibility of a favourable benefit to risk ratio. The single system combining sound with a modified ultrasonic technique includes an acoustically suitable pad to assure proper transmission and delivery without concern for injury from the ultrasound frequencies, an amplification and regulation module, a frequency source generator, the complementary heat created along with external and targeted directionality, and various transport methods, such as wired, wireless, or remote. This methodology also offers the ability to move quickly to prototype, achieve multiple patent crossovers, secure and employ commercially available technologies, and provide the opportunity for rapid regulatory approval worldwide. These concepts have been explored in basic research in many animal species as well as humans. To achieve an adequate totality of evidence, the test of this hypothesis requires further basic research in humans to clarify the relevant mechanisms, clinical and observational epidemiologic studies to further explore the hypothesis, and large-scale randomized trials to detect the most plausible magnitude of benefits of this promising but unproven technology. It is plausible that this technology will represent a major breakthrough to combat world population growth. It is also plausible, that, to paraphrase Thomas Huxley, this beautiful hypothesis will be slain by ugly facts.