MedWorm: Addiction

NIDA Launches New Substance Abuse Resources to Help Fill Gaps in Medical Education

National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:01:00 +0100

The rigors of medical training sharpen a doctor's ability to diagnose and treat a wide variety of human afflictions. However, drug abuse and addiction are often insufficiently covered in medical school curricula, despite the fact that drug use affects a wide range of health conditions and drug abuse and addiction are themselves major public health issues. (Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Heroin assisted treatment

BMJ Online First — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:53:33 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

A little bit of what you fancy does you good? (2009-11-11)

Institute of Psychiatry | Events — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:21:25 +0100

Dr Bhavsar will present the following paper: "Anxiety and depression among abstainers and low-level alcohol consumers. The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study" Addiction (2009) 104: 1519–1529 - ([link=/iopweb/blob/downloads/event/2009116_e_874_skogen.pdf::pdf]) Methodology questions from the audience to the presenter are followed by comments from the invited experts (Source: Institute of Psychiatry | Events)

Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cocaine Addiction [Clinical & Research News]

Psychiatr News — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:07:11 +0100

(Source: Psychiatr News)

MIND Reviews: Brainy Gifts

Scientific American Topic - Medical Technology — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0100

Catch Some Slow Waves Zeo sleep monitor ($399) [More] (Source: Scientific American Topic - Medical Technology)

MIND Reviews: Brainy Gifts

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0100

Catch Some Slow Waves Zeo sleep monitor ($399) [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Combine Nicotine Patch, Lozenges to Quit Smoking, Researchers Say

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs News — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:16:00 +0100

A study comparing five pharmaceutical approaches to quitting smoking found that mixing nicotine patches and lozenges was the most effective, in part because it seemed to best duplicate the highs and lows of nicotine addiction faced by smokers. (Source: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs News)

Campaign Launches To Sound Alarm About The Misuse Of Prescription Drugs Among Teens

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0100

The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE), along with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and representatives from 15 nationally recognized prevention, health professional and child advocacy organizations, are launching Maximizing Your Role as a Teen Influencer: What You Can Do to Help Prevent Teen Prescription Drug Abuse. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Campaign Launches To Sound Alarm About The Misuse Of Prescription Drugs Among Teens

Pediatrics News From Medical News Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0100

Addictive Love

Psychology Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Romeo and Juliet are not good role models. (Source: Psychology Today)

[Correspondence] Regulation of synthetic cannabinoids

LANCET — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

As Greta McLachlan reports, the UK Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have shown that the smoking mixture “Spice” contains a range of synthetic cannabinoids. The ACMD has recommended legal control in view of similarities to existing controlled drugs and potential for harm. However, after controversies over the classification of ecstasy and cannabis, I believe that we have missed an opportunity to develop regulation that is responsive to, and drives, research. (Source: LANCET)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

EMCDDA Annual report 2009: the state of the drugs problem in Europe

NeLM - Mental Health — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Source: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Area: News The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has published its annual report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe. This reference book is aimed at policymakers, specialists and practitioners in the drugs field. (Source: NeLM - Mental Health)

Syringe exchange, injecting and intranasal drug use

Addiction — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion While assessing the possible effects of syringe exchange on trends in injecting drug use is inherently difficult, these may be the strongest data collected to date showing a lack of increase in drug injecting following implementation of syringe exchange. (Source: Addiction)

Carers' clinics: support group for carers of heroin addicts [Special articles]

Psychiatric Bulletin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:21:25 +0100

Heroin addiction, being a chronic condition, can have a devastating impact on carers of addicts. However, the information and support needs of carers often go unrecognised and unaddressed. ‘Carers’ clinics’ are one such information-sharing and support group for carers of heroin addicts. This simple yet innovative service provision has been enthusiastically recieved by carers and has been running effectively since April 2007. We believe this scheme can be replicated across other services. (Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)

Britain is 'designer drugs' capital of Europe, says EU agency

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:19:26 +0100

Potent synthetic drugs proving hard to control as chemists produce alternatives quicker than authorities can ban themBritain has become the online "designer drugs" capital of Europe with more than a third of all internet retailers that sell "legal highs" based in the UK, according to a report from the European Union's drug agency.This new generation of online "head shops" is at the centre of a rapidly growing market in highly potent synthetic drugs, such as Spice, that mimic the effects of illegal substances such as cannabis and ecstasy.European drug agency officials are also alarmed by the way the online retailers are reacting to moves to ban individual "legal highs" by rapidly marketing alternatives. Officials say it is like trying to hit a moving target.Britain is poised to ban Spice, a...

Potential Drug Target For Alcoholism From Drunken Fruit Flies

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0100

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Potential Drug Target For Alcoholism From Drunken Fruit Flies

Genetics News From Medical News Today — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0100

A group of drunken fruit flies have helped researchers from North Carolina State and Boston universities identify entire networks of genes - also present in humans - that play a key role in alcohol drinking behavior. This discovery, published in the October 2009 print issue of the journal Genetics, provides a crucial explanation of why some people seem to tolerate alcohol better than others, as well as a potential target for drugs aimed at preventing or eliminating alcoholism. (Source: Genetics News From Medical News Today)

Do You Have an Alcohol or Drug Problem?

About.com Alcoholism — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Alcohol and drug use can progress into abuse and even addiction so insidiously that sometimes people do not realize that it has become a problem for them and those around them. The following self-assessment tests can help you determine whether or not it may be time to get help. Alcohol Abuse Screening Quiz Drug Abuse Screening Quiz Could You Be Depressed? Is Your Child Using Drugs or Alcohol? Is Your Child Huffing Inhalants? Questions for Families: Are You Troubled by Someone's Drinking? Are You Enabling an Alcoholic or Addict? Did You Grow Up With a Problem Drinker? Domestic Abuse Screening Quiz Adult Child Screening Quiz Do You Have an Alcohol or Drug Problem? originally appeared on About.com Alcoholism on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 00:05:17.Permalink | Comment | Email this ...

Constraint propagation: A completely new take on souls

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:35:58 +0100

It's not true about the 21 grams. That was an error in measurement back in 1907 when Duncan McDougall claimed to have weighed a soul. There's no weight loss with death, which is fine with most people because we've long assumed the soul was a weightless, sizeless, timeless substance anyway. Still, weightless, size-less, timeless substances are scientific dead ends. If there's no way to detect a thing, then there's no way for science to get a grip on it. That's fine with most fans of the soul. Science should keep its hands off souls. But it's not OK with scientists. The dead end forces them to look for another explanation for why living bodies act so differently from dead ones.They have a new explanation, but it's not a thing. It is, in fact weightless and sizeless, but not...

Lord urges more support for prescription-drug addicts

Management in Practice — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:59:01 +0100

Earl of Sandwich says the NHS must give more help to people trying to break their addiction to antidepressants (Source: Management in Practice)

Severe dopaminergic pathways damage in a case of chronic toluene abuse

Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:46:55 +0100

Conclusion: Clinical and neuroradiological findings and the possible sensitivity to neuroleptics indicate dopaminergic impairment. Our case suggests that chronic toluene abuse causes presynaptic dopaminergic depletion. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Spilling our Guts to Our Female Friends

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:37:11 +0100

The kinship among women these past forty years, since the woman's movement, has created stronger, more intimate bonds than ever before. If we compare what female friendship entailed in the 1950's and early 1960's to today, women were more guarded and less comfortable discussing their innermost feelings. As single working women or as wives -- the only two options available to women during this time period -- friendships were kept on a superficial level and few women were willing to share their troubles or deepest yearnings. Instead, single women discussed dating and the possibility of marriage, while married women discussed their husband's jobs, their latest appliances, their children's schedules. Not only were women separated by their roles, i.e., single secretaries weren't friendly with m...

'Why was our Kate left to die from heroin in a dirty squat?'

Telegraph Health — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:09:07 +0100

Elizabeth Grice talks to Anthony and Debbie Walsh who believe that the authorities let them down over the care of their heroinaddict daughter. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Strategy to protect runaway children in England is not working, says charity

BMJ Online First — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:40:54 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

Scientists want more protection after government adviser is sacked

BMJ Online First — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:40:53 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

Tobacco Screening Multicomponent Quality Improvement Network Program: Beyond Education

Academic Emergency Medicine — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: This initiative successfully changed tobacco screening behavior of health care providers at all sites. It was particularly successful in the ED, typically an environment less likely to be conducive to preventive health interventions. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2009; 16:1186[ndash]1192 © 2009 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (Source: Academic Emergency Medicine)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

A Preliminary Report of Knowledge Translation: Lessons From Taking Screening and Brief Intervention Techniques From the Research Setting Into Regional Systems of Care

Academic Emergency Medicine — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article describes a limited statewide dissemination of an evidence-based technology, screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT), and evaluation of the effects on emergency department (ED) systems of care, utilizing the knowledge translation framework of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM), using both quantitative and qualitative data sources. Screening and brief intervention (SBI) can detect high-risk and dependent alcohol and drug use in the medical setting, provide early intervention, facilitate access to specialty treatment when appropriate, and improve quality of care. Several meta-analyses demonstrate its effectiveness in primary care, and the federal government has developed a well-funded campaign to promote physician tr...

Game On: Are Video Games Harmful?

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Harvard Health Letters Violent and possibly addictive, video games have become a major part of American childhood. What should parents do? It's been decades since the game Pong first bounced digital tennis balls across our TV screens. Since then,... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Healthy Relationships and Sobriety

About.com Alcoholism — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

There is a saying in recovery circles that alcoholics and addicts don't have relationships, they take hostages. The truth is most addicts and alcoholics have lost the ability to recognize a healthy relationship, much less maintain one. But experts say to achieve long-term sobriety, it is essential to build or rebuild supportive, healthy relationships. Read more... Maintaining Sobriety: Getting Healthy to Maintain Sobriety How to Avoid Substituting Addictions Do You Know the Steps Leading to Relapse? Photo: Clipart.com Healthy Relationships and Sobriety originally appeared on About.com Alcoholism on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 03:12:10.Permalink | Comment | Email this (Source: About.com Alcoholism)

Psychosocial characteristics of drunk drivers assessed by the Addiction Severity Index, prediction of relapse.

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: As well as the drunk driving offence, drunk drivers often have other psychosocial problems, female drivers in particular. Already the blood alcohol concentration per se gives some indication of the psychosocial problem profile of a drunk driver and the ASI profile has some prognostic value for relapse in drunk driving. PMID: 19889889 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health)

Gambling and the Multidimensionality of Accessibility: More Than Just Proximity to Venues

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:38:38 +0100

This study used data from semi-structured focus groups and interviews with 38 participants (Median age 42 years) to explore wider aspects of accessibility. People preferred venues which were open long hours and located close to home, work or regular routes, i.e., geo-temporal accessibility. This was particularly influential for problem gamblers. Social and personal accessibility related to venues as safe, social, easy entertainment experiences, and as an accessible retreat from life issues. The attraction of an accessible retreat was restricted to problem gamblers. Finally, low outlay games and easy access to money increased financial accessibility. Accessibility should therefore be considered multidimensional. Further, results suggested that while gambling as safe, social enter...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Video: Addicted to Exercise

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:03:13 +0100

Dr. Jennifer Ashton talks with CBSNews.com's Cali Carlin about exercise bulimia, an eating disorder where going to the gym can turn deadly. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Psychoactive substances consumption in French fishermen and merchant seamen

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:09:09 +0100

Conclusions Alcohol and tobacco consumption are a major public health problem for seafarers. Fishermen seem to be more liable to high consumption. Working conditions may explain these differences. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticleDOI 10.1007/s00420-009-0473-yAuthors Emmanuel Fort, Université de Lyon 69003 Lyon FranceAmélie Massardier-Pilonchéry, Université de Lyon 69003 Lyon FranceAlain Bergeret, Université de Lyon 69003 Lyon France Journal International Archives of Occupational and Environmental HealthOnline ISSN 1432-1246Print ISSN 0340-0131 (Source: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health)

Serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism and dopaminergic sensitivity in alcoholics

Journal of Neural Transmission — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:02:56 +0100

Abstract The central serotonin (5-HT) system plays an important role in the rewarding and addictive properties of alcohol by a direct activation of the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system. An insertion/deletion (L/S) promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) of the 5-HT transporter (5-HHT) gene (SLC6A4) has been shown to influence transcriptional activity. It is predicted that reduced transynaptic 5-HT neurotransmission in alcoholics with the L/L genotype of 5-HTTLPR would result in a change in DA function compared to the S/S genotype. Thus the present study has tested whether dopaminergic sensitivity is influenced by the 5-HTTLPR genotype. Dopaminergic sensitivity, 5-HTTLPR genotype and smoking status were assessed in 121 alcoholics. Dopaminergic sensitivity as an indicator of the fun...

Nicotine Patch Plus Lozenge Best for Quitting Smoking

Disabled World — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:31:43 +0100

Megan E. Piper, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, and colleagues conducted a randomized clinical trial of smoking cessation therapies involving 1,504 adults. All had smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day during the previous six months and were motivated to quit. (Source: Disabled World)

Fight Heroin with Heroin, Study Says

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs News — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:32:14 +0100

Less use of street drugs and less criminal activity were among the benefits of giving heroin addicts daily injections of the drug along with counseling and other services, according to a new study. (Source: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs News)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Understanding Addiction as Self Medication: Finding Hope Behind the Pain [Book Forum]

Am J Psychiatry — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:01:54 +0100

(Source: Am J Psychiatry)

Prof Nutt's dangerous drug list

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:58:00 +0100

How harmful are the drugs on the list drawn up by the ousted government drugs adviser and his colleagues?Professor David Nutt was last week forced to resign from his role as chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Research by Nutt and his colleagues, published in the medical journal the Lancet in 2007, rates the following as the most dangerous drugs (They are listed in descending order from the most harmful and all figures are for England and Wales in 2008 unless stated otherwise):1. HeroinClass A drug. Originally used as a painkiller and derived from the opium poppy. There were 897 deaths recorded from heroin and morphine use in 2008 in England and Wales, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). There were around 13,000 seizures amounting to 1.6m tonnes of he...

EC launches new strategy to tackle HIV as prevalence continues to rise

BMJ Online First — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:12:32 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

Link Between Stress-Induced Changes In Brain Circuitry And Cocaine Relapse

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Stress-evoked changes in circuits that regulate serotonin in certain parts of the brain can precipitate a low mood and a relapse in cocaine-seeking, based on mouse studies published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Federal Government Pushes Development of Addiction Vaccines

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs News — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:35:52 +0100

The federal government wants to leverage interest and investment in vaccine development to get pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs that could "inoculate" people against addiction to cocaine, nicotine, and other substances. (Source: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs News)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Junk food linked to onset of middle age depression

OnMedica Latest News — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Fresh fruit, vegetables and fish key to healthier mindRelated items from OnMedicaInequality gap drives rates of mental illness£13m mental health package to aid joblessPolyclinics 'threat' to treating mental illnessAvoid antidepressants for the chronically illScottish drug deaths soar due to legacy of addiction (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

Broken Symmetry: Nobel physicist explains why you miss old places, friends

Psychology Today Depression Center — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:41:16 +0100

The bittersweet sad intense pain of missing a place, a person, a crew, a time. What's with that? How does that happen? Here's a take on it you probably haven't heard before. I'll start way back with the big bang. If everything was all concentrated and homogeneous at the origin, how did our universe ever get so lumpy, with separate things like stars and planets, you and me? The 2008 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to scientists who identified the source as broken symmetry. A first pass explanation of their idea is simple. You know how you can easily balance a broomstick on the palm of your hand? If it's centered, symmetrically upright, it tends to stay there. But if it tips asymmetrically toward one direction, then it becomes increasingly difficult to balance. The symmetry w...

Effects of a diagnosis or family history of alcoholism on the taste intensity and hedonic value of sucrose.

The American Journal on Addictions — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Tremblay KA, Bona JM, Kranzler HR Given inconsistent findings in published studies, we examined whether a personal lifetime history of alcohol dependence (AD) or a parental history of alcoholism affected preference for sweet solutions. Ninety-three alcohol-dependent subjects rated the intensity and hedonic value of five different sucrose solutions, which was compared with similar data from 122 subjects screened to exclude alcohol dependence. The effect of a family history of alcoholism (FH) was examined in the AD group. Neither the diagnosis of AD nor a family history of alcoholism was associated with ratings of sweetness intensity or sweet preference. These findings do not support the hypothesis that sucrose preference is positively associated with either a personal lifetime ...

A simple risk scoring system for prediction of relapse after inpatient alcohol treatment.

The American Journal on Addictions — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Pedersen MU, Hesse M Predicting relapse after alcoholism treatment can be useful in targeting patients for aftercare services. However, a valid and practical instrument for predicting relapse risk does not exist. Based on a prospective study of alcoholism treatment, we developed the Risk of Alcoholic Relapse Scale (RARS) using items taken from the Addiction Severity Index and some basic demographic information. The RARS was cross-validated using two non-overlapping samples, and tested for its ability to predict relapse across different models of treatment. The RARS predicted relapse to drinking within 6 months after alcoholism treatment in both the original and the validation sample, and in a second validation sample it predicted admission to new treatment 3 years after treatm...

Influence of verbal recall of a recent stress experience on anxiety and desire for cocaine in non-treatment seeking, cocaine-addicted volunteers.

The American Journal on Addictions — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: De La Garza R, Ashbrook LH, Evans SE, Jacobsen CA, Kalechstein AD, Newton TF It has long been postulated that stress increases the risk of drug abuse and relapse. The principal goal of this project was to evaluate the effects of verbal recall of a recent stress experience (specifically meaningful to each individual) on physiological and subjective measures in cocaine-addicted participants. Subjects described a recent stressful non-drug-related experience and a neutral non-stressful experience, and then completed mood and drug effect questionnaires, while heart rate and blood pressure were recorded. Participants (N = 25) were predominantly African American and male. As a group, participants used cocaine for more than 15 years and approximately 18 of the last 30 days, and a majo...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Psychiatric comorbidity reduces quality of life in chronic methadone maintained patients.

The American Journal on Addictions — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study examines the influence of the psychiatric comorbidity of MMT patients on their quality of life. A total of 193 middle-aged patients in long-term MMT were assessed for current and lifetime Axis I psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders, and personality disorders using the MINI, the CIDI-SAM, and the SIDP-IV. Quality of life (Qol) was assessed using the EQ-5D. Psychiatric comorbidity was documented in 78% of the patients. Mood disorders (60%) and anxiety disorders (46%) were the most common diagnoses. Additional substance use disorders were diagnosed in 70% of the MMT patients. While a probable personality disorder was documented for 65% of the patients, 66 of these patients actually showed an antisocial personality disorder. Qol was severely diminished to a level comparabl...

Characteristics of pathological gamblers with a problem gambling parent.

The American Journal on Addictions — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Schreiber L, Odlaug BL, Kim SW, Grant JE This analysis compares the characteristics of adult pathological gamblers with and without a problem gambling parent. A sample of 517 individuals with current DSM-IV pathological gambling was categorized based on presence of a parental problem gambler. Groups were compared on clinical characteristics, gambling severity, gambling-related problems, and psychiatric comorbidity. Although the groups were similar on most measures, pathological gamblers with at least one problem gambling parent were more likely to have a father with an alcohol abuse/dependence problem; have financial and legal problems; and report daily nicotine use. Females with a problem gambling parent had significantly earlier onset of gambling behavior, were significantly...

The variety of ecstasy/MDMA users: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on alcohol and related conditions.

The American Journal on Addictions — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study investigates the potential heterogeneity of ecstasy or MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine) users. Data came from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Latent class analysis (LCA) and multinomial logistic regression procedures were used to identify subtypes of ecstasy users. Approximately 1.6% (n = 562) of adult participants (N = 43,093) reported lifetime ecstasy use. LCA identified three subtypes of ecstasy users. Class 1 exhibited pervasive use of most drug classes (ecstasy-polydrug users, 37%). Class 2 reported a high rate of use of marijuana and cocaine and a moderate use of amphetamines (ecstasy-marijuana-stimulant users, 29%). Class 3 was characterized by a high rate of use of marijuana and a low use of primarily p...

Obesity and its relationship to addictions: is overeating a form of addictive behavior?

The American Journal on Addictions — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Barry D, Clarke M, Petry NM Obesity is a major public health problem and notoriously difficult to treat. There are many parallels between obesity/overeating and addictions to alcohol and drugs. This paper discusses similarities between obesity and addictive disorders, including common personality characteristics, disruptive behavior syndromes, and brain mechanisms. Although there are important differences between overeating and other addictive behaviors, an addiction model of overeating may effectively inform prevention and treatment of obesity. PMID: 19874165 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The American Journal on Addictions)

Comparison of databases for Iranian articles; access to evidence on substance abuse and addiction.

Archives of Iranian Medicine — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that after searching at least one general and one specialized Iranian database, 80% of studies relevant to addiction in Iran can be accessed. Introduction of developing countries' domestic databases can be beneficial in a more comprehensive access to scientific documentations. PMID: 19877748 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Archives of Iranian Medicine)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Comparison of serum lead level in oral opium addicts with healthy control group.

Archives of Iranian Medicine — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: It would be concluded that opium addicts have an elevated BLL compared to healthy controls. Therefore, screening of blood lead concentration is helpful for opium addicted people especially with non-specific symptoms. In this regard, a similar investigation with a larger sample size of opium addicted patients (including both oral and inhaled) and a control group is suggested to confirm the findings of this research. PMID: 19877747 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Archives of Iranian Medicine)

The Code of Silence

AORN Journal — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A recent headline—”Scrub tech causes major hepatitis scare in Colorado”—revealed a shocking story that has affected more than 6,000 patients in the Denver area. The scrub person is a 26-year-old surgical technologist (ST) with a drug abuse problem, specifically an addiction to narcotics. She also has hepatitis C. The ST reported periodic self-administration of 100 mcg to 250 mcg of fentanyl from syringes that she obtained from OR anesthesia carts. She replaced the fentanyl-filled syringes with used saline-filled syringes that she kept in her pocket. To date, 24 patients who underwent surgeries in facilities in which the ST worked have tested positive for hepatitis C and are undergoing testing to determine whether there is any link to the ST. This column addresses issues attributed ...

HIV provider endorsement of primary care buprenorphine treatment: a vignette study.

Famly Medicine — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: HIV providers infrequently endorsed buprenorphine treatment in primary care for vignette patients. Generalist and African American providers and those with previous buprenorphine prescribing experience are more likely to endorse buprenorphine treatment in primary care. Targeting generalist and minority providers may be one strategy to promote effective integration of HIV care and opioid addiction treatment. PMID: 19882396 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Famly Medicine)

Factors attributing to initiation of tobacco use in adolescent students of Moradabad, (UP) India

Table of Contents : Indian Journal of Dental Research : 2006 - 17(3) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:56:39 +0100

Conclusion: Tobacco use by parents is likely to influence adolescents, as they perceive tobacco use as a positive and acceptable behavior, and develop favorable personal beliefs and subjective norms towards tobacco use. (Source: Table of Contents : Indian Journal of Dental Research : 2006 - 17(3))

Craving and Attentional Bias Respond Differently to Alcohol Priming: A Field Study in the Pub

Karger Publishers — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:43:53 +0100

Eur Addict Res 2010;16:9-16 (DOI:10.1159/000253859) (Source: Karger Publishers)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff in Decision-Making Performance among Pathological Gamblers

Karger Publishers — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:43:53 +0100

Eur Addict Res 2010;16:23-30 (DOI:10.1159/000253861) (Source: Karger Publishers)

Alcohol Expectancy and Hazardous Drinking: A 6-Year Longitudinal and Nationwide Study of Medical Doctors

Karger Publishers — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:43:53 +0100

Eur Addict Res 2010;16:17-22 (DOI:10.1159/000253860) (Source: Karger Publishers)

Why Do the Clients of Georgian Needle Exchange Programmes Inject Buprenorphine?

Karger Publishers — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:43:53 +0100

Eur Addict Res 2010;16:1-8 (DOI:10.1159/000253858) (Source: Karger Publishers)

How to get your doctor to sing Happy Birthday while he washes his hands (satire)

NaturalNews.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) I recently saw a poster in a medical building that stopped me cold. It was about influenza, and it said the following: To avoid spreading germs, wash your hands for as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday to yourself.I did a double take. Really? Wash your hands while you sing Happy Birthday as a timing mechanism?Apparently, this is an important bit of advice for teaching the masses how to successfully wash their own hands. I guess they couldn't use Row, Row, Row Your Boat because that song just goes on forever, and people would be stuck at the sink washing their hands like disturbed obsessive-compulsive hand washing addicts.By the way, at the risk of descending into amateurish Valley Talk, I'm totally not making this up. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...

'Three Rivers' handles organ transplant issues with care

L.A. Times - Health — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:04:37 +0100

Former addicts are allowed to qualify for a new heart after getting clean -- and cocaine use can indeed harm the ticker. "Three Rivers" (Source: L.A. Times - Health)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Mice lacking the G protein {gamma}3-subunit show resistance to opioids and diet induced obesity

AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:13:07 +0100

Contributing to the obesity epidemic, there is increasing evidence that overconsumption of high-fat foods may be analogous to drug addiction in that the palatability of these foods is associated with activation of specific reward pathways in the brain. With this perspective, we report that mice lacking the G protein 3-subunit (Gng3–/– mice) show resistance to high-fat diet-induced weight gain over the course of a 12-wk study. Compared with Gng3+/+ controls, female Gng3–/– mice exhibit a 40% reduction in weight gain and a 53% decrease in fat pad mass, whereas male Gng3–/– mice display an 18% reduction in weight gain and no significant decrease in fat pad mass. The basis for the lowered weight gain is related to reduced food consumption for female and male...

Confrontational Approach Has No Role in Addressing Physician Addiction

Mayo Clinic Proceedings — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:02:29 +0100

(Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings)

Confrontational Approach Has No Role in Addressing Physician Addiction-Reply-I

Mayo Clinic Proceedings — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:02:29 +0100

(Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings)

Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:27:44 +0100

Centers Prepare for Flu's Effects by Educating Both Staff and ClientsNQF Standards for Treating SUDs Move Closer to Implementation by StatesMo. Requires Providers to Offer Medication-Assisted TreatmentObesity Linked to Addiction in Rat Study of Brain Reward CenterField Should be Unified, Not Split, by NIDA-NIAAA Merger Talks'Chronic Inebriates' Who are Homeless Caught Between State and Local CareBriefly NotedIn the StatesComing up (Source: Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly)

Addicted to Incarceration: Corrections Policy and the Politics of Misinformation in the United States [Book Reviews]

Psychiatr Serv — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:01:28 +0100

(Source: Psychiatr Serv)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Public-Academic Partnerships: Early Intervention for Psychotic Disorders in a Community Mental Health Center [Columns]

Psychiatr Serv — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:01:27 +0100

Early intervention may improve long-term outcomes for psychotic illnesses. Early-intervention services in other countries have focused on reducing the duration of untreated illness and adapting interventions for younger patients. This column describes the process of building such a service, called specialized treatment early in psychosis (STEP), at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. This effort is rooted in a long-standing collaborative relationship between the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Yale. The authors describe the critical contribution of such partnerships in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of early intervention in a "real-world" U.S. setting. (Source: Psychiatr Serv)

Parole Revocation Among Prison Inmates With Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders [Other Articles]

Psychiatr Serv — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:01:27 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need for future investigations of specific social, behavioral, and other factors that underlie higher rates of parole revocation among individuals with co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorders. (Source: Psychiatr Serv)

H2 haplotype at chromosome 17q21.31 protects against childhood sexual abuse-associated risk for alcohol consumption and dependence

Addiction Biology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Animal research supports a central role for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in actions of ethanol on brain function. An examination of alcohol consumption in adolescents reported a significant genotype × environment (G × E) interaction involving rs1876831, a corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) polymorphism, and negative events. CRHR1 and at least four other genes are located at 17q21.31 in an extremely large block of high linkage disequilibrium resulting from a local chromosomal inversion; the minor allele of rs1876831 is contained within the H2 haplotype. Here, we examine whether G × E interactions involving this haplotype and childhood sexual abuse (CSA) are associated with risk for alcohol consumption and dependence in Australian participants (n = 1128 respondents...

Changes in leukocyte Glutamate Dehydrogenase activity in alcoholics upon break in alcohol consumption.

Clinical Biochemistry — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: We estimate that the fast increase is specific for alcohol addiction. Alcohol consumption reduces GLDH activity to some extent. Consecutively it could lead to increased protein production and strengthen of diminished leukocyte protective ability. PMID: 19883639 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Clinical Biochemistry)

Complexity, Coherence, and Halloween

Psychology Today Personality Center — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:41:52 +0100

This week I had the pleasure of being contacted by a reporter from the Orange County Register (our local paper) with the question: "Q: Why do so many people enjoy going to scary movies, or putting themselvesin scary situations?" Such a fun question, I figured it was blog-worthy. Below is my un-edited response. Hopefully, he will use a line or two that works for his purposes. More likely, I (ironically) scared him away for good. Perhaps it will add something to your Halloween experience, or scare you away too. Either way...Nearly every theory of personality can provide an answer to this question, "Why do we like to be scared?" In my opinion each "theory" contributes a piece of the overall puzzle, which when put together can shed some light on the simple question about the paradoxical joy of...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

The molecular biology of addictive drugs

Molecular Neurobiology — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:57:38 +0100

This article reviews those experiments that have studied drug-induced alterations in gene transcription. Ethanol has diverse effects on the amounts of messenger RNA molecules within the central nervous system. Ion channels, neuropeptides, membrane receptors, and immediate early genes represent several regulated mRNAs. The effects are selective, however, as many other specific products are not altered. Evidence for a genetic predisposition to ethanol use reinforces the importance of the genotype. Opioids, cocaine, and amphetamine also affect gene transcription. Messenger RNAs studied have included many of those demonstrated to be altered by alcohol use. Interestingly, use of any of these drugs alters the expression of immediate early genes. These genes may represent an initia...

Learning and memory in the aetiopathogenesis of addiction: future implications for therapy?

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:44:33 +0100

Abstract Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder. Even after long periods of abstinence from drugs, the risk of relapse, often precipitated by drug-associated cues, remains high. Especially learning processes have been shown to play a major role in the maintenance of addictive behaviour. Humans and animals rapidly learn cues and contexts that predict the availability of addictive drugs. Once learned, these cues and contexts initiate drug seeking, craving and relapse in both animal models and clinical studies. These observations have converged on the hypothesis that addiction represents the pathological usurpation of neural processes that normally serve reward-related learning. In this context, a substantial body of evidence suggests that several types of neuroadaptation ...

How Does Your Teen Cope?

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:08:29 +0100

I thought I would share with you the parts of my book, Adolescent Assessment, that readers found the most interesting. One of the most popular topics was defense mechanisms. Anna Freud (1958), Sigmund's daughter, believed people defended themselves against anxiety with defense mechanisms. As you may have learned in Introductory Psychology, Freudians believe internal conflicts cause anxiety. To reduce this anxiety, people employ psychological defenses. After many years of observing children, adolescents, and adults, and despite my extremely rigorous scientific training, I've concluded there is some merit to Freudian observations. While I don't believe Sigmund Freud was God and would never call myself a Freudian, I do believe he was a very smart man and an astute observer. I mean what parent...

Federal Stimulus Grant Supports Crucial Study of Anti-Nicotine Vaccine

National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:21:00 +0100

Efforts to develop a vaccine capable of preventing tobacco addiction got a $10-million shot in the arm in the form of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant. The award to Nabi Biopharmaceuticals of Rockville, Md., was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. (Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases)

Preliminary Validation of a New Clinical Tool for Identifying Problem Video Game Playing

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:03:25 +0100

Abstract Research has estimated that between 6 to 13% of individuals who play video games do so excessively. However, the methods and definitions used to identify “problem” video game players often vary considerably. This research presents preliminary validation data for a new measure of problematic video game play called the Problem Video Game Playing Test (PVGT). Two studies were conducted: an online survey of 373 university student video game players, and a paper-and-pencil survey of 416 video game players from video game outlets and LAN businesses. This paper presents the internal consistency, score distribution, convergent validity and dimensionality of the PVGT. The PVGT demonstrates potential as a continuous measure of problem video game playing. Future research...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Organic transplant horrors: Diseased organs routinely implanted into donation recipients

NaturalNews.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) Matthew Millington, 31, was an Iraq war veteran who served in the British army. Suffering from an unspecified "serious long condition", doctors told him he would be dead in two years unless he underwent a lung transplant. With tens of thousands of people world-wide awaiting organ transplants, the young man was one of the "lucky" patients who soon received his lungs from a donor. The problem was he was given lungs riddled with a fast growing cancer -- and Millington died less than 10 months after his operation. This is just a horrible, rare, mistake right? Not necessarily, according to a warning just issued by the UK health service. It specifically lists other examples of diseased and damaged organs being inappropriatedly donated for transplantion -- in addition to cancer, the...

Russia Is Urged to Switch Its Approach to Curbing Spread of H.I.V.

NYT — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:22:46 +0100

Experts at a regional AIDS conference in Moscow said the abstinence-based strategy should be replaced by programs like needle exchanges for addicts. (Source: NYT)

Russia Is Urged to Switch Its Approach to Curbing Spread of H.I.V.

NYT > Health — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:34:50 +0100

Experts at a regional AIDS conference in Moscow said the abstinence-based strategy should be replaced by programs like needle exchanges for addicts. (Source: NYT > Health)

Screening tests IV

BMJ Online First — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:06:21 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

5-HTTLPR polymorphism, mood disorders and MDMA use in a 3-year follow-up study

Addiction Biology — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A 3-year longitudinal prospective study was conducted to compare the incidence of substance use disorders (SUD) and non-substance use disorders (NSUD) among ecstasy users and two control groups: one of cannabis users and the other of non-drug users. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism related to NSUD was also studied. A total of 94 subjects were included: 37 ecstasy users, 23 cannabis users and 34 non-drug users. SUD and NSUD disorders were diagnosed according to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders criteria using the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders. Incidence Rates (IR) are presented. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was analyzed. Hardy[ndash]Weinberg equilibrium was studied. The results of the study showed that the highes...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Single exposure to cocaine or ecstasy induces DNA damage in brain and other organs of mice

Addiction Biology — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

We evaluated the overall genetic damage induced by different doses of cocaine and MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) in several organs. One hour after intraperitoneal drug administration, mice were euthanized; peripheral blood, liver and brain were collected, and the cellular suspensions were used for the single cell gel (comet) assay. We determined that all doses of cocaine and MDMA tested were able to induce DNA damage in blood cells. Extensive genotoxic damage was induced by cocaine or MDMA at the highest doses used in liver cells. Brain cells were affected by all doses administrated. These findings demonstrate that cocaine and MDMA are potent genotoxins. (Source: Addiction Biology)

Do You Have an Alcohol or Drug Problem?

About.com Alcoholism — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Alcohol and drug use can progress into abuse and even addiction so insidiously that sometimes people do not realize that it has become a problem for them and those around them. The following self-assessment tests can help you determine whether or not it may be time to get help. Alcohol Abuse Screening Quiz Drug Abuse Screening Quiz Could You Be Depressed? Is Your Child Using Drugs or Alcohol? Is Your Child Huffing Inhalants? Questions for Families: Are You Troubled by Someone's Drinking? Are You Enabling an Alcoholic or Addict? Did You Grow Up With a Problem Drinker? Domestic Abuse Screening Quiz Adult Child Screening Quiz Do You Have an Alcohol or Drug Problem? originally appeared on About.com Alcoholism on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 00:05:17.Permalink | Comment | Email this ...

Multiple Sexual Partners Increases H1N1 Risk

About.com Addictions — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

For those who have multiple sexual partners, whether part of a sex addiction, or sex work, you should be aware of the increased risk of H1N1, and consider getting vaccinated. H1N1 is spread through the saliva, typically by coughs and sneezes. However, direct mouth-to-mouth contact will spread the virus even more readily. Your partner may not even look sick, as they may be contagious both before and after symptoms are present. You should be particularly concerned about the spread of H1N1 if you or your partners are pregnant, have a developmental disability, or have a supporessed immune system as a result of HIV/AIDS. Others at risk of complications of H1N1 common in the addictions community are people with severe obesity and people with liver, heart lunch and kidney diseases. Also at risk a...

Pharmacist Support Begins New Partnership With Action on Addiction

Action on Addiction — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:16:31 +0100

The UK’s leading independent welfare charity for pharmacists and their families in Great Britain has agreed a new partnership with Action on Addiction – the only UK charity working across the addiction field in research, prevention, treatment, professional education and family support. (Source: Action on Addiction)

A One-Day Master-class/Seminar:

AERC: The Alcohol Education and Research Council — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:36:05 +0100

Psychological Evidence-Based Approaches to Addiction: Provided by Robin Davidson, John B Davies and Richard Velleman. To be held in London (Russell Hotel, Russell Square, WC1B 5BE), on Monday, 23rd November 2009. (Source: AERC: The Alcohol Education and Research Council)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Crushing Cigarettes In A Virtual Reality Environment Reduces Tobacco Addiction

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0100

Smokers who crushed computer-simulated cigarettes as part of a psychosocial treatment program in a virtual reality environment had significantly reduced nicotine dependence and higher rates of tobacco abstinence than smokers participating in the same program who grasped a computer-simulated ball, according to a new study. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Behavioral health versus mental health

Psychology Today Depression Center — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:07:01 +0100

The terms "behavioral health" and "mental health" are often used interchangeably. But, do they really mean the same thing? I've made two short lists below as I've tried to work out what's good, and not so good, about the term "behavioral health," and am very curious to hear what you think.Three things I like about the term behavioral health:-It's a way of being inclusive. Behavioral health includes not only ways of promoting well-being by preventing or intervening in mental illness such as depression or anxiety, but also has as an aim preventing or intervening in substance abuse or other addictions.-Perhaps the term "behavioral health" is less stigmatized than "mental health," so a kinder, gentler name opens doors that might otherwise remain closed for folks.-Behavior is an aspect of ident...

Tobacco Addiction Reduced By Crushing Cigarettes In A Virtual Reality Environment

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

Influence of progesterone on GAD65 and GAD67 mRNA expression in the dorsolateral striatum and prefrontal cortex of female rats repeatedly treated with cocaine.

Braz J Med Biol Res — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:38:19 +0100

Authors: Souza MF, Toniazo VM, Frazzon AP, Barros HM Female rats are intensely affected by cocaine, with estrogen probably playing an important role in this effect. Progesterone modulates the GABA system and attenuates the effects of cocaine; however, there is no information about its relevance in changing GABA synthesis pathways after cocaine administration to female rats. Our objective was to investigate the influence of progesterone on the effects of repeated cocaine administration on the isoenzymes of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65 and GAD67) mRNA in brain areas involved in the addiction circuitry. Ovariectomized, intact and progesterone replacement-treated female rats received saline or cocaine (30 mg/kg, ip) acutely or repeatedly. GAD isoenzyme mRNA levels were determined in ...

Bloodborne virus infections among drug users in Ireland: a retrospective cross-sectional survey of screening, prevalence, incidence and hepatitis B immunisation uptake

Irish Journal of Medical Science — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:58:40 +0100

Conclusion The proportion of clients screened for HCV, HBV and HIV infection has increased since the introduction of a screening protocol in 1998. Targeted vaccination for opiate users against hepatitis B is more successful than previously shown in Ireland. The prevalence and incidence of bloodborne viruses remains high among opiate users attending addiction treatment services, despite an increase in availability of harm reduction interventions. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original PapersDOI 10.1007/BF03169123Authors L. Grogan, Bridge House, Cherry Orchard Hospital Addiction Services Dublin 10 IrelandM. Tiernan, Bridge House, Cherry Orchard Hospital Addiction Services Dublin 10 IrelandN. Geogeghan, Bridge House, Cherry Orchard Hospital Addiction Services Dub...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Maternal High-Fat Diet Has Serious Implications For Brain Development Of Offspring, Mouse Study Finds

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:00:00 +0100

Feeding high-fat food to pregnant mice can affect their pups' brain development in ways that may cause them to be more vulnerable to obesity and to engage in addictive-like behaviors in adulthood, a new study has found. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Paper round: Wednesday

OnMedica Latest News — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

GPs warn patients to stay away, junk food as addictive as drugs, and moreRelated items from OnMedicaWhat's in a name?Poor discharge information puts patients at riskMedicine mourns death of Yvonne CarterSteep rise in Down's syndrome pregnanciesPersonal health budgets up for consultation (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

Strategies for Stalling Malignancy: Targeting Cancer's Addiction to Hsp90.

Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Prodromou C Hsp90 is involved in the maturation and activation of client proteins. Often these are key proteins involved in signal transduction and regulatory pathways that in a mutated and/or deregulated form sustain an oncogenic cellular state. Consequently, the malignancy is maintained with the aid of Hsp90 upon which the mutated proteins have become particularly dependent for their activity. The requirement for the Hsp90 chaperone machine to drive the malignancy makes Hsp90 a prime anticancer target, an 'axle in a wheel' that when disrupted has been shown to be effective in killing cancerous cells. This review aims to identify potential drug targets, based on the current structural knowledge of the Hsp90-chaperone machine, that could be targeted with the aim of disrupting ...

Effects of imipramine or GABA(B) receptor ligands on the immobility, swimming and climbing in the forced swim test in rats following discontinuation of cocaine self-administration.

European Journal of Pharmacology — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Frankowska M, Gołda A, Wydra K, Gruca P, Papp M, Filip M We tested if discontinuation of cocaine self-administration can lead to the development of depressive-like symptoms in the forced swim test expressed as changes in immobility, swimming and climbing behaviors in rats. A "yoked" procedure in which rats were run simultaneously in groups of three, with two rats received the passive injection of cocaine or saline, was employed. Later, we examined whether acute treatment with the classical antidepressant imipramine or GABA(B) receptor ligands could alter the increases in immobility recorded after discontinuation of self-administered cocaine. We found a significant increase (44%) in the immobility time 3days following discontinuation of cocaine (0.5mg/kg/infusion/2h daily...

Health Buzz: Risk of Heart Attack Growing in Women and Other Health News

U.S. News - Health — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:45:00 +0100

Managing your pain without addiction; making sure your kid is getting enough vitamin D (Source: U.S. News - Health)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Dieting and the TV-To-Treadmill Ratio

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:27:08 +0100

[ The following is an exact transcript of this podcast. ]If you want to lose weight--really lose it and keep it off--look around your house. How many TV sets are there? And is there an exercise bike or any other similar equipment? The answers could predict the success of your weight loss quest, according to a report in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Driven To Drink By Your Genes

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

Your genetic make up may predispose you to drink more but may not increase your genetic risk for alcoholism (alcohol dependence). Research published in the open access journal, BMC Biology, pinpoints genetic pathways and genes associated with levels of alcohol consumption but not with alcohol dependence in rats and humans. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Cigarettes Seem Less Attractive To Smokers Following Exercise

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

Exercise can help smokers quit because it makes cigarettes less attractive. A new study from the University of Exeter shows for the first time that exercise can lessen the power of cigarettes and smoking-related images to grab the attention of smokers. The study is published in the journal Addiction. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Alcohol Misuse Among Adolescents

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0100

While many genetic studies have examined alcoholism among adults, identifying genes that are associated with alcohol misuse during youth is equally important, given that genetic and environmental influences on alcoholism vary across development. New findings show an association between a polymorphism of the Âµ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene and alcohol misuse among adolescents. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Examining Genetic Variations Among The Huichol Population Of Mexico

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0100

Alcohol abuse is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis in Mexico. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Packages Of Care For Alcohol Use Disorders In Low- And Middle-Income Countries

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0100

In the latest article in PLoS Medicine's series proposing the delivery of packages of care for mental, neurological and substance-use disorders in low- and middle-income countries, Vivek Benegal and colleagues discuss the treatment of alcohol use disorders in settings where resources are limited. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Crushing cigarettes in a virtual reality environment reduces tobacco addiction

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0100

(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) Smokers who crushed computer-simulated cigarettes as part of a psychosocial treatment program in a virtual reality environment had significantly reduced nicotine dependence and higher rates of tobacco abstinence than smokers participating in the same program who grasped a computer-simulated ball, according to a study described in the current issue of CyberPsychology and Behavior, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Medicinal Marijuana and Cancer Treatment

About.com Cancer — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The use of medicinal marijuana has always been a controversial topic, but when the U.S. Attorney General set forth guidelines urging more states to be more lenient of medicinal users, it has become a hot political topic. Despite it's strong support from the medical oncologic community, some people strongly oppose medicinal marijuana. They claim it is highly addictive and a gateway drug I certainly believe that marijuana is addictive and can be a gateway drug for those who use the drug recreationally. People with cancer, however, do not use marijuana to get high. The goal is to control the pain, relieve the nausea, and hopefully stimulate the appetite. It is certainly difficult to completely understand the stress, frustration, and decline of the quality of life that people with cancer en...

A country doctor's slide into addiction

BMJ Online First — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:44:00 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

Managing Your Pain: How to Use Prescription Drugs Without Becoming Addicted

U.S. News - Health — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:04:00 +0100

Be smart if you take prescription opioids—and find alternative forms of relief. (Source: U.S. News - Health)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Tobacco as a Substance of Abuse

PEDIATRICS — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:02:05 +0100

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of morbidity and death in the United States. Because 80% to 90% of adult smokers began during adolescence, and two thirds became regular, daily smokers before they reached 19 years of age, tobacco use may be viewed as a pediatric disease. Every year in the United States, approximately 1.4 million children younger than 18 years start smoking, and many of them will die prematurely from a smoking-related disease. Moreover, there is recent evidence that adolescents report symptoms of tobacco dependence early in the smoking process, even before becoming daily smokers. The prevalence of tobacco use is higher among teenagers and young adults than among older adult populations. The critical role of pediatricians in helping to reduce tobacco use and addi...

Adolescents' Gambling A Part Of A Cluster Of Problem Behaviors

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Ten percent of young adolescent boys -- or one in 10 -- exhibit a symptom of conduct disorder as well as a symptom of risky or problem gambling, according to new research findings from the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA). As the number of conduct disorder symptoms increase, the number of problem gambling symptoms increase in step, the study showed. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New website a "24/7 resource" for MDs facing addiction, other issues

cma.ca — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Canada's physicians now have access to the world's first comprehensive website designed to help them deal with personal health issues such as addiction and depression. (Source: cma.ca)

Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Bringing Addiction Treatment Into Primary Care: Calif. Experiments With IntegrationInterdisciplinary Care Seen as Crucial to Managing Pain in Recovering PatientsFully Integrated Program in TennesseeCSAT Pushing Field Toward Electronic Health RecordsFamily Outreach Tip: Saturday Education for ChildrenResearcher to Use Cell Phone Technology to Assess Drug, Alcohol UseBriefly NotedState NewsBusinessComing up (Source: Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly)

If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again!

About.com Addictions — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This old saying was never more relevant than it is to the process of overcoming an addiction. Although it is great to start the process of quitting with the attitude that you will stick to your goals 100%, the experience of relapse is so common that it is actually sometimes recognized as part of the cycle of change, for example, in the stages of change model. And approaches such as motivational interviewing will help you uncover your reasons for falling off the wagon, which can actually strengthen your chances of sucess in the future. For example, if it was cravings that cause you to relapse, your therapist can help you to learn strategies for dealing with cravings when they happen next time. Unfortunately, 12 step programs are not always so understanding, so if you are finding your relaps...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

H1N1 could be 'dangerous' for Canada's homeless

CTV Health — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:05:00 +0100

In one of Canada's first sweeps of H1N1 inoculation, street nurses will be ducking in and out of alleys on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, vaccinating the homeless, the downtrodden and the drug-addicted. (Source: CTV Health)

Reduced attentional blink for alcohol-related stimuli in heavy social drinkers. - Tibboel H, De Houwer J, Field M.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:17:14 +0100

Researchers have used various paradigms to show that attentional biases for substance-related stimuli are an important feature of addictive behaviours. However, it is not clear whether these attentional biases occur at the level of encoding or at later pos... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Cholinergic Functioning in Stimulant Addiction: Implications for Medications Development

CNS Drugs — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:27:50 +0100

(Source: CNS Drugs)

Amino Acid May Help Reduce Cocaine Cravings

ScienceDaily Headlines — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A new study in rats has found that N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a commonly available and generally nontoxic amino acid derivative, reverses changes in the brain's circuitry associated with cocaine addiction. The reversal appears to lessen the cravings associated with cocaine, thus providing protection against relapse. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Medical Marijuana Laws Loosened at Federal Level

About.com Breast Cancer — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Medical MarijuanaPhoto ©Getty Images President Obama has changed the policy that allows federal prosecutors to pursue those who sell and use medical marijuana, when the state laws permit. At present, only 14 U. S. states have legalized the medical use of marijuana - which means you need a prescription for it, and access to a pharmacy certified to dispense it. This does not relax the laws governing recreational use of pot, so don't head out to your greenhouse and start harvesting a little extra weed to sell, even in a state where medical marijuana is legal. The new policy on pot simply says that federal prosecutors should stop targeting people who use or sell medical marijuana, when it is done so within the boundaries of state laws. Thirty years ago, when my husband's mother was taking s...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Cognitive Problems Are Direct Result Of Cocaine Exposure, New Animal Research Suggests

ScienceDaily Headlines — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:00:00 +0100

New animal studies suggest that memory and other cognitive problems experienced by cocaine-addicted people can result directly from the cocaine abuse in addition to pre-existing traits or lifestyle factors. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Drug Czar Urges Police to Advocate Against Legalization

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs News — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:16:47 +0100

White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske's thinking about drug addiction has moved from disdain to enlightenment over the past decade, but the former police chief still views drug legalization as a 'non-starter' and is urging law-enforcement officials to speak out against the idea. (Source: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs News)

Weighing In (Part IV)

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:12:11 +0100

We've now looked in some detail at the Daily and Weekly Weigh-Ins, a keeping of numbers that will tell you how much you've spent, what you've spent it on, and how much you could have saved had you bought only what's more necessary rather than less. In order for these numbers to begin revealing the particular figures in your shopping carpet, the patterns that characterize your spending, expect to keep this data for two-or better three-months. And to clarify those patterns, to give you a virtual x-ray of your spending habits, transfer the information from your Daily Weigh-Ins to the Weekly Spending by Categories form:Weekly Spending By Category Dates: __________ to _________Category Mon Tues &...

Pregnant and addicted, young women find hope

CNN.com - Health — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:13:19 +0100

Some are girlish 22-year-olds; others are women approaching 40. They come from South Carolina's rural counties and its booming cities. They are loud and muted, lively and vacant, hopeful and desperate. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

U.N. Report Documents How Opium Contributes To Spread Of Disease, Deaths

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0100

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Wednesday released a report - "Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: The Transnational Threat of Afghan Opium" - documenting how "[t]he smuggling of Afghan opiates is fueling addiction and drug use along trafficking routes from Iran to Central Asia," and contributing to the spread of diseases, the Associated Press reports (Oleksyn, 10/21). "Of the 15. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Even Low Alcohol Consumption Has A Negative Impact On Overall Health

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

Low alcohol consumption is bad for your health in general. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation studied the relationship between alcohol consumption and health to test the current theory which suggests improved health is responsible for the link found between low alcohol consumption and increased wages. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Cocaine Exposure During Pregnancy Leads To Impulsivity In Male, Not Female, Monkeys

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Adult male monkeys exposed to cocaine while in the womb have poor impulse control and may be more vulnerable to drug abuse than female monkeys, even a decade or more after the exposure, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The findings could lead to a better understanding of human drug abuse. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Discovery Of Alcohol Tolerance Switch In Fruit Flies

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0100

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a genetic "switch" in fruit flies that plays an important role in making flies more tolerant to alcohol. This metabolic switch also has implications for the deadly liver disease cirrhosis in humans. A counterpart human gene contributes to a shift from metabolizing alcohol to the formation of fat in heavy drinkers. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

A vaccine for anxiety? The real reason why drug companies are pushing more vaccines

NaturalNews.com — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) There's a new vaccine for nicotine addiction, and another one for drug addiction. There's an AIDS vaccines (which doesn't work) and a vaccine for cervical cancer that's been approved for use on boys (boys don't have a cervix). Through the pharmaceutical industry, the big push for vaccines is on!But why, exactly? Is there suddenly a new rash of epidemic disease requiring vaccine treatments? No, not really. What's new is the way Big Pharma is latching on to these diseases as new opportunities to sell more drugs.There's a huge shift underway from drugs designed for sick people to a whole new class of drugs manufactured for healthy people. The new paradigm is that people need drugs before they get sick, as a sort of "protection" against sickness. Drugs, in essence, are being posi...

Battling Addiction With Those Who Know It Best

NYT > Health — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:29:28 +0100

Recovering drug addicts in Philadelphia are joining with experts in a broad network to help those still struggling with substance abuse and depression. (Source: NYT > Health)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Are You Ready?

About.com Addictions — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

When people start to experience unpleasant consequences of their addictive behavior, they often wonder why they can't just quit. Despite the popular belief that quitting involves little more than realizing you have a problem and sheer will power, quitting is such a complex process that there is actually a model, known as the stages of change model, that details the various stages that people typically go through on the road to recovery. The stages include precontemplation -- common among people in the early stages of addiction; contemplation -- common among people who want to continue with their current behavior, but are aware of some issues; preparation -- when a decision has been made but you're aren't quite ready to make changes; and action -- when you are in the process of quitting. Ad...

Neuropeptide S Receptor Gene Expression in Alcohol Withdrawal and Protracted Abstinence in Postdependent Rats.

Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Neuropeptide S receptor mRNA expression is increased in different brain areas of postdependent rats; as shown in the DB test, this expression change is functionally relevant. PMID: 19860802 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research)

Can long term use of PPIs Increase Your Weight?

About Heartburn / Acid Reflux — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100

While proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can do a lot of good for patients diagnosed with GERD, they are also getting a lot of negative press lately. First, there were reports that PPIs and Plavix together may increase the risk of recurrent heart attacks. Then there was news about use of PPIs associated with an increased risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia. A study showed there may be a link between the use of PPIs and an increased risk of hip fractures. Another study suggested PPIs may induce reflux symptoms and become addictive. Now, it seems, PPIs may also increase your risk of gaining weight. A clinical research team from Japan studied body weight and BMI in patients receiving long-term PPI therapy. Their study will be published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. The subjects...

Neuropeptide S Receptor Gene Expression in Alcohol Withdrawal and Protracted Abstinence in Postdependent Rats

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Neuropeptide S receptor mRNA expression is increased in different brain areas of postdependent rats; as shown in the DB test, this expression change is functionally relevant. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)

Parallel session: Addiction in pregnancy – Consequences for the child

Journal of Perinatal Medicine — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:18:59 +0100

Journal of Perinatal Medicine 37 (s1): 38-41 (Source: Journal of Perinatal Medicine)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

ESP Launches Free Mobile Application for Health Care Professionals

Healthcare IT News Press Releases — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:39:03 +0100

Emerging Solutions in Pain, one of the leading sources of pain medicine health information, is delighted to announce the launch of ESP Mobile, a free medical application for health care professions involved in pain management or addiction medicine. ESP Mobile provides clinicians with award-winning, robust multimedia medical information in a convenient mobile format that can be accessed on demand on the iPhone and iPod touch. (Source: Healthcare IT News Press Releases)

Research Into Specific Cells And Circuitry Affected By Addiction May Help Guard Against Relapse

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0100

New research using animal models is enabling a deeper understanding of the neurobiology of compulsive drug addiction in humans - knowledge that may lead to more effective treatment options to weaken the powerful cravings that cause people to relapse. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Adult Working Memory May Be Impaired By Amphetamine Use In Adolescence

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

Rats exposed to high doses of amphetamines at an age that corresponds to the later years of human adolescence display significant memory deficits as adults - long after the exposure ends, researchers report. The declines in short-term or "working" memory are most pronounced when the rats are exposed during adolescence, rather than as adults, the researchers found. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Childhood Risk Factors For Developing Substance Dependence

Pediatrics News From Medical News Today — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0100

There is ample evidence for the genetic influence of alcohol dependence, and ongoing studies are actively looking for specific genes that may confer this increased susceptibility. In addition, while it is well-known that individual risk is increased with the number of relatives with alcohol dependence, scientists have not been in a position to identify who among these individuals might have greater or lesser risk. (Source: Pediatrics News From Medical News Today)

Concern Over Alcohol Use Among UK South Asians

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Alcohol use in South Asians in the UK is under-recognised, and alcohol related harm is disproportionately high, warn researchers in an editorial published on bmj.com. They argue that some subgroups of South Asians in the UK have a major problem with alcohol and seem to be more susceptible to its effects. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Racism, mental illness and social support in the UK

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:57:50 +0100

Conclusion Social support when measured in this way does not mediate the associations between perceived racism and mental ill health in this population-based sample. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original PaperDOI 10.1007/s00127-009-0156-8Authors Apu T. Chakraborty, Royal Free and University College Medical School Department of Mental Health Sciences Hampstead Campus London UKKwame J. McKenzie, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Social Equity and Health Research 455 Spadina Avenue, Suite 300 Toronto ON CanadaShakoor Hajat, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Keppel Street London UKStephen A. Stansfeld, Queen Mary, University of London Centre for Psychiatry, Barts and the London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry London UK Jour...

The Rescued (Part 2 of 4)

Psychology Today Personality Center — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:40:32 +0100

Our previous blog reviewed two subtypes from the Helpless Rescued category the Depressed and the Dependent, and how and why white knights find them attractive. This blog describes the other two subtypes of the Helpless Rescued. Our upcoming blogs will explore the second category of rescued partners, the Rapacious Rescued.The Self DefeatingThe self-defeating partner presents himself as a victim of circumstances, and feels overwhelmed, powerless, or fearful. Because he feels guilty or shameful about himself, he fears that others will discover his inadequacies, and may hide behind his own inaction. You may feel compelled to constantly reassure him that he is deserving that various matters are not his fault or offer him solutions. At other times, you find yourself annoyed because of the indire...

Children's respiratory illnesses

BMJ Online First — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:05:50 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

Do You Have an Alcohol or Drug Problem?

About.com Alcoholism — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Alcohol and drug use can progress into abuse and even addiction so insidiously that sometimes people do not realize that it has become a problem for them and those around them. The following self-assessment tests can help you determine whether or not it may be time to get help. Alcohol Abuse Screening Quiz Drug Abuse Screening Quiz Could You Be Depressed? Is Your Child Using Drugs or Alcohol? Is Your Child Huffing Inhalants? Questions for Families: Are You Troubled by Someone's Drinking? Are You Enabling an Alcoholic or Addict? Did You Grow Up With a Problem Drinker? Domestic Abuse Screening Quiz Adult Child Screening Quiz Do You Have an Alcohol or Drug Problem? originally appeared on About.com Alcoholism on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 00:05:17.Permalink | Comment | Email this ...

Effects of mGluR1 antagonism in the dorsal hippocampus on drug context-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior in rats

Psychopharmacology — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:32:53 +0100

Conclusions Stimulation of mGluR1s in the DH is necessary for incentive motivational and/or memory processes that contribute to drug context-induced cocaine-seeking behavior. These findings indicate that the mGluR1 is an interesting target from an addiction treatment perspective. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original InvestigationDOI 10.1007/s00213-009-1700-7Authors Xiaohu Xie, University of North Carolina Department of Psychology CB# 3270 Davie Hall Chapel Hill NC USADonna R. Ramirez, University of North Carolina Department of Psychology CB# 3270 Davie Hall Chapel Hill NC USAHeather C. Lasseter, University of North Carolina Department of Psychology CB# 3270 Davie Hall Chapel Hill NC USARita A. Fuchs, University of North Carolina Department of Psychology CB# 32...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Your Brain on Facebook

Psychology Today Anxiety Center — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:01:19 +0100

All learning starts with the ability to focus and heed a teacher’s command to “pay attention.” Yet kids, like many of us, are showing a classroom attention span that is increasingly like their attention span on Facebook: Many seem to be exquisitely distractible and unable to focus on Mrs. Wilson for longer than it would take them to write a “status update.” This problem is also suggested by the tremendous increase in the number of Ritalin prescriptions written over the last decade. Children (and we) seem less attentive than ever, and studies are questioning what role the virtual lifestyle may be playing in this. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder of childhood, estimated to affect 3% to 5% of children, although a...

Cultural Analysis as a Perspective for Gender-Informed Alcohol Treatment Research in a Swedish Context

Alcohol and Alcoholism — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:24:33 +0100

Conclusion: Using cultural analysis as a perspective for gaining gendered information may allow for identifying new patterns within specific cultural and subgroup contexts. It may contribute new information to the following treatment research areas: gender-appropriate measurement issues; service integration; gender-appropriate services for women; and, drinking rituals and patterns. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)

Relapse Prevention--Maintenance Strategies in the Treatment of Addictive Behaviour (2nd Edition)

Alcohol and Alcoholism — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:24:33 +0100

(Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)

Scientific Management Review Board: Substance Use, Abuse and Addiction Working Group

Videocast - All Events — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:09:00 +0100

Presented by: The Scientific Management Review BoardCategory: Advisory BoardsAired date: 10/14/2009 (Source: Videocast - All Events)

Rural Doctors, Administrators Push For Health Reform To Include Safeguards Against Rx Drug Abuse

Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs News From Medical News Today — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

An increase in prescription drug fraud has caused doctors and hospital administrators to call for legislation to provide stronger safeguards. They say that such measures are especially important to protect government programs such as Medicaid and that heath reform proposals should increase coverage for drug treatment and rehabilitation. They note that prescription drug abuse and Medicaid fraud are especially sensitive issues in rural areas that struggle to attract providers. (Source: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs News From Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Examining The Effects Of Ecstasy Use In Young Adults: UC Researchers Awarded Federal Grant

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0100

A so-called "club drug" - typically not used all that often by those who take it - can still have the potential to cause a lot of damage among some users, say University of Cincinnati researchers. Trials are underway to trace the effects of ecstasy and to see who's most at risk. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Study touts treating heroin addicts with heroin

CNN.com - Health — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:21:04 +0100

If treating heroin addicts by giving them heroin seems counterintuitive, having the government fund that addiction to the tune of more than $22,000 per patient per year comes across as downright radical. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

Induction of energy metabolism related enzymes in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae exposed to ibogaine is adaptation to acute decrease in ATP energy pool.

European Journal of Pharmacology — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In this study a model organism yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cultivated with ibogaine in concentration of 1mg/l. Energy metabolism cluster enzymes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglycerate kinase, enolase and alcohol dehydrogenase were induced after 5h of exposure. This is a compensation of demonstrated ATP pool decrease after ibogaine. Yeast in a stationary growth phase is accepted model for studies of housekeeping metabolism of eukaryotes, including human. Study showed that ibogaine's influence on metabolism is neither species nor tissue specific. Effect is not mediated by binding of ibogaine to receptors, previously described in literature since they lack in this model. PMID: 19853595 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: European Journal of Pharmacology...

Can Children be Shared?

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:17:22 +0100

In Lorrie Moore's brilliant new novel, A Gate at the Stairs, several women become emotionally attached to one hapless toddler as they each take their turn in a round-robin of care. The list includes the baby's biological mother, followed by the teenaged daughter of the baby's initial foster mother (the adolescent bonds with the infant and is the child's first parent substitute). Then there's the baby's adoptive mother-- a sophisticated restaurant chef named Sarah Brink--followed by Sarah Brink's college-aged nanny, and the novel's quirky, punny narrator,Tassie. If you're having trouble keeping all these female characters straight, that's also the baby's predicament and the main question at the heart of this powerful book. Are children meant to be shared among various "caretakers," or conti...

MedWorm: Addiction

NIDA Launches New Substance Abuse Resources to Help Fill Gaps in Medical Education

Heroin assisted treatment

<B>A little bit of what you fancy does you good?</B> (2009-11-11)

Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cocaine Addiction [Clinical & Research News]

MIND Reviews: Brainy Gifts

MIND Reviews: Brainy Gifts

Combine Nicotine Patch, Lozenges to Quit Smoking, Researchers Say

Campaign Launches To Sound Alarm About The Misuse Of Prescription Drugs Among Teens

Campaign Launches To Sound Alarm About The Misuse Of Prescription Drugs Among Teens

Addictive Love

[Correspondence] Regulation of synthetic cannabinoids

EMCDDA Annual report 2009: the state of the drugs problem in Europe

Syringe exchange, injecting and intranasal drug use

Carers' clinics: support group for carers of heroin addicts [Special articles]

Britain is 'designer drugs' capital of Europe, says EU agency

Potential Drug Target For Alcoholism From Drunken Fruit Flies

Potential Drug Target For Alcoholism From Drunken Fruit Flies

Do You Have an Alcohol or Drug Problem?

Constraint propagation: A completely new take on souls

Lord urges more support for prescription-drug addicts

Severe dopaminergic pathways damage in a case of chronic toluene abuse

Spilling our Guts to Our Female Friends

'Why was our Kate left to die from heroin in a dirty squat?'

Strategy to protect runaway children in England is not working, says charity

Scientists want more protection after government adviser is sacked

Tobacco Screening Multicomponent Quality Improvement Network Program: Beyond Education

A Preliminary Report of Knowledge Translation: Lessons From Taking Screening and Brief Intervention Techniques From the Research Setting Into Regional Systems of Care

Game On: Are Video Games Harmful?

Healthy Relationships and Sobriety

Psychosocial characteristics of drunk drivers assessed by the Addiction Severity Index, prediction of relapse.

Gambling and the Multidimensionality of Accessibility: More Than Just Proximity to Venues

Video: Addicted to Exercise

Psychoactive substances consumption in French fishermen and merchant seamen

Serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism and dopaminergic sensitivity in alcoholics

Nicotine Patch Plus Lozenge Best for Quitting Smoking

Fight Heroin with Heroin, Study Says

Understanding Addiction as Self Medication: Finding Hope Behind the Pain [Book Forum]

Prof Nutt's dangerous drug list

EC launches new strategy to tackle HIV as prevalence continues to rise

Link Between Stress-Induced Changes In Brain Circuitry And Cocaine Relapse

Federal Government Pushes Development of Addiction Vaccines

Junk food linked to onset of middle age depression

Broken Symmetry: Nobel physicist explains why you miss old places, friends

Effects of a diagnosis or family history of alcoholism on the taste intensity and hedonic value of sucrose.

A simple risk scoring system for prediction of relapse after inpatient alcohol treatment.

Influence of verbal recall of a recent stress experience on anxiety and desire for cocaine in non-treatment seeking, cocaine-addicted volunteers.

Psychiatric comorbidity reduces quality of life in chronic methadone maintained patients.

Characteristics of pathological gamblers with a problem gambling parent.

The variety of ecstasy/MDMA users: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on alcohol and related conditions.

Obesity and its relationship to addictions: is overeating a form of addictive behavior?

Comparison of databases for Iranian articles; access to evidence on substance abuse and addiction.

Comparison of serum lead level in oral opium addicts with healthy control group.

The Code of Silence

HIV provider endorsement of primary care buprenorphine treatment: a vignette study.

Factors attributing to initiation of tobacco use in adolescent students of Moradabad, (UP) India

Craving and Attentional Bias Respond Differently to Alcohol Priming: A Field Study in the Pub

Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff in Decision-Making Performance among Pathological Gamblers

Alcohol Expectancy and Hazardous Drinking: A 6-Year Longitudinal and Nationwide Study of Medical Doctors

Why Do the Clients of Georgian Needle Exchange Programmes Inject Buprenorphine?

How to get your doctor to sing Happy Birthday while he washes his hands (satire)

'Three Rivers' handles organ transplant issues with care

Mice lacking the G protein {gamma}3-subunit show resistance to opioids and diet induced obesity

Confrontational Approach Has No Role in Addressing Physician Addiction

Confrontational Approach Has No Role in Addressing Physician Addiction-Reply-I

Table of Contents

Addicted to Incarceration: Corrections Policy and the Politics of Misinformation in the United States [Book Reviews]

Public-Academic Partnerships: Early Intervention for Psychotic Disorders in a Community Mental Health Center [Columns]

Parole Revocation Among Prison Inmates With Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders [Other Articles]

H2 haplotype at chromosome 17q21.31 protects against childhood sexual abuse-associated risk for alcohol consumption and dependence

Changes in leukocyte Glutamate Dehydrogenase activity in alcoholics upon break in alcohol consumption.

Complexity, Coherence, and Halloween

The molecular biology of addictive drugs

Learning and memory in the aetiopathogenesis of addiction: future implications for therapy?

How Does Your Teen Cope?

Federal Stimulus Grant Supports Crucial Study of Anti-Nicotine Vaccine

Preliminary Validation of a New Clinical Tool for Identifying Problem Video Game Playing

Organic transplant horrors: Diseased organs routinely implanted into donation recipients

Russia Is Urged to Switch Its Approach to Curbing Spread of H.I.V.

Russia Is Urged to Switch Its Approach to Curbing Spread of H.I.V.