Articles tagged with Drug Abuse
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The project aims to reveal how some viral infections become resistant to antiviral medications. Researchers will test the interactions between FIV, a cat virus, and an AIDS drug called AZT in the presence of methamphetamine.
A study found that topiramate significantly reduced percentage of heavy drinking days and increased days of continuous nonheavy drinking compared to placebo. The medication also showed greater reduction in heavy drinking days from baseline to week 14.
A USC study found that social network-tailored prevention curricula can significantly reduce substance use among teenagers, with a 15% decrease in high-risk teens. The program's success depends on how peer influence is channeled, with positive influences boosting participation and negative influences hindering it.
Researchers aim to improve diagnosis and treatment of neurologic emergencies with rapid, reliable information. The Point-of-Care Center will focus on developing technologies for fast and accurate diagnosis at the bedside or in the operating room.
A genetic variant in nearly half of Americans with European ancestry is linked to greater effectiveness of bupropion in quitting smoking. People with the variant were less likely to resume smoking six months after treatment.
A new study found that pill box organizers significantly improved HIV patients' adherence to medication, leading to better viral suppression and reduced risk of disease progression. The inexpensive tool was associated with a 4% improvement in adherence and an estimated 11% reduction in the risk of clinical AIDS.
A new sewage screening test has been developed to track community-wide drug abuse trends, providing a fast, reliable, and inexpensive way to estimate illicit drug use. The method analyzes drug residues and metabolites in urine flushed into municipal sewage treatment plants.
Adults with ADHD show blunted response to methylphenidate, suggesting dopamine dysfunction may contribute to ADHD symptoms. Reduced dopamine activity is also associated with increased substance abuse in individuals with ADHD.
A Scripps Research study found that chronic methamphetamine abuse can lead to vascular inflammation and deterioration, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The study also discovered that long-term methamphetamine users have aberrant immune responses, producing proinflammatory cytokines.
A new study suggests that stimulant treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can increase the risk of future drug abuse, with age and treatment duration being key variables. The researchers found that brain chemistry changes associated with longer treatment periods may attenuate the propensity to abuse drugs.
Studies demonstrated that ROZEREM did not impair middle-of-the-night balance, mobility or memory performance in patients with chronic insomnia. The medication's unique mechanism of action targets the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle, and showed no evidence of abuse potential.
A double-blind study found DAYTRANA significantly reduced ADHD symptoms in boys and girls aged 6-12 by 56.5% and 57.4%, respectively. The patch offers a favorable safety profile and provides a platform to discuss gender differences in ADHD treatment.
According to the study, approximately 10.3% of U.S. adults have problems with drug use or abuse, with 2.6% becoming drug-dependent at some point. The results highlight the need for education and prevention efforts to address these widespread issues.
A case report in The Lancet highlights the dangers of continued cocaine abuse on the heart, leading to dilated cardiomyopathy. After treatment, the patient's condition improved significantly, showing promise for recovery with abstinence.
A play about substance abuse was successful in prompting audience members to participate in prevention activities. After seeing the play, participants were more likely to talk about substance abuse, donate money to organizations, and volunteer time.
A teenage girl in London collapsed in a nightclub after taking 1-benzylpiperazine tablets, highlighting the dangers of this new drug. Analysis revealed the presence of the substance in her blood and seized tablet, which was linked to similar symptoms in seven other patients.
New research reveals morphine makes lasting changes in the brain by blocking a key mechanism for memory making, suggesting addiction is a disease of learning and memory. The findings may help explain how addictive drugs affect the brain and support a new theory of addiction.
A new certification, CCDP, has been introduced to treat patients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. This change aims to integrate addiction and mental health treatment, addressing the interactive relationship between the two disorders.
The Prescription Opiate Addiction Treatment Study aims to assess the effectiveness of buprenorphine/naloxone combination tablets and different models of drug counseling in patients addicted to prescription opioids. The study will enroll 648 participants and test various treatment approaches to treat addiction to opioid painkillers.
A study published in Archives of General Psychiatry found a significant association between cocaine and amphetamine abuse and an increased risk of stroke. The use of these stimulant drugs may raise blood pressure and contribute to narrowing blood vessels, leading to an increased risk of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes.
A recent NIDA study has identified genes associated with an individual's ability to quit smoking. The research, published in BMC Genetics, found 221 genes that distinguish successful quitters from those who struggled to stop smoking.
Young adults who abuse amphetamines are five times more likely to have a hemorrhagic stroke than non-abusers, while cocaine abuse doubles their likelihood of having either a hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke. The study highlights the dangers of methamphetamine use among young people.
A study of 5,500 women found that smokers had shorter careers, lower pay, and more disciplinary actions than non-smokers. Smokers were also more likely to be discharged for medical or behavioral reasons.
A study found that most first-time DWI offenders have high rates of other substance-use disorders and psychiatric disorders, requiring enhanced services in intervention programs. The research suggests that treatment approaches may need to be modified to better serve this more severe subtype of DWI offenders.
A new nine-category matrix of harm ranks drugs by their physical harm to users, dependence potential, and societal impact. Alcohol and tobacco are found to be more harmful than previously classified substances like LSD and cannabis.
A new study published in Clinical Therapeutics suggests that private health plans increasingly rely on escalating copayments to manage drug costs, making treatment more expensive for patients. This can affect adherence to treatment, particularly for psychiatric disorders.
Patients with Parkinson's disease who develop the condition at a younger age and have a history of alcohol abuse are more likely to experience pathological gambling as a side effect of dopamine agonist medications. Behavioral characteristics such as impulsivity and risk-taking behavior may also play a role in this increased risk.
Researchers investigated opioid analgesic abuse and found it is more prevalent in rural areas, with teenagers increasingly affected. Spinal cord stimulation also showed significant results in managing axial low back pain associated with failed back surgery syndrome.
A Penn study found that only 16% of male veterans indicated zero tolerance for detainee exposure and deprivation, while 48% showed no tolerance for detainee rape. Depression and PTSD were strongly linked to increased tolerance for abuse.
Research has found that brain damage to a specific area called the insula may help smokers quit by eliminating their addiction to nicotine. Twelve out of thirteen participants who experienced this type of damage were able to quit smoking without any reported struggles.
A Johns Hopkins study finds that individuals entering drug treatment programs are more likely to be female, unemployed, and HIV-positive, with a history of mental illness. This highlights the need for strong linkages between needle exchange programs and treatment services to address co-occurring health problems.
A systematic literature review found that opioids are effective only in the short-term (less than four months) treatment of chronic low back pain. Long-term effectiveness is not conclusive, and behaviors consistent with opioid abuse were reported in 24 percent of cases.
A new study from Harvard Medical School found no association between benzodiazepine use and hip fractures among the elderly. The study, which analyzed data from over 90,000 Medicaid recipients, suggests that policies limiting sedative prescriptions may need to be reexamined.
A recent study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers found that prenatal cocaine exposure in rabbits causes a long-lasting displacement of dopamine receptors in certain brain cells. This effect alters their ability to function normally and may lead to subtle cognitive impairments, attention deficits, and emotional problems.
Research led by the National Drug Evidence Centre found that problem drug use is declining in some areas previously considered 'hot spots' in the UK. The study suggests that younger people are being recruited into the problem drug use population at a faster rate, leading to a decline in incidence rates.
Dextromethorphan abuse among California teens increased tenfold between 1999 and 2004, with 74.5% of cases involving youth aged 9-17. The trend was attributed to easy access and perceived safety of the medication.
A 12-year study by University of Pittsburgh researchers suggests that marijuana use at a young age is not a predictor of substance abuse. Instead, environmental factors such as neighborhood exposure and parental involvement play a stronger role in determining drug use patterns.
Street drug users increasingly rely on prescription opioids instead of heroin, raising concerns about treatment programs and public health. The shift has significant implications for addiction treatment, highlighting the need for adjustments to opioid addiction programs.
A study conducted by Dr. Benedikt Fischer and his team reveals that prescription opioids are the major form of illicit opioid use in seven Canadian cities, surpassing heroin use. The findings suggest a significant decline in heroin use among participants between 2001 and 2005.
A study analyzing hair samples from over 8,000 individuals found that babies can be exposed to crystal meth in the womb, with wide-ranging levels detected in both mothers' and newborns' hair. The findings suggest restricted fetal growth and developmental problems, highlighting the need for increased awareness and safety measures.
A study by UCLA researchers found that HIV-infected individuals without consistent outpatient medical care are disproportionately minorities, the poor, and substance abusers. These groups are more likely to receive acute care rather than routine medical services.
A study by Oregon Health & Science University researchers found that stress triggers a relapse of methamphetamine abuse in mice, validating human studies. The researchers used a compound to mimic metabolic changes during stress and found it was effective in reinstating drug-seeking behavior.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati found that MDMA can increase the survival of dopamine cells during fetal development. This may lead to better therapies for neurological diseases like Parkinson's. The study suggests that preventing dopamine cell death is key to finding lasting treatments.
New data from University of Florida researchers reveal a sharp increase in cocaine-related deaths in Florida, with nearly twice the number of deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 compared to 2005. The trend is particularly concerning in college towns and wealthy communities.
Researchers found PPM abuse varies greatly across US states, differing from traditional illicit drug trends. States with large metropolitan areas often have lower abuse rates despite perceptions of city dwellers being more prone to drug use.
Research at Brookhaven National Laboratory found that cocaine-addicted individuals have a flattened sensitivity to relative monetary rewards, making it harder to inhibit maladaptive behavior. This altered perception of reward is linked to changes in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region essential for monitoring and controlling behavior.
A study of 14 adults with histories of sedative abuse found that the new sleep medication ramelteon does not appear to have effects indicating potential for abuse or motor or cognitive impairment. Ramelteon works through a different pathway in the brain and may be less likely to cause such effects.
A new study found that parents are largely unaware of their children's alcohol and drug use, with significant discrepancies in reports. The study analyzed data from 591 adolescent-parent pairs and found that parent reports added little information to the knowledge of adolescent substance use beyond what adolescents themselves reported.
The Methamphetamine Abuse Research Center (MARC) will investigate the genetic basis of addiction and develop targeted therapies. The center aims to create educational programs for school-age children and provide clinical treatments for rural patients affected by meth use.
A recent study by Robert J. Gatchel confirmed that patients scoring high on the Pain Medication Questionnaire (PMQ) test demonstrate higher levels of substance abuse, psychopathology, and physical/life functioning problems. The study found that patients in the high-PMQ group are 3.2 times more likely to request early medication refills.
Research supported by NIDA shows that prevention programs in middle school can reduce methamphetamine abuse among rural adolescents. The study found significant effects on both lifetime and past-year methamphetamine abuse, with a relative reduction of 65% compared to controls.
A recent study by the National Institute of Mental Health found that bipolar disorder exacts twice as much toll on workplace productivity as major depression, costing nearly half as much in lost wages. The researchers attribute this disparity to bipolar disorder's more severe depressive episodes rather than its manic periods.
The new guidelines offer 13 principles for rehabilitating drug offenders, aiming to reduce recidivism and crime rates. Implementing evidence-based treatment programs can lead to significant financial savings, with every dollar spent on addiction treatment resulting in a four to seven dollar reduction in community spending.
Researchers found that nicotine receptors in the brain can become saturated with just a few puffs of a cigarette, leading to intense cravings and satiation. This study suggests that effective smoking cessation treatments need to be extremely potent to compete with nicotine's binding power.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released a landmark scientific report that outlines proven components for successful treatment of drug abusers in the criminal justice system. Effective treatment can save communities money and reduce crime, with studies showing a significant reduction in recidivism rates and arrests.
A recent study published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found that nicotine decreases blood alcohol concentrations in adult rats. The second key finding is that the capability of nicotine to decrease BAC can only be observed if alcohol is given through the oral route of administration.
A recent study found that prescription painkillers, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, are involved in more drug overdose deaths than cocaine or heroin in the US. Overdose deaths from these drugs have increased significantly over the past 15 years, with sales of opioid painkillers rising parallel to deaths.
Language barriers compromise health care for 50 million U.S. residents who do not speak English at home, resulting in delayed care, preventable injuries, and higher healthcare costs. The article highlights the need for adequate language services to ensure optimal communication, patient satisfaction, and safety.
Researchers from NDRI found that offering innovative vocational programs with active outreach and support resulted in higher participation among unemployed methadone patients. Most 'needy' patients became more engaged when offered vocational counseling, leading to reduced relapse rates.
Research using PET imaging shows a significant correlation between initial dopamine receptor levels and self-administered cocaine use rates. Lower receptor levels are associated with higher cocaine use rates, suggesting that increasing D2 receptors may alleviate addiction.