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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1975

Conditioned learning in young rats born of drug-addicted parents and raised on addictive drugs.

Ratlings born of six drug-addicted and a control group of parent rats were raised under the influence of the same drugs administered in drinking water. They were trained in a conditioned avoidance paradigm (CAR) from the 7th week when the drugs were withdrawn except in two subgroups of flurazepam and morphine. The growth rate was not appreciably impaired except for temporary slowness in morphine and alcohol-raised rats; it was faster in phenobarbitone and meprobamate-raised rats. The CAR-acquisition rates of the treatment groups were quite close and parallel to that of the controls except for the morphine, meprobamate, medazepam and the two drug-trained subgroups; whereas, the rats raised on low-dose morphine showed a faster than control acquisition rate. No evidence of state-dependent learning was obtained from this study.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Biological addictive drugs--is there a change in drug taking behavior of young drug addicts?].

Abuse of natural products was frequently noticed among young patients with multiple substance abuse. 180 patients of a rehabilitation clinic for young addicts filled out a questionnaire regarding their regularly consumed drugs. Ayahuasca and cactus, the natural drugs of the 70's are rarely found. The patients frequently consumed psilocybin, amanita and datura. We inform about the toxicological basis of the used drugs. A specific exploration of patients with multiple substance abuse in regard to the use of biological drugs is an necessary as random and multicentre follow-up-studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in drug addicts.

Drug addicts are at high risk of hepatitis B infection and are therefore candidates for vaccination against hepatitis B. Since drug addicts may have an impaired immune response, and low compliance for therapy extending over several months, we evaluated a vaccination scheme according to the instruction of the manufacturer (HB- Vax 20 micrograms at zero, one and six months) in drug addicts using daily methadone (Group M), in drug addicts in residential detoxification programmes (Group D), and in treatment centre staff who were seronegative for hepatitis Bs (Group S). All 23 controls and 20 of 21 of Group D completed the vaccination programme, in contrast to 14 of 24 in Group M. Anti-HBs developed in 91 per cent of Group S and in all addicts tested at six months. Anti-HBs titres at seven months were higher than 100 RIA units in 55 per cent of Group S, in 94 per cent of Group D and in 44 per cent of Group M. We conclude that HB- Vax induces production of anti-HBs equally well in drug addicts and in controls: a shorter-duration vaccination schedule might be more appropriate for 'non-captive' drug addicts living outside therapeutic communities.

Hepatitis B↗
PubMed1995

[Current clinical aspects of drug addiction].

Drug addiction is a serious behavioral disorder. It is a long term evolving process characterized by dependency. It is not only biological and psychological but also social. It should be differentiated from occasional drug use, from drug abuse with minor consequences as well from medical drug dependency in which the individual does not seek a psychological effect. Drug addiction causes are multiple and include psychological, family, social and obviously biological factors (drug addicting potential). In to-day clinical practice, addiction to benzodiazepines or opioids prescribed for maintenance therapy and the newly described secondary addiction of later onset are predominant. Severe social consequences and many psychiatric and medical disorders in particular due to HIV infection also result from drug addiction. Depressive and psychotic disorders cause specific therapeutic problems when patients deny their troubles or when drug use produces special relief. These psychological disorders frequently underlie medical care needs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Neural substrates of drug craving and relapse in drug addiction.

Drug addiction is characterized by motivational disturbances such as compulsive drug taking and episodes of intense drug craving. Recent advances using animal models of relapse have shown that drug-seeking behaviour can be triggered by drug-associated cues, by stress and by 'priming' injections of the drugs themselves, events also known to trigger drug craving in human drug addicts. Current evidence suggests that these stimuli all induce relapse, at least in part, by their common ability to activate the mesolimbic dopamine system. Drug-associated cues and stress can activate this system via neural circuits from the prefrontal cortex and amygdala and through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Our studies suggest that dopamine triggers relapse to drug-seeking behaviour by stimulating D2-dopamine receptors which inhibit the cyclic AMP second messenger pathway in the neurones of the nucleus accumbens. In contrast, compounds which activate D1 receptors prevent relapse to drug-seeking behaviour, possibly through satiation of reward pathways. Chronic neuroadaptations in dopamine receptor signalling pathways in the nucleus accumbens caused by repeated drug use are hypothesized to produce tolerance to the rewarding effects of D1-receptor stimulation, leading to increased drug intake during drug self-administration. Conversely, these same neuroadaptations are hypothesized to enhance drug craving by potentiating D2 receptor-mediated signals during abstinence. These findings identify D1 and D2-dopamine receptor mechanisms as potential targets for developing anticraving compounds to treat drug addiction.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Methadone and drug addicts.

Drug addicts who had died in Copenhagen City and County in 1981 and 1989 were analysed for methadone. In 1981, 94 cases were analysed of which 16% were found positive for methadone, and in 1989, 70 cases were analysed of which 37% were positive. Methadone alone was found to be the cause of death in 50% more cases in 1989 than in 1981. Only half of the drug addicts who were found positive for methadone had been under methadone treatment. Morphine and benzodiazepines were the most frequently occurring other substances in both 1981 and 1989. Alcohol was found in only about 30% of the methadone-positive cases. The median whole blood concentrations of methadone found in addicts where methadone was the cause of death was 0.3 mg/kg where no alcohol was present and 0.2 mg/kg where alcohol was present. In living persons using methadone, the median was 0.1 mg methadone/kg whole blood with or without alcohol present.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Limbic-striatal memory systems and drug addiction.

Drug addiction can be understood as a pathological subversion of normal brain learning and memory processes strengthened by the motivational impact of drug-associated stimuli, leading to the establishment of compulsive drug-seeking habits. Such habits evolve through a cascade of complex associative processes with Pavlovian and instrumental components that may depend on the integration and coordination of output from several somewhat independent neural systems of learning and memory, each contributing to behavioral performance. Data are reviewed that help to define the influences of conditioned Pavlovian stimuli on goal-directed behavior via sign-tracking, motivational arousal, and conditioned reinforcement. Such influences are mediated via defined corticolimbic-striatal systems converging on the ventral striatum and driving habit-based learning that may depend on the dorsal striatum. These systems include separate and overlapping influences from the amygdala, hippocampus, and cingulate and medial prefrontal cortex on drug-seeking as well as drug-taking behavior, including the propensity to relapse.

Conditioning, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

Response to HBV vaccine in relation to anti-HCV and anti-HBc positivity: a study in intravenous drug addicts.

Drug addicts represent the group of young adults with the lowest response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine. A study was carried out on 110 current intravenous heroin users attending the service providing assistance to intravenous drug users (IVDUs) (SERT) in Padua: 66.4% of them were found anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive and 33.6% were anti-HBc positive; 29.9% were positive for both. The subjects were vaccinated with 10 microg of yeast-derived vaccine at months 0, 1 and 2 (fast schedule). The overall response rate was 66.4%. Response seems to be affected by positivity to anti-HBc, but not to HCV infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Nicotine--drug addiction--AIDS. Drug use habits of Vienna addicts].

In Austria it is illegal to sell tobacco to young adolescents. A diverse sample of 358 narcotic addicts was investigated at the Psychiatric University Clinic of Vienna. Data were obtained from on site confidential interviews and a HIV-test was conducted. The individual drug use history was recorded and, interestingly, tobacco addiction was the first stage in starting a drug career. Furthermore, a strong correlation was observed between onset of heroin use and HIV-1 infection. It is concluded that in Austria not only the availability nicotine and alcohol to young adolescents should be prohibited, but also their use should be punishable. Easy access to nicotine as in public restaurants or from automatic distributors, has to be withdrawn. Tobacco advertisements may drive vulnerable young adolescents to early nicotine abuse and this may be followed by addition to other drugs and diseases causing death, including AIDS. Socioeconomic data, as well as the methadone data are presented. 180 out of the 358 patients were on methadone maintenance. Methadone treatment offers a first step toward social rehabilitation for drug addicts who have been living as criminals on the fringe of society. Physicians have a clear responsibility to lead the effort on all fronts against tobacco, especially in view of the HIV epidemic.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

[Infections and other causes of mortality correlated with drug addiction].

Drug use and related injection practices determine an excess mortality in drug abusers compared to the general population adjusted for age and gender. HIV/AIDS and overdose are the most important causes of death among injecting drug users; however, excess mortality is also due to other causes, such as cirrhosis and endocarditis. Infections have a great impact on the health of injection drug users. Viral infections, such as HIV, HCV, and HBV, are the most important ones, but bacterial and fungal infections, and, to a lesser extent, protozoal infections, are also common. In depth knowledge of drug-related morbidity and mortality causes is important to improve clinical skills and to implement control activities.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1990

[Tolerated and forbidden addictive drugs: various effects on the management of adolescent drug dependent patients].

Of the 168 drug addicts admitted to the Zurich University Psychiatric Clinic between 1973 and 1979, 137 were followed up after an average period of five years, 40 of them dependent on legally tolerated drugs, 97 on prohibited drugs. The two groups were compared in terms of medical and social care, tutelary measures and arrests. Whereas the two groups were comparable as regards emergency inpatient treatment in general hospitals and psychiatric clinics, outpatient care was much more common among illegal-drug addicts. The men in this group were also hospitalized significantly more frequently and for longer periods in special therapeutic clinics. Surprisingly, there was no difference between the groups as regards the percentage of men imprisoned, whereas women dependent on illegal drugs were arrested more often than women dependent on legal drugs. Tutelary measures were significantly more frequent with legal drug addicts. These data suggest that those dependent on legal drugs, particularly young men, still receive insufficient treatment and that social consequences of addiction to legal drugs are underestimated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Differences in dental treatment plan and planning for drug-addicted and non-drug-addicted patients.

This study investigated whether dental treatment plans and planning of general practitioners are different for addicted and identical non-addicted patients. Dental practitioners (n = 500) were sent a questionnaire with information on and questions about treatment for either an addicted or an identical non-addicted patient; response rate was 41 %. Loglinear analysis showed that after controlling for the influence of four demographic variables (sex, age number of patients and number of National Health Service insured patients), the treatment plans made for addicted patients were less elaborate than those for non-addicted. For the addicted, fillings or frames were proposed more often, whereas for non-addicted patients more often crowns or bridges were proposed. Extraction instead of filling was more often proposed for the addicted patient. Less elaborate treatment for addicted patients corresponds to the way dentists specialized in treating drug addicts work, with one exception: extraction should be avoided whether a patient is addicted or not. Treatment planning did not differentiate for addicted and non-addicted patients, whereas dentists specialized in treating addicted patients do recommend an adjusted treatment plan for the addicted.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The molecular biology of addictive drugs.

The additive drugs alcohol, morphine, cocaine, and amphetamine are each associated with the development of tolerance and physical dependence. Changes in gene expression occur in cell culture and in vivo with the administration of these centrally-acting drugs. 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 initial step in the pathway that leads to drug addiction. The composite of drug-induced changes in gene expression results in the cellular responses of tolerance and dependence. The characterization of these changes should provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of drug addiction.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1977

[Psychological dependence? A possible different formulation of the problem for a therapeutic rearrangement in chronic drug addictions].

Disputing the concept of "psychic dependence", the Authors review six motivations to use addictive drugs, four of which pertain to the moment to assume the habit, although the latter two, which are identifiable with physical and psychic dependence, depend on te breaking the habit. While physical dependence is linked to withdrawal syndrome, psychic dependence, on the Author's opinion, is related to a long-standing previous state of true or masked endogenous depression (in this case it would be well termed as "neuropsychological dependence"), and the drug taking is only a maladaptive self-medication. This thesis is substantiated by the literature, reporting, in chronic drug addicts the use of the whole series of antidepressants (i.e. tricyclics, doxepine, lithium, etc.), with noticeable therapeutical success. According with other reports and with personal experience, the Authors maintain a great importance to drugs acting, directly or not, on GABA, i.e. l-glutamine, piracetam, and, particularly, N-dipropilacetic acid.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed1977

Psychic dependence? A different formulation of the problem with a view to the reorientation of therapy for chronic drug addiction.

Disputing the concept of "psychic dependence", the authors review six motivations to use addictive drugs, four of which pertain to the moment of assumption of the habit, and two of which, identifiable with physical and psychic dependence, depend on breaking of the habit. While physical dependence is linked to withdrawal syndrome, psychic dependence, in the authors' opinion, is related to a longstanding previous state of true of masked endogenous depression (in this case it would be well termed "neuropsychological dependence"), and the drug taking is only a maladaptive self-medication. This thesis is substantiated by the literature reporting, in chronic drug addicts, the use of the whole series of antidepressants (i.e. tricyclics, doxepine, lithium, etc.) with noticeable therapeutical success. In accordance with other reports and with personal experience, the authors assign great importance to the drugs acting, directly or indirectly, on GABA, i.e. L-glutamine, piracetam, and, particularly, N-dipropylacetic acid.

Aminobutyrates↗