Aspects Of Addiction Research Articles

A comprehensive analysis of propofol abuse and addiction and neuropharmacological aspects: an updated review.

This review aims to assess the existing studies on propofol, a relatively new intravenous anesthetic, related to its abuse and addictive potential and to explain the neurobiological and neuropharmacological aspects of propofol addiction. Several neurobiological factors related to complex processes in the brain influence propofol abuse and addiction. In this review, we assessed the literature regarding propofol abuse and addiction, including both experimental and clinical studies. We selected articles from animal studies, case reports, clinical trials, meta-analyses, narrative reviews, and systemic reviews to extract all relevant crucial quantitative data with a measure of neurobiological and neuropharmacological aspects. Thus, the main goal of this study was to investigate the current literature and discuss the association between the central nervous system and propofol abuse and addiction in the context of addictive behavior. Current data suggest that propofol has a strong addictive potential and produces prominent addiction in both animals and humans. Thus, medical practitioners should exercise caution with propofol use, and we argue that this drug should be added to the list of controlled substances.

Nora Volkow: Insights into the function of our brains through the science of drugs and addiction

Dr. Nora D. Volkow is Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health, where she has served since 2003 as the first woman and first Hispanic person in this role. NIDA is the world's largest funder of scientific research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. Dr. Volkow's groundbreaking work has been instrumental in demonstrating that substance use disorder is a brain disorder, revolutionizing our understanding of addiction. As a research psychiatrist and pioneer in the field of neuroimaging, Dr. Volkow transformed the use of brain imaging to investigate how substance use affects brain functions. In particular, her studies have documented how changes in the dopamine system affect the functions of brain regions involved with reward and self-control in addiction, leading to fundamental shifts in how addiction is viewed and treated. She has also contributed to understanding the neurobiology of obesity, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and aging. In this Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Volkow shares insights into her remarkable journey from a medical student in Mexico to becoming one of the most influential figures in addiction research while discussing her perspectives on the current challenges in addressing substance use disorders, including the ongoing opioid crisis.

Clustering Electrophysiological Predisposition to Binge Drinking: An Unsupervised Machine Learning Analysis.

The demand for fresh strategies to analyze intricate multidimensional data in neuroscience is increasingly evident. One of the most complex events during our neurodevelopment is adolescence, where our nervous system suffers constant changes, not only in neuroanatomical traits but also in neurophysiological components. One of the most impactful factors we deal with during this time is our environment, especially when encountering external factors such as social behaviors or substance consumption. Binge drinking (BD) has emerged as an extended pattern of alcohol consumption in teenagers, not only affecting their future lifestyle but also changing their neurodevelopment. Recent studies have changed their scope into finding predisposition factors that may lead adolescents into this kind of patterns of consumption. In this article, using unsupervised machine learning (UML) algorithms, we analyze the relationship between electrophysiological activity of healthy teenagers and the levels of consumption they had 2 years later. We used hierarchical agglomerative UML techniques based on Ward's minimum variance criterion to clusterize relations between power spectrum and functional connectivity and alcohol consumption, based on similarity in their correlations, in frequency bands from theta to gamma. We found that all frequency bands studied had a pattern of clusterization based on anatomical regions of interest related to neurodevelopment and cognitive and behavioral aspects of addiction, highlighting the dorsolateral and medial prefrontal, the sensorimotor, the medial posterior, and the occipital cortices. All these patterns, of great cohesion and coherence, showed an abnormal electrophysiological activity, representing a dysregulation in the development of core resting-state networks. The clusters found maintained not only plausibility in nature but also robustness, making this a great example of the usage of UML in the analysis of electrophysiological activity-a new perspective into analysis that, while contributing to classical statistics, can clarify new characteristics of the variables of interest.

Vilazodone,aNovel SSRI Antidepressant with 5-HT1A Partial Agonist Properties: Diminished Potentiation of Chronic Oral Methylphenidate-Induced Dynorphin Expression in the Striatum in Adolescent Male Rats.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants such as fluoxetine are used in combination with the medical psychostimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin) in a variety of treatments in children and adults. Unintended co-exposure to these psychotropic medications also occurs in patients on SSRIs who abuse methylphenidate as a "cognitive enhancer" or recreational drug. Preclinical research shows that SSRIs such as fluoxetine when given in conjunction with methylphenidate potentiate addiction-related gene regulation by methylphenidate in the striatum, consistent with the known facilitatory role for serotonin in psychostimulant-induced neuronal and behavioral changes. Moreover, fluoxetine combined with methylphenidate also facilitated subsequent acquisition of cocaine self-administration in adolescent rats, suggesting an increased addiction liability for methylphenidate. In the present study, we investigated the impact of a novel SSRI, vilazodone, on methylphenidate-induced gene regulation in adolescent male rats. In contrast to prototypical SSRIs such as fluoxetine, vilazodone also acts as a partial 5-HT1A serotonin receptor agonist and is thus proposed to temper serotonin input to the striatum. We compared the effects of chronic treatment (4 weeks) with vilazodone (10mg/kg, twice daily) with those of fluoxetine (5mg/kg, twice daily) on striatal dynorphin expression induced by oral methylphenidate treatment (30/60mg/kg/day in drinking water, 8h access daily). Our results demonstrate that, in contrast to fluoxetine, vilazodone had minimal or no potentiating effects on methylphenidate-induced dynorphin expression. This diminished impact on gene regulation was seen throughout the striatum, including the nucleus accumbens, where increased dynorphin expression has previously been associated with various aspects of addiction. Our findings suggest that vilazodone may serve as a better adjunct SSRI with reduced addiction-facilitating properties.

“I’m committed, not addicted.”: College students’ identity and communication about vaping

Objective Vaping is a relatively new phenomenon, and trends in social vaping behaviors are developing. The current study describes and explains how communication surrounding vaping shapes different aspects of a college student’s identity. Participants Twenty-seven male and female college students at a large Midwestern university were recruited to participate in five focus groups. Methods Focus group findings were interpreted through the lens of the communication theory of identity. Results College students’ communication of identity was manifest in the personalization of vaping devices, selling vaping devices as a relational activity, the social aspects of vaping addiction, the facetious language surrounding vaping, and perceptions of vaping tricks as “cringe.” Conclusions The findings revealed narrow perceptions of acceptable identities for users of vaping devices. Participants avoided labels of “being addicted” and leveraged discursive strategies such as humor, facetious language, othering, and re-framing behavior to fit a desirable identity.

Relationship of Suicidal Tendencies and Drug Dependence: Analysis of Causes and Approaches to Prevention

The relevance of the article is due to the high mortality rate among drug addicts and the severe mental and social consequences of drugs. Understanding the causes and factors that contribute to suicidal behavior among drug addicts is key to developing effective prevention and rehabilitation programs. The author focuses on the alarming aspect of drug addiction — the high risk of suicidal tendencies among drug addicts. Drug addiction is often accompanied by severe mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These disorders, in turn, increase suicidal thoughts and behavior. In the article, the author provides a scientific review of existing research on the relationship between drug addiction and suicidal thoughts and behavior. Based on a study of international experience, the importance of family and community support in preventing suicide attempts is noted. Based on the results obtained, conclusions are formulated based on reviews of psychological, social and biological factors contributing to suicide risk among drug addicts, aimed at evaluating existing suicide prevention programs among drug addicts. The main provisions and conclusions can be used when studying the issue of preserving the institution of family, noting the importance of family and public support in preventing suicide attempts. Drug addiction poses one of the most serious threats to the health and well-being of society.

Understanding the shift to compulsion in addiction: insights from personality traits, social factors, and neurobiology.

Compulsion stands as a central symptom of drug addiction; however, only a small fraction of individuals who use drugs exhibit compulsive characteristics. Differences observed in Sign-trackers (ST) and Goal-trackers (GT) during Pavlovian conditioning may shed light on individual variances in drug addiction. Here, we focus on the behavioral attributes, formation processes, and neural mechanisms underlying ST and how they drive addiction toward compulsivity in humans. We will explore addiction from three interconnected levels: individual personality traits, social factors, and neurobiology. Furthermore, we distinguish between the processes of sensitization and habituation within ST. These nuanced distinctions across various aspects of addiction will contribute to our understanding of the addiction development process and the formulation of targeted preventive strategies.

Modulation of Nicotine-Associated Behaviour in Rats By μ-Opioid Signals from the Medial Prefrontal Cortex to the Nucleus Accumbens Shell.

Nicotine addiction is a concern worldwide. Most mechanistic investigations are on nicotine substance dependence properties based on its pharmacological effects. However, no effective therapeutic treatment has been established. Nicotine addiction is reinforced by environments or habits. We demonstrate the neurobiological basis of the behavioural aspect of nicotine addiction. We utilized the conditioned place preference to establish nicotine-associated behavioural preferences (NABP) in rats. Brain-wide neuroimaging analysis revealed that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was activated and contributed to NABP. Chemogenetic manipulation of µ-opioid receptor positive (MOR+) neurons in the mPFC or the excitatory outflow to the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcShell) modulated the NABP. Electrophysiological recording confirmed that the MOR+ neurons directly regulate the mPFC-NAcShell circuit via GABAA receptors. Thus, the MOR+ neurons in the mPFC modulate the formation of behavioural aspects of nicotine addiction via direct excitatory innervation to the NAcShell, which may provide new insight for the development of effective therapeutic strategies.

Exploring the Abuses and Solutions of Students' Drug Addiction at the University Level

Drug addiction among university students has emerged as a critical issue, particularly in developing nations like Pakistan. This study explores the prevalence and factors contributing to drug abuse among university students, focusing on social, psychological, and economic influences. Peer pressure, socioeconomic status (SES), and mental health challenges have been identified as major risk factors for substance use in the university setting. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups with students and teachers using mixed methods, which provided a broader understanding of the topic. Findings indicate that students from low SES backgrounds are particularly vulnerable due to financial pressures and limited support. At the same time, peer influence generalizes drug use across social groups; the research emphasizes the need for targeted psychosocial intervention strategies aspects of addiction and emphasizes the importance of supportive resources and mental health resources in reducing drug abuse among students.

Dopamine activity in the nigrostriatal pathway alters cue-induced risky choice patterns in female rats.

Deficits in cost/benefit decision making is a critical risk factor for gambling disorder. Reward-paired cues may play an important role, as these stimuli can enhance risk preference in rats. Despite extensive research implicating the dorsal striatum in the compulsive aspects of addiction, the role of nigrostriatal dopaminergic activity in cue-induced risk preference remains unclear, particularly in females. Accordingly, we examined the effects of manipulating the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway on cue-induced risky choice in female rats. TH:Cre rats were trained on the cued version of the rat Gambling Task. This task was designed such that maximal reward is attained by avoiding the high-risk, high-reward options and instead favouring the options associated with lower per-trial gains, as they feature less frequent and shorter time-out penalties. Adding reward-paired audiovisual cues to the task leads to greater risky choice on average. To assess the role of the nigrostriatal pathway, a viral vector carrying either Cre-dependent inhibitory or excitatory DREADD was infused into the substantia nigra. Rats then received clozapine-N-oxide either during task acquisition or after a stable performance baseline was reached. Inhibition of this pathway accelerated the development of risk preference in early sessions and increased risky choice during performance, but long-term inhibition actually improved decision making. Activation of this pathway had minimal effects. These results provide evidence for the involvement of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway in cue-induced risk preference in females, therefore shedding light on its role in cost/benefit decision-making deficits and expanding our knowledge of the female dopaminergic system.

Sex differences in nicotine intake and relapse behavior in nicotine-dependent adult wistar rats.

Tobacco use is highly addictive and the leading cause of premature mortality in the world. Long-access nicotine self-administration procedures in rats closely model human smoking behavior. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of sex differences in the development of dependence and relapse in adult rats. In the present study, we investigated operant responding for both nicotine and saline and the development of dependence in adult rats of both sexes. The rats had daily access to nicotine or saline for 6h per day, 7days per week. Dependence was assessed by evaluating precipitated and spontaneous somatic withdrawal signs, measuring locomotor activity in the small open field test, and assessing anxiety-like behavior in the large open field and elevated plus maze test. The sucrose preference test was used to determine if cessation of nicotine intake leads to anhedonia. It was also investigated if a period of forced abstinence affects nicotine-seeking behavior. This study showed that nicotine intake is higher in females than in males when given daily long access to nicotine. Daily nicotine self-administration led to more precipitated and spontaneous somatic withdrawal signs compared to saline self-administration, with no sex differences observed. In addition, cessation of nicotine intake led to a similar increase in activity in both males and females in the small open field test. However, cessation of nicotine intake did not increase anxiety-like behavior or cause anhedonia in either males or females. A time course analysis revealed that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist mecamylamine affected nicotine intake differently in males and females, increasing intake in males and decreasing intake in females. Three weeks of forced abstinence led to an increase in nicotine and saline-seeking behavior. The rats exhibited more nicotine than saline seeking, and the females displayed more nicotine seeking than the males. The present findings demonstrate that females self-administer more nicotine and display more nicotine-seeking behavior than males. Furthermore, there were no sex differences in somatic withdrawal signs or activity during abstinence from nicotine. This work underscores the importance of considering sex differences across various aspects of addiction, including intake and relapse, when developing novel treatments for tobacco use disorder.

Analysis of Social Media Behavior of Students in Colleges and Universities and Its Indicative Implications for Mental Health

Abstract The rise of social media has spotlighted the online behaviors of its users, particularly among college students in China, a key demographic. This study surveyed 1,418 undergraduates from five universities in S city, employing correlation analysis to explore the relationship between social media usage and mental health. A predictive model was developed to quantify the associations within social networks. Our study, including independent sample tests, reveals a positive correlation between social media dependency and ten mental health indicators, with a maximum correlation strength of 0.4919. The findings underscore the importance of fostering critical engagement with social media and developing strategies to mitigate its addictive aspects among college students.

Resting-state EEG microstate analysis of internet gaming disorder and alcohol use disorder.

To investigate the neurophysiological aspects of addiction, the microstate characteristics of internet gaming disorder (IGD), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and healthy control (HC) groups were compared using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG). In total, 199 young adults (75 patients with IGD, 57 patients with AUD, and 67 HCs) participated in this study. We conducted EEG microstate analysis among the groups and also compared the obtained parameters with the results of psychological assessments. The global explained variance, occurrence, and coverage of microstate C were significantly lower in the AUD group than in the IGD group. Additionally, rates of transition from microstates A, B, and D to C were significantly lower in the AUD group than in the IGD group, whereas rates of transition from microstate A to B were lower in the IGD group compared to HCs. Furthermore, the occurrence of microstate C and transition from microstate B to C were negatively correlated with the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification and Behavioural Inhibition Scale score. There were significant differences in microstate characteristics among the groups, which correlated with the psychological scores. These findings suggest that microstate features can be used as neuromarkers in clinical settings to differentiate between addictive disorders and evaluate the pathophysiology of AUD and IGD.

The Relationship of Substance Abuse with Attachment and Emotion Regulation

Objective: The purpose of this study to examine the characteristics of substance use (SU) and its relationship with psychiatric symptoms, emotion regulation and attachment in youth and young adults with substance abuse in the southeast region of Turkey who have been exposed to repetitive trauma.
 Method: Forty-four patients with substance use complaints completed Sociodemographic Form, Addiction Profile Index (BAPI), BAPI-Clinical Form. Association of SU disorder diagnosis with both emotion regulation as measured by the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the attachment style as measured by Parent Attachment Tool is evaluated.
 Results: Our sample consists of 44 male patients a mean age of 23.77 years. All of them can read and write, but none of them are university graduates. The rate of being single in marital status is 66%. 60% of them have a low income level. 45% of them do not work. 25% of the sample meets the addiction criteria. Compared to the addicted and non-addicted groups, the addicted groups had significantly higher scores on inadequate anger control, lack of safe behavior, pleasure-seeking behavior, impulsivity, depression, and anxiety. The non-addicted group had a higher mean for cognitive reappraisal. The non-addicted group had a higher mean for cognitive reappraisal. Inadequate anger control, pleasure seeking behavior and duration of anxiety about substance use were found to be risk factors for addiction.
 Conclusions: The addicted group is different from the non-addicted group for BAPI subscales and ERQ subscale- a cognitive reappraisal. The current findings expand our understanding of the psychological and behavioral aspects of addiction, especially in provinces such as Şırnak, where traumatic life events are repeated, as there are many risk factors for SUD.

Neuropsychological Aspects and Interventions for Internet Addiction in Adolescents with Asperger's Syndrome - Narrative Review

Internet addiction poses a significant concern for adolescents, particularly those diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Although empirical research focusing on adolescents with Asperger's syndrome is limited, existing findings reveal several neurocognitive and mental health factors contributing to internet addiction. Impulsivity, attention deficits, social skills deficits, cognitive rigidity, and co-occurring anxiety and depression are among the key aspects identified. Understanding these factors is essential for developing effective interventions. This review discusses neurocognitive and mental health aspects of internet addiction in adolescents with Asperger's syndrome as well as potential interventions targeting these aspects to promote healthy internet use and overall well-being in this unique population.

The neuropsychological profile of work addiction

The objective of this study was to examine, for the first time, the neuropsychological aspects of work addiction, with a specific emphasis on the cognitive factors identified by theoretical models. While previous research has highlighted self-reported obsessiveness and impulsiveness in work addiction, this study sought to go beyond self-report measures by employing also neuropsychological reaction time tasks to assess executive functions. A total of 101 participants were categorized into two groups based on their Work Addiction Risk Test scores: a high-risk group (HWA; n = 39) and a low-risk group (LWA; n = 62) for work addiction. Executive functions were assessed using Go/No-Go, Digit Span, Counting Span, N-back, and Card Sorting Tasks. The findings revealed that the HWA group had poorer inhibitory control and achieved lower scores on the more complex working memory task involving updating (2-back). However, they exhibited unaltered cognitive flexibility and outperformed the LWA group on the 1-back task associated with maintenance and storage of information and sustained attention. Higher levels of impulsiveness and compulsiveness were observed in the HWA group, consistent with previous studies. These findings highlight the role of inhibition and working memory in work addiction, potentially contributing to challenges such as inefficient working strategies and impaired social functioning. This study offers valuable insights into the neurocognitive aspects of work addiction, deepening our understanding of this phenomenon.

Children and Juveniles on the Internet From the Victim's Perspective (Some Aspects of Addiction)

Children and Juveniles on the Internet From the Victim's Perspective (Some Aspects of Addiction)

Evaluating the Efficacy of Awareness Campaigns in Addressing Psychiatric Aspects of Drug Addiction: A Tertiary Level Hospital in Bangladesh

Evaluating the Efficacy of Awareness Campaigns in Addressing Psychiatric Aspects of Drug Addiction: A Tertiary Level Hospital in Bangladesh

A multi-site intervention using influencers to communicate about syringe service programmes.

In the USA, syringe services programmes (SSPs) provide a range of harm reduction services and have numerous benefits for communities. However, stigma, misconceptions about SSPs and changing policies/legislation remain a challenge to effective implementation. This study reviews the implementation of two digital interventions, Appalachian Influence and Shared Influence, which used social media influencers and digital volunteers to communicate positive information about harm reduction and SSPs. The intervention was designed to deliver accurate and supportive messaging in locally relevant and meaningful ways. Messaging was informed by interviews with subject matter experts and community organisations, and was integrated into prompts used by local influencers (paid individuals with more than 1,000 followers) and digital volunteers (unpaid individuals with no following requirement, who joined the project independently). In the first 6 months of implementation, Appalachian Influence and Shared Influence engaged a total of 9,014 individuals, 236 of whom were paid influencers and 8,778 of whom were digital volunteers. Paid influencer posts achieved a total of 868,943 impressions, 42,432 engagements and 1,567 comments. Comments on paid influencer posts were overwhelmingly positive, with 87.4% positive and 0.8% negative. Interviews showed the importance of understanding local realities, leading with compassion and emphasising the 'human' aspects of dependency and addiction in messaging. This study shows the potential to implement an influencer-led social media intervention to reach people with authentic and compassionate messaging about harm reduction and SSPs. Future research should examine intervention effectiveness and how this approach can be applied to other stigmatised topics.

Il DGA: inquadramento e cura nel percorso residenziale

In community settings, the treatment of Gambling Disorder is based on a multidisciplinary approach, which takes into account the multidimensional aspects of addiction, which is treated from all points of view – medical, psychological, educational and social/family. The experience of the last 6 years of the Comunità Incontro Onlus has shown, both in individual and personalized treatment, and thanks to the therapeutic groups that out of 100 guests of the Structure, 32 gambling addicts were detected in the year 2022, of which 5 "pure" and 27 "non-pure", i.e. multi-addicted to cocaine and alcohol, demonstrating how awareness of this problem is underestimated. From the study of the Comunità Incontro, it emerged that at the beginning of the path in the community, the difficulty in understanding the reported problem emerges, since the idea that "sooner or later you win" still exists. It is important to work on awareness, to understand each of the player's perceptions and cognitive distortions. It is essential to work on personal acceptance of the pathology, on not fearing the judgment of the other, on the motivation for the treatment path. Group work proved to be important, as it starts from the experiences of the participants or from events that occurred in the previous days and tries to recognize the typical dynamics of gambling. The group experience has proved to be useful in allowing the participation of subjects with very low levels of awareness as well, since they are invited to compare themselves with the experiences of others without necessarily having to expose themselves personally. It has been shown that, thanks to community and individual and group therapeutic work, there is an increase in awareness, from admission to the following six months, but above all in the number of people who experience the ability to control impulse and reduce desire, as measured at admission, 6 months and 12 months after the start of the course, also with the aid of diagnostic tools.