State Of Physical Dependence Research Articles

Education essential for appropriate pain management

Managing patients with pain requires a lot of education of both patients and providers. Patients need to understand the type of pain they have, how to appropriately use medications to maximize benefits and minimize risks, and pain-related issues such as physical dependence, tolerance, and hyperalgesia. Providers such as pharmacists and prescribers also can benefit from education on pain principles to more appropriately manage their patients.

Psychopathological Implications in Course of Spinal Cord Injuries I

The study presents the image of psychopathological complications in subjects after traumatic spinal cord injuries.Part I Methods: clinical investigation/orthopedic, neurological, psychiatric/laboratory tests, X-Ray exam. CFS exam. EEG exam. EMG exam. Psychological diagnosis.Part II A. Acute period: posttraumatic state, disorders of consciousness, disorders of perception, psychotic reactionsB. Subacute period: state of physical dependence, problems of self identification, alterations of body image, disorders of behavior and of emotional functions, hipodepressive and epressive states, suicidal thoughts.Part III C. Chronic period: Problems in course of adaption to the state of infirmity chronic asthenia, lack of motivation abulic syndrome, chronic depressive reactions hipodepressive and depressive states, disorders in emotional functions chronic personality changes symptoms of regressionPart IV. Analysis of posttraumatic psychopathological implications after spinal cord injuries.

Attenuation of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced withdrawal-like behaviour by delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

Rats chronically treated with increasing daily doses of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC) for up to 5 or 10 days exhibit a withdrawal-like behavioural response when challenged with clomipramine, a potent inhibitor of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) reuptake, at the time when the next injection of delta 9-THC was due. To determine whether this response is indeed a withdrawal syndrome, different groups of rats were injected IV twice daily for up to 5 days with either delta 9-THC, in doses increasing from 2-6 mg/kg, or polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP), the vehicle in which delta 9-THC was suspended. On day 6, an acute dose of 6 mg/kg delta 9-THC was given 30 min before IP clomipramine (15 mg/kg). The total behavioural response, which included writhing, backward kicking, jumping, head shaking, and paw tremor, was attenuated in rats chronically treated with delta 9-THC, but not in rats which received an acute dose of PVP. These results lend further evidence to our hypothesis that chronically administered delta 9-THC produces a state of physical dependence in the rat.

Narcotic Antagonists Another Approach to Addiction Therapy

Opiate dependence is a serious public health problem which is increasing to epidemic proportions despite extensive efforts at importation control, education, and imprisonment of drug users and vendors. Because these techniques have been inadequate, and because it has been suggested that addiction may be viewed as a medical or psychiatric illness, medical solutions have been sought. Three approaches to the treatment of drug addicts are now under study-re-education and group therapy, methadone substitution, and opiate antagonism. From what is presently known, the group therapy approach, used by such groups as Synanon, Daytop, and the New York City Addiction Services Agency (Phoenix House), has limited applicability. Methadone substitution satisfies opiate craving by cross-tolerance and engaging the subject in a rehabilitation program(1,2). The methadone program has met with increasing success and has achieved great popularity with many governmental bodies. The use of opiate antagonists is an approach derived from Wikler's theory of opiate dependence(3). In his view, drug dependence proceeds in several phases. In the first phase, a subject obtains relief from daily tensions or discomforts by using various drugs, including opiates. Each time the person obtains relief, he reinforces the habit. Addiction results from opiate use because this drug reduces tension or discomfort less and less efficiently while a state of physical dependence develops. Dependence is further reinforced