Craving-induced effects of different drug cues on persons abstaining from heroin

Background: The key factors of inducing drug cravings in persons abstaining from drug use remain a focus of addictions research. Given the accumulating evidences, the scope of cues investigated in the cue-reactivity paradigm has increased considerably. Yet, few studies have examined the effects of the intensity and endurance of different types of cues on their ability to induce craving. This study investigated differences among drug-cue words, negative physiological-cue words, and negative social-cue words in the induction of drug cravings among persons abstaining from heroin.

Methods: The sample consisted of 149 male abstinent heroin abusers from four addiction rehabilitation centers in China. Based on their abstinence lengths, they were labeled as short-term, medium-term, and long-term abstainer participants respectively. All participants completed a stress-imagery task and rated craving by visual analog scale.

Results: There was a significant interaction of cue type and abstinence length. There was no difference on the craving induced by three types of cue words in the short-term group. In the medium-term group, craving induced by negative social-cue words was significantly stronger than that by negative physiological-cue words, but not that by drug-cue words. In the long-term group, the craving induced by negative social-cue words remained the strongest, significantly stronger than that by both drug-cue words and negative physiological-cue words.

Conclusion: Negative social-cue words presented in the current study retain the ability to induce craving in heroin abstainers; this finding suggests that negative social cues encountered under more general circumstances could be a risk factor for relapse.     

济泰片治疗轻度海洛因依赖者稽延性戒断症状的随机双盲对照研究

目的探讨济泰片治疗轻度海洛因依赖者稽延性戒断症状的有效性和安全性,为降低轻度海洛因依赖者的复吸率提供参考。方法在河南省新乡市第一强制隔离戒毒所选取符合《精神障碍诊断与统计手册(第4版)》(DSM-IV)诊断标准的轻度海洛因依赖者81例,采用随机数字表法分为济泰片组(n=40)和对照组(n=41)。济泰片组接受济泰片治疗,对照组给予济泰模拟片,两组均治疗24周。采用海洛因依赖稽延性戒断症状评定量表(RSPWSHA)评定疗效,采用汉密尔顿焦虑量表(HAMA)、汉密尔顿抑郁量表17项版(HAMD-17)及海洛因渴求问卷(HCQ)评定焦虑、抑郁症状和心理渴求程度,治疗期间监测药物不良反应、生命体征和实验室检查指标评估安全性。结果济泰片组和对照组RSPWSHA、HAMA、HAMD-17及HCQ总评分随治疗时间延长而降低(P0.05),RSPWSHA总评分减分率随治疗时间延长而增加(P0.05)。治疗8周后两组HCQ评分和治疗24周后两组HAMD-17总评分比较差异有统计学意义(P0.05),其他各治疗时点两组各量表评分比较差异均无统计学意义(P均0.05)。结论济泰片治疗轻度海洛因依赖者稽延性戒断症状可能疗效不明确。     

海洛因对雌性大鼠催乳素基因表达的影响

目的:研究海洛因对雌性大鼠垂体催乳素（PRL）基因表达的影响。 方法：50只雌性Wistar大鼠,随机分为5组（每组10只）：对照组、海洛因给药3和9 d组、海洛因给药 9 d后停药3和9 d组;逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测垂体PRL mRNA相对含量,放射免疫分析法(RIA)检测血浆催乳素（PRL）水平。 结果：给药3和9 d组及停药3 d组大鼠垂体PRL mRNA水平显著低于对照组（P<0.01）,停药9 d组PRL mRNA的水平虽低于对照组,但差异无显著性（P>0.05）;与给药9 d组相比,停药3 d组PRL mRNA水平有增高趋势,但差异无显著性（P>0.05）,停药9 d组的PRL mRNA的水平则显著高于给药9 d组（P<0.05）。 给药3和9 d组及停药3和9 d组血浆PRL显著低于对照组（P<0.01）;与给药9 d组比较,停药3 d组的血浆PRL水平仍然较低（P<0.05）,停药9 d组的PRL水平有高于给药9 d组的趋势,但差异无 显著性（P>0.05）。 结论：海洛因使雌性大鼠垂体PRL mRNA表达水平下降,短期停用海洛因其无法恢复到正常水平。