Cognitive Enhancers as A Treatment for Heroin Relapse

Rationale: Heroin addiction is a disorder that stems from maladaptive plasticity within neural circuits and produces broad cognitive deficits. Despite considerable advances in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for heroin addiction, but there are a few treatments for the heroin relapse after long term abstinence. Preclinical and clinical evidence indicates that the cognitive deficit during the addiction and withdrawal process, thus, cognitive enhancers may be used to treatment for heroin addiction. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the cognitive enhancers would reduce the heroin relapse induced by cues which was associated with heroin reward or heroin priming in rat. Methods: Rats were trained to self-administer heroin under fixed ratio 1 schedule for two weeks and extinguished for 10 days, then the reinstatement of drug seeking induced by conditioned cues or heroin priming (250 µg/kg, sc) was used. Results: We evaluated systemically the effects of acetylcholinase inhibitor, PDE4 inhibitor, mGlu2/3 agonist or mGlu1/5 antagonist, etc on heroin relapse. The data showed that pretreatment with acetylcholinase inhibitor, PDE4 inhibitor, mGlu2/3 agonist or mGlu1/5 antagonist could inhibit the heroin relapse induced by cues or heroin priming in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, we also illustrated the circuits and signal pathway of these compounds. Conclusion: The data demonstrated that Cognitive enhancers could be used as the pharmacological treatments for heroin relapse or addiction.     

不同时辰电针对氯胺酮成瘾大鼠伏隔核酪氨酸羟化酶及c-fos表达的影响

目的:观察不同时辰电针对氯胺酮成瘾大鼠伏隔核酪氨酸羟化酶(TH)及c-fos表达的影响,探讨不同时辰电针对氯胺酮成瘾大鼠戒毒治疗的可能机制。方法:将56只SD大鼠随机分为正常组、生理盐水组、模型组、不同时辰电针组(分23:00子时、05:00卯时、11:00午时、17:00酉时4个电针组),每组8只。每天1次经腹腔注射氯胺酮复制氯胺酮成瘾模型,不同时辰电针组于给药1周后分别在4个时辰选取一侧足三里与三阴交穴给予低频(2Hz)电针治疗,每次30min,连续治疗7d。采用免疫组织化学染色方法检测伏隔核TH及c-fos的表达。结果:与正常组和生理盐水组相比较,模型组TH及c-fos免疫反应阳性神经元的数目明显增多(P<0.01)。与模型组相比较,午时、酉时电针组TH及c-fos免疫反应阳性神经元的数目明显减少(P<0.01),而子时、卯时电针组则无明显变化(P>0.05)。结论:电针足三里与三阴交可明显抑制氯胺酮成瘾引起的伏隔核TH及c-fos表达的增强,提示电针可能通过抑制伏隔核多巴胺神经元的活动改善氯胺酮成瘾,但不同时辰针刺疗效存在差异。     

Literacy-Free 12 Step Expressive Arts Curriculum Enhances Engagement and Treatment Outcomes for Dually Diagnosed Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the efficacy of the Literacy-Free 12 Step Expressive Arts Therapy© curriculum in enhancing personal change and treatment outcomes for populations dually diagnosed with substance use and mental health disorders. It supplemented standard rehabilitation treatment for 47 individuals in a U.S. facility by incorporating 12 Step guidelines, cognitive behavioral therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, and expressive arts activities. Pre-session and post-session participant ratings revealed positive increases for commitment to recovery, attitude toward making lifestyle changes, and hopefulness. Compared to 101 inpatients at the same facility, curriculum participants evidenced less drop-out, higher treatment completion, and greater personal investment in recovery.     

新媒体环境下医学图书馆服务水平的提升

介绍新媒体的内涵和特征,阐述新媒体在信息传播中的表现形式丰富、获取信息便捷等优势,论述新媒体环境下医学资源的采集与揭示,提出完善新媒体服务形式、理念的途径和方法。     

A cross-sectional survey of factors associated with the uptake of smoking cessation aids among smokers and ex-smokers

Background: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Germany via the online panel PsyWeb with the aim of assessing factors associated with the uptake of smoking cessation aids among smokers and ex-smokers.

Methods: Of the 10,000 panel members invited to participate in the survey, 624 took part.

Main Outcome Measures: Outcomes were measured via questionnaires to assess the uptake of smoking cessation aids, health literacy, readiness to change smoking behavior, and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence.

Results: There was no association between gender or educational status and use of smoking cessation aids according to chi-square tests of independence. Logistic regression showed that health literacy, degree of tobacco dependence, and readiness to change were significantly associated with the uptake of smoking cessation aids. Smokers with a high degree of nicotine dependence, high readiness to change, and low health literacy were more likely to use aids.

Conclusion: The survey results can be used to develop psychological approaches and interventions to promote smoking cessation, e.g., interventions to increase readiness to change among smokers may increase the uptake of aids. Moreover, the results may help to improve patient care by disseminating information on effective aids and thereby promoting smoking cessation among relevant patient groups.     

Hormonal and Dietary Characteristics in Obese Human Subjects with and without Food Addiction

The concept of food addiction (FA) is a potentially important contributing factor to the development of obesity in the general population; however, little is known about the hormonal and dietary differences between obesity with and without FA. Therefore, the aim of our study was to explore potential biomarkers, including various hormones and neuropeptides, which regulate appetite and metabolism, and dietary components that could potentially differentiate obesity with and without FA. Of the 737 adults recruited from the general Newfoundland population, 58 food-addicted and non-food-addicted overweight/obese individuals (FAO, NFO) matched for age, sex, BMI and physical activity were selected. A total of 34 neuropeptides, gut hormones, pituitary polypeptide hormones and adipokines were measured in fasting serum. We found that the FAO group had lower levels of TSH, TNF-α and amylin, but higher levels of prolactin, as compared to NFO group. The total calorie intake (per kg body weight), the dietary intake of fat (per g/kg body weight, per BMI and per percentage of trunk fat) and the percent calorie intake from fat and carbohydrates (g/kg) was higher in the FAO group compared to the NFO group. The FAO subjects consumed more sugar, minerals (including sodium, potassium, calcium and selenium), fat and its components (such as saturated, monounsaturated and trans fat), omega 3 and 6, vitamin D and gamma-tocopherol compared to the NFO group. To our knowledge, this is the first study indicating possible differences in hormonal levels and micro-nutrient intakes between obese individuals classified with and without food addiction. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms by which FA could contribute to obesity.     

Obesity and the Neurocognitive Basis of Food Reward and the Control of Intake

With the rising prevalence of obesity, hedonic eating has become an important theme in obesity research. Hedonic eating is thought to be that driven by the reward of food consumption and not metabolic need, and this has focused attention on the brain reward system and how its dysregulation may cause overeating and obesity. Here, we begin by examining the brain reward system and the evidence for its dysregulation in human obesity. We then consider the issue of how individuals are able to control their hedonic eating in the present obesogenic environment and compare 2 contrasting perspectives on the control of hedonic eating, specifically, enhanced control of intake via higher cognitive control and loss of control over intake as captured by the food addiction model. We conclude by considering what these perspectives offer in terms of directions for future research and for potential interventions to improve control over food intake at the population and the individual levels.     

The effect of desire thinking on facilitating beliefs in alcohol use disorder: An experimental investigation

Permissive beliefs relate to the acceptability of engaging in alcohol use in spite of obvious potential negative consequences. They are considered the most proximal and precipitating cognitive factor in the decision to use alcohol and/or the activation of strategies to obtain it. Recent research suggested that ‘desire thinking’ may be involved in the escalation of craving and addictive behaviours and can play a role in strengthening permissive beliefs. The current study tested whether the induction of desire thinking would have a stronger effect on rate of conviction in permissive beliefs compared to a control cognitive response in the form of neutral thinking and whether this effect would be specific for patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Thirty AUD patients and 30 social drinkers (SD) were randomly allocated to two thinking manipulation tasks (desire thinking and neutral thinking). Current permissive beliefs were measured before and after manipulation and after a resting phase. Findings showed that desire thinking increased the level of current permissive beliefs after manipulation relative to the neutral thinking condition for the AUD group but not for the SD group. This effect was not purely dependent on the concurrent level of perceived craving. This study supports a causal relationship between the induction of desire thinking and rate of conviction in permissive beliefs and highlights the relevance of targeting desire thinking in the treatment for AUD patients.