Benzodiazepine abuse, misuse, dependence, and withdrawal among schizophrenic patients: A review of the literature.

Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia are at least three times more likely to develop a substance use disorder than controls. These patients are frequently prescribed benzodiacepines as a coadjuvant drug, which have a high potential for addiction. We performed a literature review aiming to gather evidence on various topics concerning the use of benzodiacepines in schizophrenia, with a focus on possible abuse: 1) Prevalence of prescripted and non-prescripted benzodiacepine use among patients, 2) Prevalence of abusers, 3) Effects of long-term benzodiacepine abuse in schizophrenia prognosis, 4) Possible management strategies for benzodiacepine abuse in this population.

Substance-induced psychotic symptoms in Borderline Personality Disorder among substance use disorder samples in Spain.

Substance-induced psychosis (SIP) is frequent in substance use disorder patients. However, little is known about the presence of SIP in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and what the risk factors for the development of SIP in this population would be. A sample of 91 BPD drug-dependent patients attending an outpatient substance use disorder unit was evaluated.

A Highly Polymorphic Copy Number Variant in the NSF Gene is Associated with Cocaine Dependence.

Cocaine dependence is a complex psychiatric disorder involving both genetic and environmental factors. Several neurotransmitter systems mediate cocaine's effects, dependence and relapse, being the components of the neurotransmitter release machinery good candidates for the disorder. Previously, we identified a risk haplotype for cocaine dependence in the NSF gene, encoding the protein N-Ethylmaleimide-Sensitive Factor essential for synaptic vesicle turnover.

Psychiatric comorbidities in opioid-dependent patients undergoing a replacement therapy programme in Spain: The PROTEUS study.

Opioid-dependent patients show a high rate of psychiatric comorbidities. The prevalence and characteristics of patients with dual diagnosis have not been well established in Spanish opioid agonist treatment (OAT) programmes. Thus, 621 opioid-dependent patients enrolled in OAT programmes were assessed, using the EuropASI questionnaire, for psychiatric comorbidities, which were detected in 67% of patients (anxiety 53%, mood disorders 48%, sleep disorders 41%, substance-related disorders 36%).

Impulsive clinical profile of Borderline Personality Disorder with comorbid Substance Use Disorder.

Introduction: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the Personality Disorder most frequently associated with Substance Use Disorder (SUD). According to different models, the Behavioral dysregulation-BPD subgroup has a higher prevalence of SUD and certain impulsivity behaviors than the other two subgroups.

Methods: Out of 156 BPD patients, 47 were in the Behavioral dysregulation-BPD subgroup, 55 in Affective dysregulation, and 54 in Disturbed relatedness.

Psychotic Symptoms Associated with the use of Dopaminergic Drugs, in Patients with Cocaine Dependence or Abuse.

Background: In the field of dual diagnosis, physicians are frequently presented with pharmacological questions. Questions about the risk of developing psychotic symptoms in cocaine users who need treatment with dopaminergic drugs could lead to an undertreatment.

Objective: Review the presence of psychotic symptoms in patients with cocaine abuse/dependence, in treatment with dopaminergic drugs.

Impulsivity and addiction severity in cocaine and opioid dependent patients.

Background: Impulsivity as a personality trait is a risk factor for the development and maintenance of cocaine and opioid dependence. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between impulsivity and addiction severity in cocaine and opioid dependent patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study of 526 patients with lifetime cocaine dependence (CD, n=351), opiate dependence (OD, n=51) and comorbid cocaine and opiate dependence (COD, n=124) to throughout life, according to DSM-IV-TR, was conducted.

Relevant Differences in Perception and Knowledge of Professionals in Different Spanish Autonomous Communities Regarding Availability of Resources for Patients with Dual disorders.

Objectives: To assess the knowledge of health professionals attending patients with dual disorders about specific resources for patients with this condition in different Spanish regions.

Methods: Observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study to compare the perceptions of healthcare professionals (n=659) with reality regarding specific resources available for patients with dual disorders in Spain. The professionals completed an online questionnaire.

Cocaine-induced Psychosis and Brain-derived Neurothrophic Factor in Patients with Cocaine Dependence: Report of Two Cases.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is linked to numerous brain functions. In addition, BDNF alterations contribute to neurological, mental, and addictive disorders. Cocaine dependence has received much attention recently due to its prevalence and psychological effects.

Motivational interviewing group at inpatient detoxification, its influence in maintaining abstinence and treatment retention after discharge.

The relapse rate after discharge from inpatient detoxification is high. The objective of this pilot study is to assess the sociodemographic, clinical and therapeutic factors associated with maintaining abstinence in patients who participated in a brief motivational interviewing group during admission for detoxification. A total of 46 patients, diagnosed substance dependent according to DSM -IV, and admitted to the Hospital Detoxification Unit, participated in a brief motivational interviewing group.

Regional analysis of health service utilisation by persons with borderline personality disorders: implications for evidence-informed policy.

Background: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has been associated with an intensive use of health resources and a high economic burden.

Aims Of The Study: The aim of this study is to analyze the use of mental healthcare resources by BPD patients, to identify the information gaps on BPD at the regional health databases and to describe specific indicators and patterns of care utilization by persons with BPD in order to guide evidence-informed policy planning in Catalonia (Spain).

Methods: A multi-level cross-design synthesis approach was applied following a mixed quantitative-qualitative analysis to estimate the regional service utilisation of patients with BPD.

Dual diagnosis resource needs in Spain: a national survey of professionals.

Objective: Since provision of integrated services for patients with dual pathology or dual disorders (coexistence of an addictive disorder and another mental health disorder) is an important challenge in mental health, this study assessed health care professionals' perceptions and knowledge of the current state of specific resources for patients with dual pathology in Spain.

Methods: We conducted a national survey of health care professionals seeing patients with dual pathology in treatment facilities throughout Spain. Participants completed a specific online questionnaire about the needs of and available resources for patients with dual pathology.

The influence of medical student gender and drug use on the detection of addiction in patients.

Little is known about medical students' interest in their training on drug addiction, their personal experience of consumption, and whether these aspects influence the detection of addiction in patients. Eighty-eight and one half percent considered that drug dependence issues are important to their professional future. The students report consuming alcohol (69%), cigarettes (19.

Neuroticism associated with cocaine-induced psychosis in cocaine-dependent patients: a cross-sectional observational study.

Background: Cocaine consumption can induce transient psychotic symptoms, which has been correlated with more severe addiction and aggressive behavior. However, little is known about the nature of the relationship between personality traits and psychotic symptoms in cocaine-dependent patients. This study examined the relationship between neuroticism and cocaine-induced psychosis.

Professionals' perceptions about healthcare resources for co-occuring disorders in Spain.

Background: Since provision of integrated services for patients with dual pathology or dual disorders (coexistence of an addictive disorder and other psychiatric disorders) constitutes an important challenge, this study compared the perceptions of health-care professionals with the existing, current state of specific resources for patients with dual pathology in Spain.

Methods: Epidemiological, observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study with a large, representative sample of health care professionals attending patients with dual pathology in treatment resources throughout Spain. Participants completed a specifically designed ad-hoc on-line questionnaire about their perceptions on the existence of available resources and treatment needs for patients with dual pathology.

An international perspective and review of cocaine-induced psychosis: a call to action.

Cocaine use can induce transient psychotic symptoms that include suspiciousness, paranoia, hallucinations, and other cocaine-related behaviors. In this commentary, the authors provide an international perspective while reviewing the recent advances in epidemiology, clinical features, and risk factors related to cocaine-induced psychosis exhibited by patients with cocaine use disorders. In some settings, the occurrence of cocaine-induced psychosis has been shown to be as high as 86.

Neuroticism and impulsivity: their hierarchical organization in the personality characterization of drug-dependent patients from a decision tree learning perspective.

Objective: Neuroticism and impulsivity are the personality variables most consistently associated with drug-dependent patients. To date, no data mining procedures have been applied to explore the differential role of personality variables in this population.

Methods: The personality profile of 336 drug-dependent patients was compared with that of a sample of community participants in the context of a decision tree learning approach using the Alternative Five Factor Model.

Clinical differences between cocaine-induced psychotic disorder and psychotic symptoms in cocaine-dependent patients.

The aim of this study is to compare the clinical characteristics of three groups of patients in treatment for cocaine dependence: patients without any psychotic symptoms (NS), patients with transient psychotic symptoms (PS) and patients with cocaine-induced psychotic disorder (CIPD). An observational and retrospective study of 150 cocaine-dependent patients undergoing treatment in the Drug Unit of the Psychiatry Department of University Hospital Vall d׳Hebron in Barcelona (Spain) using these three groups, NS, PS and CIPD, was performed. All patients were evaluated with the PRISM interview.

Observational study on medications prescribed to dual-diagnosis outpatients.

Objectives: To quantify the number of medications used for treating psychiatric and addictive disorders in a cohort of dual diagnosis with substance dependence outpatients and report the most frequent pharmacological groups used.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. Demographic data, Axis I comorbidity diagnosis with substance dependence, and the medications prescribed were recorded.

Cocaine-induced psychosis and impulsivity in cocaine-dependent patients.

Cocaine-dependent patients have high impulsiveness. Cocaine-induced psychosis is common among cocaine-dependent patients. Different risk factors associated with cocaine-induced psychosis have been reported.

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and cocaine-induced transient psychotic symptoms.

Background: Cocaine-induced psychosis (CIP) is among the most serious adverse effects of cocaine. Reduced serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels have been reported in schizophrenia and psychosis; however, studies assessing the involvement of BDNF in CIP are lacking.

Methods: A total of 22 cocaine-dependent patients (aged 33.

Driving and legal status of Spanish opioid-dependent patients.

Background: Opioid dependent patients have legal problems, driving violations and accidents more frequently than the general population. We have hypothesized that those patients currently driving may have better legal outcomes than those who do not possess a valid driving license. With this aim we have analyzed the information gathered in the PROTEUS study regarding the legal and driving statuses and assessed the possible association between them.

Exploring the clinical validity of borderline personality disorder components.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is recognized as a complex syndrome, resulting in a heterogeneous diagnostic category. Besides the characteristics of the disorder itself, comorbid disorders play an important role in this complexity. The aim of the study is to analyze the clinical validity of 3 components for BPD Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria--called affective dysregulation, behavioral dysregulation, and disturbed relatedness--investigating differences in patterns of comorbidity.