Evaluation of the dopamine β-hydroxylase (DβH) inhibitor nepicastat in participants who meet criteria for cocaine use disorder.

In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the potent and selective dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DβH) inhibitor nepicastat would have minimal effects on cardiovascular and pharmacokinetic parameters associated with cocaine administration and would reduce the positive subjective effects produced by cocaine. We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, inpatient study of oral nepicastat (0, 80 and 160mg) concurrent with intravenous (IV) cocaine (0, 10, 20 and 40mg) in non-treatment seeking participants who metcriteria for cocaine use disorder. Safety analyses revealed that nepicastat was well-tolerated and there were no differences in adverse events observed after nepicastat plus cocaine vs.

The protective role of attachment security for adolescent borderline personality disorder features via enhanced positive emotion regulation strategies.

While studies have documented significant associations between insecure attachment, emotion dysregulation, and borderline personality disorder (BPD) features, no research to date has empirically delineated the specific mechanisms by which these constructs are related. The present study brings together 2 lines of research that have hitherto separately examined attachment disturbance and emotion dysregulation as they respectively manifest in the pathogenesis of BPD, and explores the complex relations between the 2 well-established correlates of borderline traits in a clinical sample of adolescents (N = 228). We examined the adolescents' use of positive and negative emotion regulation strategies, along with their maternal and paternal attachment security.

Hypermentalizing in adolescent inpatients: treatment effects and association with borderline traits.

Sharp et al. (2011) recently demonstrated that in adolescents with borderline traits the loss of mentalization is more apparent in the emergence of unusual alternative strategies (excessive theory of mind or hypermentalizing) than in the loss of the capacity per se (no mentalizing or undermentalizing). This suggests that hypermentalizing could be a worthwhile social-cognitive treatment target in adolescents with borderline traits.

Borderline personality disorder in adolescents: evidence in support of the Childhood Interview for DSM-IV Borderline Personality Disorder in a sample of adolescent inpatients.

Empirical evidence is increasing in support of the validity of the construct of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in adolescence. There is growing consensus that the early identification and treatment of emerging borderline traits may be an important focus. However, few diagnostic (questionnaire- or interview-based) measures specifically developed or adapted for adolescents and children exist.