Startle-elicited Event-Related Potentials to Affective Stimuli are Associated with Recent Illicit Opioid use among Patients Receiving Opioid Agonist Treatment.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) has been linked to exaggerated attentional, affective, and arousal responses to opioid-related stimuli, as well as altered responses to other affective (eg, naturally rewarding or aversive) stimuli, particularly blunted responses to pleasant/rewarding stimuli. Both exaggerated responses to drug-related stimuli and reduced response to pleasant stimuli may influence the course of OUD and its treatment, however interpretation of studies thus far is limited by methodological issues. In the present study, we examined subjective ratings, and attenuation of the P3 component of the acoustic startle-evoked event-related potential (as a measure of attention), while viewing neutral, pleasant, unpleasant, and drug-related images.

Dynamic associations between opioid use and anhedonia: A longitudinal study in opioid dependence.

Background: Anhedonia is a commonly reported symptom among substance-dependent populations that appears to diminish with sustained abstinence. However, previous research has not determined whether anhedonia is dynamically linked to changing patterns of drug use, nor whether it predicts subsequent drug use.

Aims: We aimed to test whether changes in illicit opioid use would predict changes in anhedonia, and whether increases in anhedonia would predict further opioid use.

Substance use outcomes following treatment: Findings from the Australian Patient Pathways Study.

Background And Aims: Our understanding of patient pathways through specialist Alcohol and Other Drug treatment and broader health/welfare systems in Australia remains limited. This study examines how treatment outcomes are influenced by continuity in specialist Alcohol and Other Drug treatment, engagement with community services and mutual aid, and explores differences between clients who present with a primary alcohol problem relative to those presenting with a primary drug issue.

Method: In a prospective, multi-site treatment outcome study, 796 clients from 21 Alcohol and Other Drug services in Victoria and Western Australia completed a baseline interview between January 2012 and January 2013.