Opioid administration for severe neuropathic pain in a patient with depression and prior heroin use.

The treatment of pain can raise ethical dilemmas. This article presents a case of a young woman with a pain crisis from severe neuropathic pain that is complicated by comorbidities of depression and prior (but not active) heroin use. Medical and ethical justifications for either withholding or providing opioids for her pain are examined.

HIV-related neurocognitive impairment in the HAART era.

Neurocognitive impairment is common in people living with HIV and AIDS. Prior to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), cognitive impairment primarily affected patients with advanced disease, and was a more rapidly progressive illness. With the use of HAART, cognitive impairment improved, along with the overall health of HIV-positive patients.

Family-based association between Alzheimer's disease and variants in UBQLN1.

Background: Recent analyses suggest that the known Alzheimer's disease genes account for less than half the genetic variance in this disease. The gene encoding ubiquilin 1 (UBQLN1) is one of several candidate genes for Alzheimer's disease located near a well-established linkage peak on chromosome 9q22.

Methods: We evaluated 19 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in three genes within the chromosome 9q linkage region in 437 multiplex families with Alzheimer's disease from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) sample (1439 subjects).

Dextromethorphan suppresses both formalin-induced nociceptive behavior and the formalin-induced increase in spinal cord c-fos mRNA.

The injection of dilute formalin results in a stereotyped nociceptive behavioral response. Administration of dextromethorphan (s.c.

The impact of a comprehensive evaluation in the management of cancer pain.

To evaluate the importance of a comprehensive evaluation in the management of patients with cancer pain, we surveyed 276 consecutive consultations (226 retrospectively and 50 prospectively) performed by the pain consultant at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. For all consultations, the pain diagnosis, other medical and neurologic diagnoses, investigations and suggested therapeutic interventions were recorded. The pain consultation identified a previously undiagnosed etiology for the pain in 64% of patients in both surveys.