The long-term outcome of patients with heroin use disorder/dual disorder (chronic psychosis) after admission to enhanced methadone maintenance.

Background: Over-standard methadone doses are generally needed in the treatment of heroin use disorder (HUD) patients that display concomitant high-severity psychopathological symptomatology. A flexible dosing regimen may lead to higher retention rates in dual disorder (DD), as we demonstrated in bipolar 1 HUD patients, leading to outcomes that are as satisfactory as those of HUD patients without high-severity psychopathological symptomatology.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of treatment-resistant chronic psychosis HUD patients (PSY-HUD) with those of peers without dual disorder (HUD).

Further Evidence of a Specific Psychopathology of Addiction. Differentiation from Other Psychiatric Psychopathological Dimensions (Such as Obesity).

Introduction In this study, we used a symptomatology checklist (SCL-90) to substantiate the hypothesis that Substance Use Disorder (SUD) has its own five-dimensional psychopathology. The aim of the present study was to test whether this psychopathology can be differentiated from other psychiatric psychopathological dimensions (such as obesity). The severity and frequency of each of the five dimensions were investigated, at univariate and multivariate levels, by comparing 972 Heroin Use Disorder (HUD) patients (83.

Toward the Identification of a Specific Psychopathology of Substance Use Disorders.

Addiction is a mental illness in which psychiatric conditions imply a prominent burden. Psychopathological symptoms in substance use disorder (SUD) patients are usually viewed as being assignable to the sphere of a personality trait or of comorbidity, leaving doubts about the presence of a specific psychopathology that could only be related to the toxicomanic process. Our research group at the University of Pisa has shed light on the possible definition of a specific psychopathological dimension in SUDs.

Opposed effects of hyperthymic and cyclothymic temperament in substance use disorder (heroin- or alcohol-dependent patients).

Introduction: In the last decade, the comprehension of affective temperaments has helped us to outline the boundaries of mood disorders, and to expand our knowledge of nosographic areas other than those of affectivity, even if affectivity is closely related to them. In the field of substance use disorders, the temperamental profile of heroin addicts and alcoholics has been discussed elsewhere, but no comparison has yet been made between these two patient populations. Such a comparison would help to shed light on the pathogenetic mechanisms that link temperament with substance abuse.

Erratum to: Agonist Opioid Treatment as historical comprehensive treatment ('Dole & Nyswander' methodology) is associated with better toxicology outcome than Harm Reduction Treatment.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s12991-016-0109-z.].