Rates of undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in London drug and alcohol detoxification units.

Background: ADHD is a common childhood onset mental health disorder that persists into adulthood in two-thirds of cases. One of the most prevalent and impairing comorbidities of ADHD in adults are substance use disorders. We estimate rates of ADHD in patients with substance abuse disorders and delineate impairment in the co-morbid group.

Does active referral by a doctor or 12-Step peer improve 12-Step meeting attendance? Results from a pilot randomised control trial.

Background: Active engagement in 12-Step self-help groups (SHG) is associated with improvements in substance use outcomes during and after treatment, yet levels of participation in SHG meetings in the U.K. remain low.

Long-term misuse of zopiclone in an alcohol dependent woman with a history of anorexia nervosa: a case report.

Introduction: The Z-drugs, zaleplon, zopiclone and zolpidem, are short-acting hypnotics which act at the same receptor as the benzodiazepines, but seemingly without the potential for misuse and the development of dependence of the older benzodiazepines. However, with increased prescribing of Z-drugs, reports of misuse and possible dependence began to appear in the literature, particularly in people with a history of substance misuse and comorbid psychiatric illness. Here we report the case of a woman with a history of chronic zopiclone use and anorexia nervosa, admitted for alcohol detoxification.

Social isolation does not alter brain regional benzodiazepine binding site numbers, affinity and coupling in the rat.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were differentially housed for 21 days immediately after weaning. Isolated animals showed a selective suppression of exploration of the light side of a two compartment box; spending significantly less time in the light, and making fewer transitions between the light and dark compartments compared to socially reared controls. However, both basal and GABA-stimulated [3H] flunitrazepam binding was unaltered in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum following social isolation.

Mesocestoides corti: parameters of infection in CBA/Ca mice and the effect of introducing a concomitant trematode infection.

CBA/Ca mice infected with the tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti were exposed to Schistosoma mansoni cercariae either simultaneously, or at varying intervals after the initial M. corti infection. Cohorts were infected with either parasite alone.

Deficits in exploratory behaviour in socially isolated rats are not accompanied by changes in cerebral cortical adrenoceptor binding.

Social isolation of rats produces marked deficits in exploratory behaviour in a novel environment. To test our hypothesis that adrenoceptors are modified by social isolation we have measured alpha 2- and beta-adrenoceptor binding in the cerebral cortex of rats isolated for 21 days starting immediately after weaning. After this period the animals showed a significant reduction in exploration in the elevated X-maze and increased avoidance of bright light in a two-compartment shuttlebox.

Reduction in striatal 5-hydroxytryptamine turnover following chronic administration of ethanol to rats.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given 10% (v/v) ethanol to drink for 28 days and the effects of the drug on the brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) turnover were studied. Turnover was decreased in the corpus striatum after ethanol treatment due to a decrease in 5-hydroxyindol-3-ylacetic acid (5-HIAA), and an increase in 5-HT, concentration. Noradrenaline concentration was also increased in this region, but those of dopamine and GABA were similar to control values.

An improved fluorimetric assay for brain monoamine oxidase.

A fluorimetric assay for monamine oxidase that uses kynuramine as the substrate is described. This method is more economic, rapid, reproducible, and sensitive than other similar procedures. Its validity has been confirmed by the study of the subcellular distribution, the effects of inhibitors, and the kinetics of enzyme activity.

Analysis of six serum components from rats infected with tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti.

The serum from rats infected intraperitoneally (i.p.) and subcutaneously (s.

Involvement of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the analgesic action of pethidine and morphine in mice.

1 Groups of mice were pretreated with the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) depletors, fenfluramine or p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), followed by pethidine or morphine. 2 Fenfluramine alone produced a short lasting analgesia but PCPA was without any effect. 3 Pethidine and morphine both increased hot plate reaction times measured after 30 min.

Effects of pargyline and SKF-525A on brain N,N-dimethyltryptamine concentrations and hyperactivity in mice.

Mice pretreated with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor pargyline showed a dose-dependent increase in hyperactivity for up to 2 h following injections of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT: 0.5-8.0 mg/kg).