Depression, Cancer, Inflammation, and Endogenous Opioids: Pathogenic Relationships and Therapeutic Options.

Endogenous opioids and their associated receptors form a system that maintains survival by positively reinforcing behaviors that are vital to life. Cancer and cancer treatment side effects capitalize on this system pathogenically, leading to maladaptive biological responses (e.g.

Endogenous Opioid Activity as the Mechanism of Action for Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom): The Current State of the Evidence.

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a substance derived from botanical compounds native to Southeast Asia. This substance has been cultivated predominantly in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Myanmar, where it has historically been used in traditional medicine as a near panacea for several health problems. Such ritualistic use of kratom has been present for centuries; however, recreational use appears to have increased globally, especially in the United States.

Physical Exercise as an Intervention for Depression: Evidence for Efficacy and Mu-Opioid Receptors as a Mechanism of Action.

Physical exercise is often cited as an important part of an intervention for depression, and there is empirical evidence to support this. However, the mechanism of action through which any potential antidepressant effects are produced is not widely understood. Recent evidence points toward the involvement of endogenous opioids, and especially the mu-opioid system, as a partial mediator of these effects.

The Roles of Endogenous Opioids in Placebo and Nocebo Effects: From Pain to Performance to Prozac.

Placebo and nocebo effects have been well documented for nearly two centuries. However, research has only relatively recently begun to explicate the neurobiological underpinnings of these phenomena. Similarly, research on the broader social implications of placebo/nocebo effects, especially within healthcare delivery settings, is in a nascent stage.

The Foundational Science of Endogenous Opioids and Their Receptors.

The function of endogenous opioids spans from initiating behaviors that are critical for survival, to responding to rapidly changing environmental conditions. A network of interconnected systems throughout the body characterizes the endogenous opioid system (EOS). EOS receptors for beta-endorphin, enkephalin, dynorphin, and endomorphin underpin the diverse functions of the EOS across biological systems.

Introduction to the Volume: The Journey Ahead.

The endogenous opioid system (EOS) is complex. The line of research contributing to our current body of knowledge about this system is diverse, as are the ways in which endogenous opioids affect human health and behavior. This chapter serves as an introduction to the edited volume.

Use of ICD-10 Codes for Human Trafficking: Analysis of Data From a Large, Multisite Clinical Database in the United States.

Objectives: People experiencing trafficking often seek health care but are not identified. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added new (ICD-10-CM) codes specific to human trafficking (hereinafter, HT ICD-10-CM codes) that could systematize the identification and documentation of human trafficking in US health care settings, the extent of their use is unknown. The objectives of this study were to investigate (1) the frequency of HT ICD-10-CM code use in US health care organizations (HCOs) and (2) demographic data associated with HT ICD-10-CM codes using a large clinical database.

A Complex Case of Kratom Dependence, Depression, and Chronic Pain in Opioid Use Disorder: Effects of Buprenorphine in Clinical Management.

Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom) is a psychotropic tropical tree that is indigenous to Southeast Asia, Africa and New Guinea. Kratom has gained popularity in the United States in more recent years as an opioid agonist. Although Kratom is considered an opioid agonist with abuse potential, its use is not federally regulated.

Using Telehealth to Implement Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

Behavioral health issues are common among patients with comorbid medical conditions but often go unrecognized or untreated, resulting in worse clinical outcomes and avoidable medical expenditures. This column describes an innovative telehealth solution that includes proactive and targeted patient identification and engagement and nationwide delivery of a technology-enabled, standardized, and evidence-based behavioral health program delivered via phone or video. A retrospective before-after evaluation of the program demonstrated national reach, high patient satisfaction, and significant reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Ethical Considerations in Mandatory Disclosure of Data Acquired While Caring for Human Trafficking Survivors.

Accurate data on the prevalence and psychological effects of human trafficking as well as treatment outcomes for survivors are essential for measuring the impact of interventions and generating better understanding of this phenomenon. However, such data are difficult to obtain. A legal mandate for health care professionals to report trafficking opens opportunities for advancing our work in the field of human trafficking but also poses risks to survivors seeking services.

Elders' experiences of the death of an adult child.

The death of a child can result in complicated grief. Thirty-one adults, 60 years of age or older, who lost an adult child, participated in a qualitative study using a focus group format that allowed them to discuss their experience. A hermeneutical approach was used to develop an overall thematic description of what it meant to an older person to lose an adult child.

A quantitative estimate of schema abnormality in socially anxious and non-anxious individuals.

Although cognitive theories of anxiety suggest that anxious individuals are characterized by abnormal threat-relevant schemas, few empirical studies have estimated the nature of these cognitive structures using quantitative methods that lend themselves to inferential statistical analysis. In the present study, socially anxious (n = 55) and non-anxious (n = 62) participants completed 3 Q-Sort tasks to assess their knowledge of events that commonly occur in social or evaluative scenarios. Participants either sorted events according to how commonly they personally believe the events occur (i.