The prevalence of opioid abuse and dependence has been on the rise in just the past few years. Animal studies indicate that extended access to heroin produces escalation of intake over time, whereas stable intake is observed under limited-access conditions. Escalation of drug intake has been suggested to model the transition from controlled drug use to compulsive drug seeking and taking. Here, we directly compared the pattern of heroin intake in animals with varying periods of heroin access. Food intake was also monitored over the course of escalation. Rats were allowed to lever press on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule of reinforcement to receive intravenous infusions of heroin for 1, 6, 12, or 23h per day for 14 sessions. The results showed that heroin intake in the 12 and 23h groups markedly increased over time, whereas heroin intake in the 1h group was stable. The 6h group showed a significant but modest escalation of intake. Total heroin intake was similar in the 12 and 23h groups, but the rate of heroin self-administration was two-fold higher in the 12h group compared with the 23h group. Food intake decreased over sessions only in the 12h group. The 12 and 23h groups showed marked physical signs of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. These findings suggest that 12h heroin access per day may be the optimal access time for producing escalation of heroin intake. The advantages of this model and the potential relevance for studying drug addiction are discussed.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3081940 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2011.03.004 | DOI Listing |
Transl Psychiatry
December 2024
Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Recent progress in psychiatric research has highlighted neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of opioid use disorder (OUD), suggesting that heightened immune responses in the brain may exacerbate opioid-related mechanisms. However, the molecular mechanisms resulting from neuroinflammation that impact opioid-induced behaviors and transcriptional pathways remain poorly understood. In this study, we have begun to address this critical knowledge gap by exploring the intersection between neuroinflammation and exposure to the opioid heroin, utilizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation, to investigate transcriptional changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), an essential region in the mesolimbic dopamine system that mediates opioid reward.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSubst Use Addctn J
January 2025
Ophelia Health Inc., New York, NY, USA.
Background: Medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (MOUD) such as buprenorphine are the most effective treatment available for OUD; yet, beyond drug testing results and retention in care, systematically measured clinical outcomes have proven elusive. There is growing interest in integrating systematic monitoring of patient-reported outcomes and measurement-based care as strategies to improve patients' success in treatment.
Methods: We analyzed changes in recovery capital assessed via the Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital (BARC-10) from baseline to 30-120 days post-intake among patients initiating buprenorphine treatment from May to October 2023 at Ophelia, a telehealth MOUD provider, who were retained for ≥90 days.
Nat Commun
September 2024
Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
J Clin Psychiatry
July 2024
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
. Sleep disturbances and elevated stress levels are commonly reported among individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). However, it remains unclear whether the relationship between sleep and stress differs based on the primary substance of use or if there are commonalities across different substances.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
July 2024
Family Medicine, Indiana Regional Medical Center, Indiana, USA.
This case report details a 21-year-old male patient who initially presented with endocarditis-like symptoms but ultimately had hepatitis C in the setting of substance use disorder. It highlights the value of prompt diagnosis and effective treatment. He had a medical history of chronic heroin use over two years and presented inconsistently to the emergency department with generalized body aches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!