The Neurophysiology of Implicit Alcohol Associations in Recently Abstinent Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder: An Event-Related Potential Study Considering Gender Effects.

Background: Neuroscientific models of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) postulate an imbalance between automatic, implicit, and controlled (conscious) processes. Implicit associations towards alcohol indicate the automatically attributed appeal of alcohol-related stimuli. First, behavioral studies indicate that negative alcohol associations are less pronounced in patients compared to controls, but potential neurophysiological differences remain unexplored.

Validity of the ADHD module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview PLUS for screening of adult ADHD in treatment seeking substance use disorder patients: ADHD screening with MINI-Plus.

Objective: This study aims to assess the validity of the ADHD module of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus) in patients with substance use disorders (SUD), using the Conners' Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV (CAADID) as the external criterion.

Method: A cross sectional international multi-center study in 10 countries was conducted in treatment seeking SUD patients. A sample of 1263 patients with both MINI-Plus and CAADID was analyzed to determine the psychometric properties of the MINI-Plus.

Actigraphy assessment of motor activity and sleep in patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome and the effects of intranasal oxytocin.

Background And Aims: The alcohol withdrawal syndrome increases autonomic activation and stress in patients during detoxification, leading to alterations in motor activity and sleep irregularities. Intranasal oxytocin has been proposed as a possible treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal. The aim of the present study was to explore whether actigraphy could be used as a tool to register symptoms during alcohol detoxification, whether oxytocin affected actigraphy variables related to motor activity and sleep compared to placebo during detoxification, and whether actigraphy-recorded motor function during detoxification was different from that in healthy controls.

Prediction of drop-out and outcome in integrated cognitive behavioral therapy for ADHD and SUD: Results from a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Patients with substance use disorder (SUD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have a high risk of drop out from treatment. Few studies have investigated predictors of therapy drop out and outcome in SUD patients with comorbid ADHD. Recently, integrated cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT/Integrated) was shown to be more effective than standard CBT (CBT/SUD) in the treatment of SUD + ADHD.

Exploring online problem gamblers' motivation to change.

Background: In order to improve interventions for problem gambling, there is a need for studies that can highlight psychological factors that support the desire to reduce gambling.

Objective: To explore online problem gamblers' motivation for change by studying participants' reactions to an online treatment referral website designed to motivate at-risk gamblers to seek help.

Design: A qualitative evaluation study, combining focus groups and in-depth interviews.

Outcome Assessment in Trials of Pharmacological Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorders: Fair and Strict Testing.

Outcome assessment in the pharmacological treatment of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) faces specific challenges resulting from low adherence to treatment, high rates of dropout, and the susceptibility of patient self-reports to bias. This review discusses methodological issues in planning, conducting, and interpreting clinical trials on AUD treatment against the background of the principle of 'strictness and fairness' of testing. Threats to fairness include factors that limit the implementation of an intervention, such as low compliance and early treatment termination.

Short-Term Treatment Effects of a Substance Use Disorder Therapy Involving Traditional Amazonian Medicine.

Chronic illness management today commonly involves alternative medicines. Substance use disorder (SUD), as a chronic psychosomatic illness, might benefit from a similar approach. The accredited Takiwasi Center offers such an SUD treatment program involving Amazonian medicine combined with psychotherapy.

MMP-9-BDNF pathway is implicated in cognitive impairment of male individuals with methamphetamine addiction during early withdrawal.

Cognitive impairment is often concomitant with current and abstinent methamphetamine (METH) misuse. However, the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment induced by METH remains unclear. As evidence indicates that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with METH addiction, the present study aimed to investigate whether BDNF and the proteins regulating the BDNF signaling pathway might be implicated in the cognitive impairment of the METH abusers during early withdrawal.

Routine monitoring of therapeutic alliance to predict treatment engagement in a Veterans Affairs substance use disorders clinic.

Measurement-based care (MBC) can improve mental health treatment outcomes and is a priority within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). However, to date, MBC efforts within the VA have focused on assessment of psychological symptoms to the exclusion of psychotherapy process variables such as the therapeutic alliance that may predict treatment response. This quality improvement project involved the implementation of routine monitoring of alliance within a VA substance use disorder (SUD) clinic predominantly serving veterans with serious mental illness.

Effect of intranasal oxytocin on alcohol withdrawal syndrome: A randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial.

Background: In a pilot study, intranasal oxytocin was demonstrated to reduce the benzodiazepine dose needed to relieve withdrawal symptoms during alcohol detoxification. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of oxytocin and placebo during a three-day period of alcohol detoxification at an addiction treatment center in Norway.

Methods: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 40 patients fulfilling criteria for ICD-10 diagnosis of alcohol dependence (F10.

Integrated cognitive behavioral therapy for ADHD in adult substance use disorder patients: Results of a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) frequently co-occurs with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Standard ADHD pharmacotherapies are not effective in patients with this comorbidity and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has not been tested in this population. This RCT aimed to compare the efficacy of Integrated CBT (CBT/Integrated) directed at adult ADHD and SUD with CBT directed at SUD only (CBT/SUD) in patients with SUD and ADHD (SUD + ADHD).

Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Cannabis Use: Preliminary Results for the Role of Parental Care Perception.

Background: Vulnerability to cannabis use (CU) initiation and problematic use have been shown to be affected by both genetic and environmental factors, with still inconclusive and uncertain evidence.

Objective: Aim of the present study was to investigate the possible interplay between gene polymorphisms and psychosocial conditions in CU susceptibility.

Methods: Ninety-two cannabis users and ninety-three controls have been included in the study.

Novel technologies in detection, treatment and prevention of substance use disorders.

Substance use disorders are a widely recognized problem, which affects various levels of communities and influenced the world socioeconomically. Its source is deeply embedded in the global population. In order to fight against such an adversary, governments have spared no efforts in implementing substance abuse treatment centers and funding research to develop treatments and prevention procedures.

Kratom Withdrawal: A Systematic Review with Case Series.

Recent years have seen a widespread increase in kratom use, not just for the purpose of easing opioid withdrawal, but also for management of emotional and mental health concerns by individuals without histories of opioid use. Chronic use can lead to dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal on cessation, and clinicians are seeing an increasing number of presentations involving the latter. Although there is literature discussing the use of kratom to assist in opioid withdrawal, this article comprehensively examines independent withdrawal from kratom.

Practical steps to improve chronic hepatitis C treatment in people with opioid use disorder.

Objectives: People with a history of injecting drugs have high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and many have opioid use disorder (OUD). Modern HCV therapies with improved efficacy and tolerability are available, but access is often limited for this group, who may be underserved for health care and face social inequity. This work develops practical steps to improve HCV care in this population.

"Biomimetic-electrochemical-sensory-platform" for biomolecule free cocaine testing.

A biomimetic cocaine sensor was fabricated by using poly(p-phenylene) (PPP) with cyclodextrin (CD) units in the backbone and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chains (PPP-CD-g-PEG). The sensory platform was constructed by one step surface modification of glassy carbon electrode with PPP-CD-g-PEG by drop coating. The electrochemical measurements are based on the formation of CD-cocaine inclusion complex on the surface resulting in a significant decrease in electron transfer capacity of the selected redox probe.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 binding in male patients with alcohol use disorder.

Glutamate signaling plays a major role in addiction. Preclinical research strongly suggests an implication of G-protein-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5) in nicotine addiction and alcohol use disorder. In humans, smoking is related to a global reduction in mGluR5 availability.

Diagnosing ADHD during active substance use: Feasible or flawed?

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is highly prevalent in patients with a substance use disorder (SUD). Because of possible problems with validity, diagnostic assessment of ADHD is usually postponed until after a period of abstinence, which may jeopardize adequate and timely treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate how a diagnostic assessment of ADHD in patients who are actively using substances compares to the results of a second assessment after a period of full or partial abstinence.

Implementation of Contingency Management at a Large VA Addiction Treatment Center.

Contingency management (CM) is an evidence-based intervention that reinforces target behaviors of patients, such as abstinence from substance use. This column discusses the experiences and lessons learned at a large U.S.

Mobile Phone Sensing of Cocaine in a Lateral Flow Assay Combined with a Biomimetic Material.

Lateral flow assays (LFAs) are an ideal choice for drug abuse testing favored by their practicability, portability, and rapidity. LFA based on-site rapid screening devices provide positive/negative judgment in a short response time. The conventionally applied competitive assay format used for small molecule analysis such as abused drugs restricts the quantitation ability of LFA strips.

Quantity of alcohol drinking positively correlates with serum levels of endotoxin and markers of monocyte activation.

It is unknown if LPS (lipopolysaccharides) and markers of immune activation, soluble CD14 (sCD14) and CD163 (sCD163) are associated with the quantity of alcohol consumption. 148 subjects were enrolled (97 excessive drinkers (ED) and 51 controls). Time Line Follow-Back questionnaire was used to quantify the amount of alcohol consumed.

Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Exercise to Health Education for Stimulant Use Disorder: Results From the CTN-0037 STimulant Reduction Intervention Using Dosed Exercise (STRIDE) Study.

Objective: To evaluate exercise as a treatment for stimulant use disorders.

Methods: The STimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise (STRIDE) study was a randomized clinical trial conducted in 9 residential addiction treatment programs across the United States from July 2010 to February 2013. Of 497 adults referred to the study, 302 met all eligibility criteria, including DSM-IV criteria for stimulant abuse and/or dependence, and were randomized to either a dosed exercise intervention (Exercise) or a health education intervention (Health Education) control, both augmenting treatment as usual and conducted thrice weekly for 12 weeks.

Perceived parental care during childhood, ACTH, cortisol and nicotine dependence in the adult.

Studies evidenced the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and tobacco smoking in adulthood. An appropriate parenting style has been found to be associated with children's less frequent tobacco consumption. Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity could represent the potential link between ACEs, mood disorders and smoking susceptibility.

Persistence and Subtype Stability of ADHD Among Substance Use Disorder Treatment Seekers.

To examine ADHD symptom persistence and subtype stability among substance use disorder (SUD) treatment seekers. In all, 1,276 adult SUD treatment seekers were assessed for childhood and adult ADHD using Conners' Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for (4th ed.; ; CAADID).