Dopamine (DA) transmission is deeply affected by drugs of abuse, and alterations in DA function are involved in the various phases of drug addiction and potentially exploitable therapeutically. In particular, basic studies have documented a reduction in the electrophysiological activity of DA neurons in alcohol, opiate, cannabinoid, and other drug-dependent rats. Further, DA release in the Nucl...

This report describes effective prolonged opiate blockade by subcutaneous depotnaltrexone (d-NTX) preparation. The d-NTX is a 1000 mg pellet inserted at opiate detoxification. The assay of effective opiate blockade was direct opiate challenge. Fifteen challenges were performed. Opiate challenges occurred from 21 to 70 days after d-NTX implantation (mean 40.9 days). All patients were refractory ...

Tramadol is a centrally acting opioid analgesic which is mainly used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain [2]. Its efficiency and potency ranges between weak opioids and morphine [3]. Tramadol is rapidly absorbed orally; Tramadol has extensive tissue distribution. The bioavailability of tramadol is 70 % its bioavailability is more than that of morphine (1565%) when tramadol is used in m...

The present study is a comparative study of personality type of alcoholics and drug addicts and personality type of nonalcoholics and non drug addicts. In order to test the hypotheses, samples on addicts and no-addicts are collected from various rehabilitation centres in Mumbai and Pune. Samples were restricted to only male. For the analysis purpose, 2x2 factorial ANOVA and ttest has been used....

This study investigated the difference between Internet addicts and non-addicts in Taiwanese high schools, and focused specifically on their Internet usage patterns, and gratification and communication pleasures. A total of 1708 valid data samples of high school adolescents were collected. Among this sample, 236 subjects (13.8%) were identified as addicts using the eight-item Internet addiction...

OBJECTIVE To compare HCV and HIV infection among heroin addicts in MMT and not in MMT in two large cities in central China. METHODS A total of 541 heroin addicts were recruited from MMT clinics and voluntary detoxification centers in Changsha and Wuhan, China. Structured questionnaires collected data on their socio-demographics, clinical status, risk behaviors, and their knowledge of HIV. The...

OBJECTIVE The data on England and Wales voluntarily supplied by Coroners to the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths for the August 1996-December 2002 time frame were analyzed. METHODS All cases in which at least one analgesic- and cough suppressant-opioid other than heroin/morphine, methadone or buprenorphine was identified were extracted from the database. We hypothesized that: a) p...

To explore the psychological and behavioral characteristics of severe internet addicts. Methods: 30 severe internet game addicts (aged from 16~25 years) and 43 non-addicts participated in the investigation. Measures included Internet Addiction Scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Social Support Questionnaire, Life Purpose Scale and Sensation Seeking Scale. Results: Internet addicts g...