AIMS To examine the genetic overlap between borderline personality features (BPF) and substance use disorders (SUDs) and the extent to which variation in personality traits contributes to this covariance. DESIGN Genetic structural equation modelling was used to partition the variance in and covariance between personality traits, BPF and SUDs into additive genetic, shared and individual-specif...

To date, there has not been a time-efficient and resource-conscious way to identify cognitive impairment in patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). In this study, we assessed the validity, accuracy, and clinical utility of a brief (10-min) screening instrument, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), in identifying cognitive impairment among patients with SUDs. The Neuropsychological As...

Maternal depression has been linked to increased risk of substance use disorders (SUDs) in offspring. Cross-sectional studies have identified relationships among maternal depression, externalizing disorders and SUDs, but no longitudinal examination of causality has been undertaken. In order to address this gap in the literature, depression and externalizing disorders at or prior to age 15 were ...

Adolescents with alcohol-related problems often also use cigarettes and marijuana. Furthermore, early childhood characteristics that increase the risk for adolescent alcohol use disorders also increase the risk for problematic drug use. Identifying these characteristics early in childhood can be important for the prevention of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders. As a result, researchers...

Information about substance use disorders (SUDs) is commonly taught in pre-licensure nursing programs. Nurses, regardless of their work settings, undoubtedly will encounter clients who deal with SUDs, and therefore it imperative that nurse educators prepare students for the care these clients. But what if person experiencing SUDs not a client, but colleague? This manuscript describes an innovat...

PG has been identified as a psychiatric disorder in its own right since 1980, and is included within the current DSM (DSM-IV TR; APA, 2000) as an Impulse Control Disorder. The recommendation to re-classify this disorder has been made as a result of the increasing body of literature which reveals a high degree of similarity between SUDS and PG in relation to diagnostic criteria, co-morbidities, ...

Substance use disorders (SUDs) can be viewed as a pathology of neuroadaptation. The pharmacological overstimulation of neural mechanisms of reward, motivated learning and memory leads to drug-seeking behavior. A critical characteristic of SUDs is the appearance of craving, the motivated desire and urge to use, which is a main focus of current pharmacological and behavioral therapies. Recent pro...

Evaluating whether certain subtypes of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are more strongly associated with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) may help clarify reasons for MDD-SUD relations. Therefore, this study compared DSM-IV-defined non-atypical/non-melancholic depression (undifferentiated depression; n=365), atypical depression (n=117), melancholic depression (n=245), and atypical-melancholic dep...

Non-point sources of pollution are difficult to identify and control, and are one of the main reasons that urban rivers fail to reach the water quality objectives set for them. Whilst sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are available to help combat this diffuse pollution, they are mostly installed in areas of new urban development. However, SuDS must also be installed in existing built areas if...

OBJECTIVE Exposure to traumatic experiences, especially those occurring in childhood, has been linked to substance use disorders (SUDs), including abuse and dependence. SUDs are also highly comorbid with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mood-related psychopathology. Most studies examining the relationship between PTSD and SUDs have examined veteran populations or patients in subst...