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Background: The beneficial effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on substance use disorders, achieved by reducing craving, impulsivity, and risk-taking behavior, can be considered an effective therapeutic approach. Transcranial direct current stimulation can be considered an effective therapeutic approach for reducing cannabis craving, improving levels of depression, and enhancing working memory in cannabis users. Objectives: This study investigated the effectiveness of tDCS applied to the Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on craving, depression, and working memory in cannabis users. Methods: This was a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study. Fifty male participants who met the criteria for cannabis use disorder according to DSM-5 were randomly assigned to either the real tDCS group (25 participants) or the sham tDCS group (25 participants). Pretests, including marijuana urine tests, the Marijuana Craving Questionnaire-Short Form (MCQ-SF), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and the Wechsler Memory Scale, were conducted before the intervention. The real tDCS group underwent 20 sessions of tDCS stimulation, each lasting 20 minutes, with a current intensity of 2 milliamperes applied at the F3 and F4 positions for DLPFC stimulation. The sham tDCS group received only 30 seconds of initial electrical stimulation, with no further current delivered. Both groups also received standard psychological treatments alongside the tDCS interventions. After completing the interventions, the same tests were administered again to assess the outcomes. Results: Participants who received real tDCS showed significant improvement in levels of craving, depression, and working memory. This reduction in scores and levels was statistically significant compared to the sham group. Conclusions: Transcranial direct current stimulation can be considered an effective therapeutic approach for reducing cannabis craving, improving levels of depression, and enhancing working memory in cannabis users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relapse to drug use is one of the most difficult clinical problems in treating addiction. Glial activation has been linked with the drug abuse, and the glia modulators such as minocycline can modulate the drug abuse effects. The aim of the present study was to determine whether minocycline could attenuate the maintenance and reinstatement of morphine. Conditioned place preference (CPP) was induced by subcutaneous injection of morphine (5 mg/kg) for 3 days. Following the acquisition of the CPP, the rats were given daily bilateral intra- NAc injections of either minocycline (1, 5, and 10 µg/0.5 µL) or saline (0.5 µL). The animals were tested for conditioning score 60 min after each injection. To induce the reinstatement, a priming dose of morphine (1 mg/kg) was injected 1 day after the final extinction day. The morphine-induced CPP lasted for 7 days after cessation of morphine treatment. Our data revealed that a priming dose of morphine could reinstate the extinguished morphine- induced CPP. Daily intra-accumbal injection of minocycline during the extinction period blocked the maintenance of morphine CPP and also attenuated the priming-induced reinstatement. Our findings indicated that minocycline could facilitate the extinction and attenuate the reinstatement of morphine. These results provided new evidence that minocycline might be considered as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of several symptoms associated with morphine abuse. Key words: morphine maintenance, reinstatement, nucleus accumbens, minocycline, conditioned place preference. Le phenomene de rechute de la consommation de drogues constitue l'une des plus grandes difficultes relatives au traitement de la toxicomanie. On a lie l'activation gliale a la toxicomanie et on sait que les modulateurs gliaux comme la minocycline peuvent moduler les effets de la toxicomanie. La presente etude avait pour but de determiner si la minocycline peut reduire le maintien de la dependance a la morphine ou son taux de retablissement. La preference de place conditionnee (PPC) a ete induite par l'injection sous-cutanee de morphine a raison de 5 mg/kg pendant 3 jours. Apres l'acquisition de la PPC, nous avons procede a l'injection bilaterale quotidienne de minocycline (a 1, 5 et 10 µg/0,5 µL) ou de solution saline (0,5 µL) dans les noyaux accumbens. Soixante minutes apres chaque injection, nous avons evalue le score de conditionnement des animaux. Afin d'induire le retablissement de la dependance, nous avons injecte une dose d'amorcage de morphine (a 1 mg/kg) une journee apres le dernier jour d'extinction. La PPC induite par la morphine a dure pendant 7 jours apres l'arret du traitement par la morphine. Nos donnees ont revele que la dose d'amorcage de morphine peut retablir la PPC induite par la morphine qui s'etait resolue. L'injection quotidienne de minocycline dans les noyaux accumbens pendant la periode d'extinction inhibait le maintien du comportement de PPC induit par la morphine et reduisait le taux de retablissement induit par la dose d'amorcage. Nos resultats indiquent que la minocycline pourrait faciliter l'extinction et reduire le retablissement de la dependance a la morphine. Ces resultats ont permis d'obtenir de nouvelles donnees probantes permettant de considerer la minocycline comme un agent therapeutique prometteur dans le traitement de plusieurs symptomes associes a l'abus de morphine. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : maintien de la dependance a la morphine, retablissement, noyau accumbens, minocycline, preference de place conditionnee., Introduction Chronic use of morphine leads to physical and psychological dependence and is characterized by relapse. Relapse is a major clinical problem and a high percentage of users relapse to [...]

Introduction: Places where people deal and/or use drugs publicly are known as open drug scenes (ODSs). Drug-related community impacts (DRCIs) refer to drug-related issues that negatively influence public and individual health, communities, businesses, and recreational and public space enjoyment. There are no well-established criteria for identification of DRCIs. We therefore performed a scoping review of literature to determine DRCIs indicators associated with ODSs. Methods: The review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScP). We searched English articles in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases from 1990 to 2021. The keywords were drug-related crime, drug-related offense, misconduct, social marginalization, homeless drug users, open drug scene, drug-related street disorder, public nuisance, and community impact. Results: Sixty-four studies were identified. Twenty-five studies were included. Two studies (8%) were about drug-related public nuisance, 1 (4%) considered drug-related social problems, 2 (8%) focused on drug-related social disorder, and 18 studies (72%) discussed indicators of community impacts such as crime, drug-related litter, safety, noise, and drug use in public. Two studies (8%) included the frequency of drug use in ODSs. Discussion: DRCI indicators are heterogenic, and various factors affect the indicators. The factors include social mores, political discourse, and historical approaches to dealing with and using drugs. Some societies do not tolerate the existence of ODSs. In contrast, many countries have adopted harm reduction programs to manage DRCIs. Identified DRCI indicators were drug using and dealing in public, drug-related litter, crime, drug-related loitering, street-based income generation activities, noise, and unsafety feelings in inhabitants. To solve the problems associated with DRCIs and to make a major change in ODSs, it is necessary to pay attention to the improvement of the economic conditions (e.g., employment opportunities), amendment (e.g., determine the limits of criminalization in drug use), and adoption of social policies (e.g., providing low-threshold and supportive services for homeless drug users). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Chronic use of methamphetamine induces neuropsychological deficits and neurochemical changes in frontostriatal regions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between brain metabolites alterations in frontostriatal regions and neuropsychological deficits in patients with methamphetamine use disorder. Method A total of 30 methamphetamine users and 20 control participants were selected and a battery of standardized executive function, attention, and memory tasks, including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test, and Wechsler Memory Scale, was administered to them. Proton-Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) of N-Acetylaspartate/Creatine (NAA/Cr), Choline/Creatine (Cho/Cr), and glutamate + glutamine/creatine (Glx/Cr) in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and basal ganglia (BG) were also undertaken. Results Current findings indicated that there were significant differences between two groups in metabolite ratios including NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and Glx/Cr in three areas, except for Glx/Cr in BG. Moreover, compared to healthy controls, methamphetamine users showed poorer performance in all neuropsychological tests. Finally, a significant relationship was found between regional metabolites alterations, particularly in the ACC, and neuropsychological deficits in methamphetamine users. Conclusions In addition to neurochemical changes and neuropsychological deficits in patients with methamphetamine use disorder, current results highlighted the relationship between these changes in DLPFC, ACC, and BG with cognitive deficits in methamphetamine users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of the effectiveness of education plays an important role in the improvement of training processes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the short form training courses for methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in Iranian general physicians (GPs) and psychologists. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study with 203 participants (91 GPs and 112 psychologists) in three 10-day short form MMT training courses at the School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health - Tehran Institute of Psychiatry. After the courses, participants were asked to complete the Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation Questionnaire. Overall, the GPs evaluated the short form MMT training course significantly more positively than did the psychologists. Evaluation scores for Levels 1, 2, and 4 were good, average, and average, respectively. The Level 2 (learning) scores of both GPs and psychologists increased after the short form MMT training course compared with before the short form MMT training course. Similarities in the views of the GPs and the psychologists were more than differences between them. Research findings raised concerns about the implementation, management, monitoring, new guidelines, support, and training for this training course while providing valuable information in helping to facilitate more involvement of GPs and psychologists in the short form MMT training course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence indicated that minocycline, a glial cell modulator, is able to modify a variety of morphine effects. Here, we investigated minocycline effects on electrical activity of nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons using single unit recording in urethane-anesthetized rats. In addition, we investigated whether minocycline can modify the effects of morphine on NAc neural activity during reinstatement of morphine-seeking behavior. Minocycline increased the NAc firing activity in intact animals. Electrophysiological recording in morphine-treated animals was performed, following the acquisition of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (5 mg/kg, s.c., 3 days) and a drug-free extinction period. In acutely minocycline- treated animals, the neurons were recorded for 40 minutes following a single injection of either minocycline (50 μg/5 μl, i.c.v.) or saline. Then a priming dose of morphine (1 mg/kg, s.c.) was injected while the recording was continued for an additional 40 minutes. Minocycline significantly increased the firing rates of neurons and significantly modified morphine inhibitory effects on NAc neurons. In subchronically minocycline-treated groups, the rats were given daily injections of minocycline (50 μg/5 μl, i.c.v) during the extinction period. Then, on the reinstatement day, NAc neurons were recorded for 10 minutes, the priming dose of morphine was administered and the recording was continued for 45 minutes. Our results showed the failure of minocycline to significantly modify the inhibitory effects of morphine. In conclusion, our findings indicated that minocycline modifies morphine-induced decreases in the firing rates of NAc neurons in the reinstatement phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s) This study was aimed to assess the possible laxative and prokinetic effects of the boiled extract of Rosa damascena. Materials and Methods Rats in two groups (n= 7) of test and control were gavaged either with the extract or placebo, respectively. The number, weight and water percentage of feces were studied up to 24 hr. In order to assess the possible osmotic laxative effects of the drug, the jejunum in anesthetized rats (n= 7) was randomly divided into 4 cm segments and 0.5 ml of the extract, lactulose or saline was injected in each segment. The volumes of the contents in each segment were measured after 1 hr. In order to assess the intestinal transit time, fasting rats were gavaged with either the extract or placebo. Thirty minutes following the last medication, all rats were gavaged with phenol red and methyl cellulose (1.5 ml). The test and the control rats, in groups of 4, were sacrificed at 30 min, 1, 2 and 4 hr, and the amounts of the phenol red in various parts of the gastrointestinal tract were measured. Results Boiled extract of R. damascena significantly increased feces number and its percentage of water, but had no effects on the transit time of intestinal ingesta. The volume of the contents in jejunum segments had significantly increased with the extract or lactulose compared to placebo. Conclusion Boiled extract of R. damascena apparently exerts its laxative effects, at least in part, via osmotic infiltration of fluids into the intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Brain function changes as a result of cannabis use. This study examined the brain activity of cannabis users compared to a healthy group and nicotine smokers, focusing on the age of onset, duration of use, and dosage., Method: Demographic and quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) data of 15 healthy individuals, 20 patients with chronic cannabis use, and 15 nicotine smokers were collected and recorded during the eyes-closed and eyes-open conditions in the resting state. The data were analyzed using MATLAB software and the EEGLAB toolbox., Results: In the eyes-closed condition, cannabis users exhibited significantly elevated relative theta band power in widespread brain regions compared to both the healthy group and nicotine smokers. They showed decreased relative power in the beta and gamma bands in the parietal and occipital regions when compared to nicotine smokers. In the eyes-open condition, cannabis users displayed increased relative theta band power in widespread brain regions relative to both groups. Additionally, lower relative power in the beta and gamma bands was observed in cannabis users compared to the healthy group in the frontal region, as well as in various brain regions compared to nicotine smokers. A significant relationship was identified between gamma-band power, age of onset, and dosage of cannabis use., Conclusion: These findings suggest that cannabis use leads to changes in brain wave patterns during the resting state, which may be linked to cognitive impairments affecting functions. Understanding these associations is essential for developing effective intervention programs aimed at mitigating cognitive deficits related to cannabis use., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Chronic use of methamphetamine induces neuropsychological deficits and neurochemical changes in frontostriatal regions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between brain metabolites alterations in frontostriatal regions and neuropsychological deficits in patients with methamphetamine use disorder., Method: A total of 30 methamphetamine users and 20 control participants were selected and a battery of standardized executive function, attention, and memory tasks, including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test, and Wechsler Memory Scale, was administered to them. Proton-Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) of N-Acetylaspartate/Creatine (NAA/Cr), Choline/Creatine (Cho/Cr), and glutamate + glutamine/creatine (Glx/Cr) in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and basal ganglia (BG) were also undertaken., Results: Current findings indicated that there were significant differences between two groups in metabolite ratios including NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and Glx/Cr in three areas, except for Glx/Cr in BG. Moreover, compared to healthy controls, methamphetamine users showed poorer performance in all neuropsychological tests. Finally, a significant relationship was found between regional metabolites alterations, particularly in the ACC, and neuropsychological deficits in methamphetamine users., Conclusions: In addition to neurochemical changes and neuropsychological deficits in patients with methamphetamine use disorder, current results highlighted the relationship between these changes in DLPFC, ACC, and BG with cognitive deficits in methamphetamine users., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.)

Since its first discovery in 1998, it has become clear that the orexinergic system plays an important role in regulating a number of functions including food, sex, social connections, and most prominently reward-related behaviors. Orexinergic neurons in the lateral hypothalamus project extensively to other brain areas, two most important of which are the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens that are involved in reward processing. In this review, we have presented the work in our laboratory along with the work of others and have discussed the possible functions we can infer from the research. We discuss the anatomy of the orexinergic system and its components followed by a presentation of other connected brain areas. The second part of this review discusses observed results from the morphine conditioned place preference test that sheds light on the possible role of the involved areas in reward processing. The complex circuits involved in reward processing are only beginning to be understood and we need to deepen our understanding regarding the nature of the interactions between all brain areas involved., (© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)