Self-Medication Practice among Amman’s Householders: Prevalence and Factors

Aims:This study is set out to explore the prevalence and the influencing factors of self-medication practice, besides, to assess the knowledge levels of Amman’s householders.Methods:A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using pre-tested questionnaires. The householders (n=601) were randomly selected from two disparate regions in Amman (West and East), which reflect different segments of the society.Results:Self-medication was practised by more than half (53.1%) of Amman’s Householders. The East of Amman householders shows a relatively lower rate (49.7%) of self-medication than the West of Amman ones (56.5%), which can be attributed to the higher ability to pay for medicines and a higher level of knowledge among West residents that might allow them to go directly to the pharmacies without consulting a physician. The relatively severe illness (e.g. respiratory diseases and eye complaints) showed the lowest influence for self-medication, which indicates a good level of awareness about the importance of consulting the health care professionals. Furthermore, the two main reasons for self-medication were experiencing a good result from previous self-medication (87.8%) and saving time (84.6%). The self-medication practice was associated with the education level and the knowledge level; the knowledge level of West of Amman residents was correlated positively with the self-medication practice prevalence; nevertheless, East ones presented a less notable pattern.Conclusion:There is a knowledge gap regarding the proper SM practice, the health professionals must effectively educate the patients regarding the responsible self-medication practice and thus limit the adverse outcomes

The Role of AMPA Receptors in Synaptic Plasticity by Drugs of Abuse / 대한정신약물학회지

Dopamine has long time considered as the main player in drug addiction. However, growing body of literature strongly supports a role for glutamate in addiction. 2-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors, one of the ionotropic glutamate receptors, are known to be involved in different forms of synaptic plasticity, and behaviors such as learning and memory. As drug addiction is a chronic brain disease with characteristics of craving and relapse, it is often considered as a maladapted form of drug-induced long-term memory. Experimental evidence strongly indicates that AMPA receptor has an important role in the development of drug addiction. Studies with animal models of drug addiction, such as behavioral sensitization and drug self-administration, demonstrate that AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity may underlie the neuronal mechanisms for such important characteristics of addiction as drug craving.

Effect of Electro-acupuncture on Relapse to Heroin-Seeking in the Heroin Self-administrating Rats / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

To observe the effect of electro-acupuncture on the relapse to heroin-seeking induced by heroin-related cues after withdrawal from heroin self-administration in rats.Methods:Sixty male Wistar rats were randomized into physiological saline group,withdrawal group A,withdrawal group B,electro-acupuncture(EA)treatment group A and EA treatment group B,with 12 rats in each group.The rats were trained by nose-poke response to self administer heroin (50 μg/kg/per infusion) or saline with one daily 4-h session for 14 consecutive days,the session ended after 25 infusions were eamed or 4 hours had passed,the reinforcement schedule was a progressive ratio.Then rats in withdrawal group A and withdrawal group B were withdrawn from heroin for 1 week and 2 weeks respectively,and then they were reintroduced to their training chambers for 4-h relapse testing which was induced by heroin-related environmental cues;And rats in EA treatment group A and EA treatment group B were also withdrawn from heroin for 1 week and 2 weeks respectively,during which they were given EA treatment for 20 min daily,then they received relapse testing;In the meantime,rats in saline group were trained with saline instead of heroin for 14 days as control.after 7 days of withdrawal from saline,they received relapse testing.Results:Following 7-8 days of drug training,the rats began to establish the stable intravenous heroin self-administration behavior;For the stable heroin self-administrating rats that received EA treatment,when they were reintroduced to their training chambers,their heroin-seeking behaviors were obviously inhibited,and this inhibitory effect related to the cumulativeness of EA stimulation.Conclusion:The results suggested that EA could prevent relapse to heroin-seeking to a certain extent.