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OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture plus moxibustion on the synaptic ultrastructure and expression of synaptic skeleton related proteins in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of heroin re-addicted rats, so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improvement of heroin addiction. METHODS: Twenty-four Wister rats (half male and half female) were randomly divi-ded into normal control, model and acupuncture groups (n＝8 in each group). The heroin re-addicted model was established by muscular injection of heroin into the hind limbs for 8 days (incremental 0.8-3.6 mg, once daily for 6 days, and twice daily for 2 days), followed by conventional breeding for 5 days (detoxification), the procedure (addition－detoxification) was repeated 3 cycles. For rats of the acupuncture group, "Baihui" (GV20) was needled with filiform needles which were retained for 30 min, and moxibustion was then applied to bilateral "Shenshu" (BL23) for 30 min. The treatment was conducted once daily during the deto-xification. On the 39th day of experiment, the bilateral prefrontal cortex tissues were sampled for examining the ultrastructure by using transmission electron microscope (TEM) after fixative solution immersion and for determining the expression of genes and proteins of activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc), microtubule-asso-ciated protein-2 (MAP-2) and microtubule-associated protein Tau (Tau) with quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: After modeling, the expression levels of Arc mRNA and protein were significantly up-regulated, and those of MAP-2 and Tau mRNA and proteins ob-viously down-regulated in the model group relevant to the normal control group (P<0.05). Following the intervention, the up-regulated Arc protein and mRNA and the down-regulated MAP-2 and Tau were obviously reversed relevant to the model group (P<0.05). Outcomes of TEM showed unclear pre- and post-membranes of the synapses, narrowing of the synaptic gap and non-uniform of the density of the thickened dense plaque after modeling, which was relatively milder in the acupuncture group. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture plus moxibustion can improve changes of synaptic ultrastructure in heroin re-addicted rats, which may be related to their effect in regulating the expression of some synaptic skeleton proteins and genes.
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Objective To investigate the characteristics of methadone maintenance treatment(MMT)clients, and to explore their retention rate and associated factors in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province. Methods Heroin or opiate addicts who started MMT between 2006 and 2014 in study area were included. Data including demographics, history of drug use and treatment information was extracted from the National MMT Data Management System and descriptive analysis were conducted. Multiple logistic regression models were used to explore factors associated with retention rate. Results In total, 2 262 MMT clients were included for analysis. Most of them were male(87.53%), single, divorced or widowed(55.75%), and had an education of junior middle school or below(88.68%). Almost all of them (98.32%)were heroin addicts, and the age at first drug use ranged from 9 years to 54 years, with average age of(25.06±6.34)years. A total of 1 123(49.65%)clients had a history of inject drug use and 81(3.58%)clients had ever shared needles with others. The average duration on MMT was 5.02±2.01 years, and the average methadone dosage during treatment was (34.49 ±22.69)mL. The MMT retention rate was 29.2% (661/2 262). In multivariable analysis, districts such as Huangyan District, Yuhuan County and Linhai City, aged≥40 years and average methadone dosage>20 mL during treatment were independently and positively associated with retention rate. Conclusion Most of MMT clients in Taizhou are male, unmarried, and had low education level. The retention rate is low in Taizhou but older patents and those receive high methadone dosage have a relatively higher retention rate.
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Objective To investigate the effect of state anxiety and trait anxiety on attentional orienting of heroin addicts. Methods State anxiety and trait anxiety was measured by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Forty heroin ad?dicts (36 males and 4 females) and 40 healthy controls (36 males and 4 females) participated in cue-target task. Atten?tional orienting and reorienting were measured in valid cue trials and invalid cue trails. Results Heroin addicts had sig?nificantly greater state anxiety [(42.65 ± 6.58) vs. (36.60 ± 8.91)] and trait anxiety [(44.43 ± 7.67) vs. (37.00 ± 8.63)] values than controls (P<0.05). The state anxiety was significantly correlated with orientation RT difference (r=-0.259, P=0.020) and disengaging/reorientation RT difference (r=0.333, P=0.003) in heroin addicts. Trait anxiety was also significantly cor?related with orientation RT difference (r=-0.248, P=0.026) and disengaging/reorientation RT difference (r=0.356, P=0.001) in heroin addicts. Conclusion Heroin addicts have significantly greater anxiety than healthy controls. Both their state anxiety and trait anxiety are associated with attentional orienting and disengaging/reorienting.
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Objectives: To study the association of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with heroin addiction. Study design: A cross-sectional, hospital based study. Place and duration of study: The study was carried out at Lady Reading Hospital and Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan from 4th April 2012 to 13th September 2012. Subjects and Methods: A sample of 137 adult heroin addicts were analyzed that whether they were ADHD and that childhood problem continues to manifest symptoms in adults. For retrospective assessment of childhood ADHD, the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) as well as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) symptom checklist for ADHD was used. The Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS) was used to assess the persisting symptoms of ADHD in adults. Inclusion criteria: Patient diagnosed with heroin addiction according to ICD-9 and DSM-IV. Exclusion criteria: Patient has co-morbid with any other mental illnesses. Results: The difference between the mean score of WURS and CAARS of ADHD patients were significantly greater than the normal patients. Heroin addicts showed 41.6% (WURS) and 38.6% (DSM-IV diagnostic criteria) that indicated evidence of retrospective ADHD affliction in childhood. 22.6% were IV users. CAARS was presented in 37.9% heroin addicts who exhibited a substantiation of ADHD persistent in adulthood. The difference between the mean score of WURS and CAARS of ADHD patients were significantly greater (P = 0.003), than the normal patients. Conclusions: These results revealed that addiction is associated with co-morbidity with ADHD, expressed in the form of heroin addiction.
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Objective To analyze the role of sleep quality (SQ) in quality of life (QOL) ofheroin addicts receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).Methods A total of 603 heroin addicts completed the socio-demographic questionnaire,Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI),and the World Health Organization'sQuality of Life Questionnaire-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF).Hierarchical Multiple Linear Regression was used to examine the unique contribution of SQ in the explanation of QOL.Results The overall unique contributions of the seven components in PSQI,measured by △R2,ranged from 0.139 to 0.216,which could account for 41.3％ ～55.7％ of the total explainable variance in the four domains of WHOQOL-BREF.Conclusion SQ is an important predictor of Q0L in heroin addicts receiving MMT.QOL can be improved through the intervention of low SQ.
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Objective To investigate the characteristic of P30o event-related potentials(ERP) of impulsive behavior in heroin addicts.Methods The Iowa gambling task (IGT) were performed by using the paradigm for psychological experiment both in heroin addiction group (HA group) and health control group (HC group),the inspection of electroencephalography were underwent in all the subjects concurrently.Following the collection of data of ERP,amplitude and latency of P300 were compared between the two groups,and then the relationship betweenamplitude or latency of P300 and the results of Barratt impulsiveness scale were analyzed separately.Results Compared to HC group,BIS score as well as the numbers of high frequency loss cards were significantly higher in HA group ( HA:75.12 ± 12.49,91.14 ± 21.35 ; HC:66.54 ± 8.61,73.71 ± 18.91 ; P ＜ 0.05 ),while the both two groups had visible waveforms of P30o,and the amplitude and latency were markedly lower ( HA:4.92 ± 1.14,293.43 ± 36.21 ; HC:7.65 ± 1.59,332.68 ± 40.15 ; P ＜ 0.05 ) and were negatively associated with BIS score in HA group( r =-0.76,-0.52,P＜ 0.05).Logistic regression results showed that the scores of BIS-11 were related to amplitude of P30o merely( P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusion Impulsive behavior can be observed from the abnormal characteristic of the P300 event-related potential of impulsive behavior in heroin addicts,which may partly contribute to both addiction and relapse of heroin addict.
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Objective To examine white matter integrity in heroin-dependent patients and matched normal controls with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).Methods The fractional anisotropy was compared between 15 heroin-dependent patients and 15 controls.Results We found the fractional anisotropy was significantly decreased in specific brain regions of the heroin-dependent patients (P ＜ 0.001 uncorrected),including the frontal gyrus,the parietal lobule,the insula,and the corpus callosum.Conclusion The presence of microstructural abnormality is found in the white matter of several brain regions of heroin-dependent patients.
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Aim To explore the effects of acupuncture and sinomenine on the withdrawal symptoms,on the spontaneous discharge and synaptophysin expression of amygdala of heroin-addicted rats.Methods 75 SD rats were randomly and equally divided into 5 groups consisted of control,heroin-addicted,acupuncture,sinomenine and combined treatment group.The model of heroin-addicted rats were established with heroin subcutaneous injection,which in acupuncture,sinomenine and combined group were subsequently punctured at 3 acupoint(Neiguan,Baihui and Zusanli),intramuscular injected with sinomenine and treated with combined methods(acupuncture and sinomenine)respectively.The withdrawal symptoms of rats in different group were evaluated,and then the spontaneous discharges and synaptophysin expression of amygdala were detected with electrophysiological and immunohistochemical technology respectively.Results The heroin-addicted rats were successfully established,being suggested by typical withdrawal symptoms induced by naloxone(P<0.01 vs control),which were alleviated in the 3 treatment groups(acupuncture,sinomenine and combined ) with varying degree(P<0.01 vs heroin group).The electrophysiological results suggest that the forms of low-frequency and single irregular discharges in amygdala were increase,bunchy/cluster and complex discharges were decreased(P<0.05 vs control),which were reversed apparently in sinomenine and combined treatment groups(P<0.05 vs heroin group),closed to control.The immunohistochemical results show that expression of synaptophysin in amygdala was increased obviously(P<0.01 vs control),which was decreased in the 3 treatment groups(acupuncture,sinomenine and combined),P<0.01 vs addicted group.Conclusion Treatments of acupuncture and sinomenine administration can alleviate withdrawal symptoms of heroin-addicted,and rectify the abnormal spontaneous discharges and expression of synaptophysin in amygdala of heroin-addicted rats for certain degree,especially with combined treatments.