Validation of the translation of an instrument to measure reliability of written information on treatment choices: a study on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

INTRODUCTION: DISCERN is an instrument designed to help patients assess the reliability of written information on treatment choices. Originally created in English, there is no validated Spanish version of this instrument. This study seeks to validate the Spanish translation of the DISCERN instrument used as a primary measure on a multicenter study aimed to assess the reliability of web-based information on treatment choices for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: We used a modified version of a method for validating translated instruments in which the original source-language version is formally compared with the back-translated source-language version. Each item was ranked in terms of comparability of language, similarity of interpretability, and degree of understandability. Responses used Likert scales ranging from 1 to 7, where 1 indicates the best interpretability, language and understandability, and 7 indicates the worst. Assessments were performed by 20 raters fluent in the source language. RESULTS: The Spanish translation of DISCERN, based on ratings of comparability, interpretability and degree of understandability (mean score (SD): 1.8 (1.1), 1.4 (0.9) and 1.6 (1.1), respectively), was considered extremely comparable. All items received a score of less than three, therefore no further revision of the translation was needed. CONCLUSION: The validation process showed that the quality of DISCERN translation was high, validating the comparable language of the tool translated on assessing written information on treatment choices for ADHD.

Involvement of 2-arachidonoyl glycerol in the increased consumption of and preference for ethanol of mice treated with neurotoxic doses of methamphetamine.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Methamphetamine (METH) is a psychostimulant amphetamine that causes long-term dopaminergic neurotoxicity in mice. Hypodopaminergic states have been demonstrated to increase voluntary ethanol (EtOH) consumption and preference. In addition, the endocannabinoid system has been demonstrated to modulate EtOH drinking behaviour. Thus, we investigated EtOH consumption in METH-lesioned animals and the role of cannabinoid (CB) signalling in this EtOH drinking. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Mice were treated with a neurotoxic regimen of METH, and 7 days later exposed to increasing concentrations of drinking solutions of EtOH (3, 6, 10 and 20%). Seven days after neurotoxic METH, the following biochemical determinations were carried out in limbic forebrain: CB(1) receptor density and stimulated activity, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) activity, dopamine levels and dopamine transporter density. KEY RESULTS: EtOH consumption and preference were increased in METH-treated mice. Seven days after METH, a time at which both dopamine levels and density of dopamine transporters in limbic forebrain were decreased, CB(1) receptor density and activity were unaltered, but 2-AG levels were increased. At this same time-point, MAGL activity was reduced. The CB(1) receptor antagonist AM251 prevented the METH-induced increase in EtOH consumption and preference, while N-arachidonoyl maleimide, an inhibitor of MAGL, increased EtOH consumption and preference in both saline- and METH-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: An increase in endocannabinoid tone may be involved in the increased consumption of and preference for EtOH displayed by METH-lesioned mice as blockade of the CB(1) receptor decreased EtOH-seeking behaviours, whereas the MAGL inhibitor increased EtOH consumption.