Association of Cytokine Production with Hormone Level and Sensory Responses during the Formation of Psychoactive Drug Addiction in Men.

We performed immunophysiological examination of 144 men aged 17-25 years, patients with psychoactive substance dependence, episodic psychoactive drug users, and conditionally healthy individuals. Associations of proinflammatory cytokine production with age, sex, hormone levels, and olfactory and nociceptive indices were revealed in cases of psychoactive drug use and formation of addiction. Predictive models based on the use of androstenone aversion, pressure algometry testing, and immunological parameters were proposed.

[Association between pathological olfaction, immunological abnormalities and predisposition to substance use].

OBJECTIVE: To reveal olfactory parameters of substance addiction formation through evaluation of predictive capability of olfactometry combined with laboratory-immunological methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Authors examined 156 people of both sexes aged 18-25 years. Three comparison groups with different attitudes towards psychoactive substances were formed as follows: people who do not use psychoactive substances (controls), episodic consumers (group at risk) and people with dependence syndrome. RESULTS: The occurrence of olfactory abnormalities in the anamnesis has immunological, psychological and behavioral correlates and is associated with earlier age of onset of substance consumption. The severity of aversive reactions to the test odorant is reduced already in the stage of episodic substance use and is associated with clinical signs of immune deficiency, suppression of cellular immunity and an increase in blood cortisol levels in substance abusers. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic and predictive modeling in the field of biological and clinical science of drug addiction is possible based on immunological and olfactory parameters.

[Autoantibodies to glutamate and GABA in opiate addiction].

Blood serum from 129 patients with opium addiction at different stages of the disease and 63 donors (control group) was examined for the presence of autoantibodies to the exciting and inhibitory amino acids glutamate and GABA. It was shown enhanced production of autoantibodies to glutamate and GABA. Dependence of the level and frequency of detec- tion of autoantibodies to glutamate and GABA on the stage of the disease was revealed.

Ratio of antibodies to neurotransmitters in the serum of students, occasional drug users.

The survey included volunteer students of secondary and higher educational institutions. Two groups have been formed based on the results of clinical and laboratory studies. Group 1 comprised students occasionally using cannabinoids and amphetamines (risk group for psychoactive substances addiction) and group 2 included students who do not use drugs. The serum level of autoantibodies to norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin was reduced in the risk group.

Neurophysiological patterns of search and creative behavior in patients with psychoactive substance-induced disorders.

The correlation between search and creative behavior with parameters of bioelectric brain activity was observed in patients with addictive disorders. The prevalence of α- and θ-activities in the parietal-temporal-occipital areas of the cortex and increased θ-activity in the right hemisphere in addiction patients with high search and creative activities were associated with enhanced high-frequency activity in these brain areas. These changes can reflect the formation of a focus of pathologically increased excitation related to the pathogenic mechanisms of addictive disorders.

[Antibodies to neurotransmitters as possible neuroimmune risk markers of formation dependence to psychoactive substances].

In the sera of patients with opioid addiction has been found elevated levels of autoantibodies to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin in comparison with a control group of healthy people of the same age. In the group of patients with acute withdrawal was showed a reduction of antibody to dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin in the blood serum when compared with patients in the period of postabstinent disorders. In the group of patients with risk for the formation of substance dependence in serum was observed decrease in autoantibodies to dopamine and norepinephrine compared with the control group.

[EEG features during olfactory stimulation in drug dependence persons].

Power spectra analysis EEG was used for baseline interval and during olfactory stimulation in drug dependence and healthy persons. Intergroup differences of EEG spectra were related with enhancement of cortex biopotential power in narcological patients at parietal and temporal sites. Interhemispheres features of frequency bands contribution in EEG spectra were identified. Increased biopotential power in drug dependence persons was observed at left temporal hemisphere in high-frequency bands in baseline interval and during olfactory stimulation. Increased power of alpha activity was typical for right temporal hemisphere in narcological patients as compare to healthy persons. Detected neurophysiological patterns may be related with psychological and behavioral features of addictive disorders.