Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms, Sensation-Seeking, and Sensory Modulation Dysfunction in Substance Use Disorder: A Cross Sectional Two-Group Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sensation-seeking, a trait characterized by risk-related behaviors, have been recognized as risk factors in substance use disorder (SUD). Though ADHD co-occurs with sensory modulation dysfunction (SMD), SMD has scarcely been explored in SUD. Thus, this study aimed to characterize ADHD symptomology, sensation-seeking, and SMD, as well as to explore their contribution to SUD likelihood. METHODS: A cross sectional two-group comparative study including therapeutic community residents with SUD (n = 58; study group) and healthy individuals (n = 62; comparison group) applying the MOXO continuous performance test (MOXO-CPT) evaluating ADHD-related symptoms. In addition, participants completed the ADHD Self-Report Scale-Version 1.1 for ADHD screening; the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale quantifying risk-taking behaviors; and the Sensory Responsiveness Questionnaire-Intensity Scale for identifying SMD. RESULTS: The study group demonstrated higher SMD incidence (53.57% vs. 14.52%) and lower performance in three MOXO-CPT indexes: Attention, Impulsivity, and Hyperactivity, but not in Timing, compared to the comparison group. Sensory over-responsiveness had the strongest relationship with SUD, indicating 27-times increased odds for SUD (95% CI = 5.965, 121.216; p ≤ 0.0001). A probability risk index is proposed. CONCLUSION: We found SMD with the strongest relation to SUD exceeding that of ADHD, thus contributing a new perspective for developing future therapeutic modalities. Our findings highlight the need to address SMD above and beyond ADHD symptomology throughout the SUD rehabilitation.

Perceived Sensitivity to Pain and Responsiveness to Non-noxious Sensation in Substance Use Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This comparative cross-sectional study aimed to characterize individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) in self-perception of pain sensitivity, experimental auditory aversiveness, and non-noxious sensory responsiveness, as well as examine the associations with SUD. METHODS: Therapeutic community (TC) individuals with SUD (N = 63, male 88.9%) and healthy controls (N = 60, male 86.7%) completed the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Sensory Responsiveness Questionnaire-Intensity Scale (SRQ-IS), followed by a psychophysical auditory battery, the Battery of Averseness to Sounds (BAS)-Revised. RESULTS: The SUD group scored higher on the PSQ (P < 0.0001), BAS-R aversiveness (P < 0.0001), BAS-R-unpleasantness (P < 0.0001), and on the aftersensation of auditory aversiveness (P < 0.0001) and unpleasantness (P < 0.000). Fifty-four percent of the SUD group vs 11.7% of the control group were identified as having sensory modulation dysfunction (SMD; P < 0.0001). Logistic regression modeling revealed that the SRQ-IS-Aversive score had a stronger relationship, indicating a 12.6-times odds ratio for SUD (P = 0.0002). Finally, a risk score calculated from a linear combination of the logistic regression model parameters is presented based on the PSQ and SRQ. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to explore sensory and aversive domains using experimental and self-reporting in situ, revealing pain perception alteration that co-occurs with high prevalence of SMD, specifically of the over-responsive type. Findings may be significant in clinical practice for treating pain, and for expanding therapeutic modalities as part of broader rehabilitation in TC and beyond, to better meet personalized therapy.

Cognitive Impairments in Abstinent Male Residents of a Therapeutic Community for Substance-Use Disorders: A Five-Year Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Prior studies of residual cognitive deficits in abstinent substance-use disorder (SUD) patients, exhibited conflicting reports and a substantial patient selection bias. The aim of this study was to test the cognitive function of a sample of chronic abstinent SUD patients in a therapeutic-community. METHODS: The IntegNeuroTM cognitive test battery was used for a retrospective cross-sectional study of cognitive functioning of an unselected sample (n = 105) of abstinent male residents of a therapeutic-community. The results were compared to a large age-, gender-, and education-matched normative cohort. RESULTS: A significant negative deviance from the normal cohorts' mean was present in most of the cognitive test results and in all the cognitive domains that were tested. The most substantial deficit was found in the executive function domain (d = 1.02, 95%CI (±0.11)). Correct identification of facial emotions was significantly lower selectively in expressions of disgust and sadness. Substance-use starting at an early age (12.4 ± 0.8 years) was associated with lower performance in tests of sustained attention and impulsivity as well as with varied ability to identify correctly "negative" emotions in the emotion identification domain. CONCLUSIONS: This 5-year retrospective study demonstrates substantial cognitive impairments in an unselected sample of abstinent SUD patients. Impairment in multiple cognitive domains may lower the probability for remission and successful social integration. Early-age substance initiation may be associated with larger impairments in cognitive performance.

Alcoholic Liver Disease: Role of Cytokines.

The present review spans a broad spectrum of topics dealing with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), including clinical and translational research. It focuses on the role of the immune system and the signaling pathways of cytokines in the pathogenesis of ALD. An additional factor that contributes to the pathogenesis of ALD is lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which plays a central role in the induction of steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in the liver. LPS derived from the intestinal microbiota enters the portal circulation, and is recognized by macrophages (Kupffer cells) and hepatocytes. In individuals with ALD, excessive levels of LPS in the liver affect immune, parenchymal, and non-immune cells, which in turn release various inflammatory cytokines and recruit neutrophils and other inflammatory cells. In this review, we elucidate the mechanisms by which alcohol contributes to the activation of Kupffer cells and the inflammatory cascade. The role of the stellate cells in fibrogenesis is also discussed.

Alcoholic liver disease: Clinical and translational research.

The present review spans a broad spectrum of topics dealing with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), including clinical research, translational research, pathogenesis and therapies. A special accent is placed on alcohol misuse, as alcohol is a legally commercialized and taxable product. Drinking alcohol, particularly from a young age, is a major health problem. Alcoholism is known to contribute to morbidity and mortality. A systematic literature search was performed in order to obtain updated data (2008-2015). The review is focused on genetic polymorphisms of alcohol metabolizing enzymes and the role of cytochrome p450 2E1 and iron in ALD. Alcohol-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis is also discussed in the presence or absence of co-morbidities such as viral hepatitis C as well as therapeutic the role of innate immunity in ALD-HCV. Moreover, emphasis was placed on alcohol and drug interactions, as well as liver transplantation for end-stage ALD. Finally, the time came to eradicate alcohol-induced liver and intestinal damage by using betaine.

["Injecting clean or being clean?" The international and Israeli experiences of Syringe Exchange Programs among injecting drug users].

Injecting drug users (IDU) are a hard-to-reach population. The treatment objectives are to reduce their risk factors, to guide them to total abstinence or to antagonist treatment. When IDU are not ready for detoxification, they are referred to Syringe Exchange Programs (SEP). The objective of SEP is harm reduction of blood-borne viruses (of HIV, HBV, HCV). The authors aimed to define the issues related to harm reduction, to discuss the results of SEP in the world, and to describe our experience. We analyzed the world literature and our experience. In this article, we describe the rehabilitation school of thought (which supports complete drug abstinence), the harm reduction school of thought (which refers to drug addiction as a chronic disease), and the possible continuum between these two schools of thought. The AIDS pandemic and the epidemiology of world drug addiction by injection are described, together with the principles of SEP and their evaluation in the world. In addition, we describe drug use in Israel and HIV infection among IDU. Finally, we analyze our preliminary results of the SEP pilot in Israel, during the years 2004-2005, and included 462 IDUs. In conclusion, considering the difficulties that exist with IDUs, most articles emphasize the importance of SEP in this population while sometimes also expressing its effectiveness in preventing transmissions of blood-borne viruses. In Israel, a pilot project has existed since the end of 2003, and has expanded progressively to three cities. An overall evaluation of this program is under preparation.

Psychological symptoms and drug use severity among Israeli adolescents presenting for outpatient drug abuse treatment.

The objective of this study was to assess the rates of externalizing and internalizing symptoms, and the relation between psychological symptoms and drug use severity, among 117 Israeli adolescents presenting for outpatient drug abuse treatment. Psychological symptoms were assessed via both adolescent self-report and parent report. Drug use was assessed using both adolescent self-report and urinalysis. Results showed that 58% of the sample evidenced clinical levels of psychological symptoms, with girls evidencing higher rates of externalizing and mixed symptomatology than boys. Parents' report of adolescents' internalizing symptoms predicted severity of drug use. These findings suggest that treatment for this population should be multidimensional, and address not only drug use per se, but also psychological risk factors.