The relationship between severity of drug problems and perceived interdependence of drug use and sexual intercourse among adult males in drug addiction rehabilitation centers in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Consuming drugs in conjunction with sexual intercourse may shape the perceived interdependence of drug use and sexual intercourse (PIDS). Additionally, the severity of drug problems may have a significant impact on PIDS. However, this relationship remains unverified. Therefore, this study investigates whether the severity of drug problems is associated with PIDS among adult males in drug addiction rehabilitation centers (DARC) in Japan. METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of the "DARC Follow-Up Study in Japan" conducted by the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry in 2016, in which participants from 46 facilities completed a self-report questionnaire. A total of 440 males with drug dependence were included in the analysis. We analyzed participants' demographic characteristics, history of sexually transmitted disease diagnoses, and responses to questions related to drug use (e.g., primary drug use and PIDS). Additionally, we measured the severity of drug problems using the Japanese version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test-20 (DAST-20). RESULTS: The median age of the participants was 42 years. The median DAST-20 score was 14.0, the primary drug was methamphetamine (61.4%) and new psychoactive substances (NPS: 13.6%). Multivariate analysis indicated that participants' experiences with unprotected sexual intercourse ("mostly a non-condom user": adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.410), methamphetamine use (AOR = 3.220), new psychoactive substances use (AOR = 2.744), and the DAST-20 score (AOR = 1.093) were associated with PIDS. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that the frequency of unprotected sexual intercourse under the influence of drugs, methamphetamine and NPS use were strongly associated with PIDS. The severity of drug problems was also significantly associated with PIDS. It is necessary to develop culturally appropriate treatment programs adapted to the needs of patients who experience strong PIDS.

[Efficacy of the Serigaya Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention Program (SMARPP): for patients with drug use disorder: A study on factors influencing 1-year follow-up outcomes].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Serigaya Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention Program (SMARPP), which is the workbook-based group therapy for individuals with drug dependence, through investigating 1-year follow-up outcomes. METHOD AND SUBJECTS: The sample was drawn from 231 outpatients diagnosed as DSM-IV substance use disorder, who had firstly consulted the drug dependence clinic of the Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry between September 2009 and June 2013. Of the 231 potential subjects, 79 had participated in SMARPP at least once, and finally 37 who had continued contact this clinic for more than 1 year after due-day of finishing the first SMARPP course were determined as the subjects. We collected the outcome information retrospectively based on clinical records. RESULT: At the 1-year follow-up point, 67.6% of the subjects had continued abstinent at least for a month, and 60% of them had continued full-abstinent for more than 1 year. One of the factors which influenced their abstinence was "having no experience of using new psychoactive substances" (p = 0.029). As for 70.3% of subjects, drug-use frequency decreased and the only factor for their improvement was "participating in SMARPP many times" (p = 0.040). Of the subjects, 23 patients corresponded to methamphetamine use disorder, and 65.2% of them had continued abstinent at least for a month at the 1-year follow-up point. Additionally, 60% of them had continued full-abstinent for more than 1 year. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated possible effectiveness of SMARPP for patients with drug use disorder, especially methamphetamine-use-disorder. The factors of abstinence or decrease of drug-use frequency may be to participate in SMARPP many times, not to abuse "not illegal" drugs such as new psychoactive substances or hypnotics/anxiolytics and to continue treatment for more than 1 year after due-day of finishing the program.

Impaired neurogenesis in the growth-retarded mouse is reversed by T3 treatment.

Triiodothyronine (T3) regulates neuronal development, and T3 deficiency impairs the formation of the central nervous system during childhood. Here, we used the hypothyroidal growth-retarded (grt) mouse to investigate whether the generation of new neurons is affected by T3 deficiency. Cell proliferation in the hippocampus, as measured by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, was markedly decreased in the grt mouse while the number of BrdU-positive cells in T3-treated grt mice was equivalent to that of wild type mice. The cellular differentiation rate did not differ among the experimental groups. These results suggest that T3 plays an important role during neurogenesis.