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Systematic Scoping Review of Black Participants in CTN Research Reveals Important Racial/Ethnic Differences and Untapped Opportunities
Black individuals experience a disproportionate burden of substance use-related disabilities and premature death, and Blacks with more severe substance use problems are less likely than Whites to receive treatment.
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Mutual-Help Attendance Has Additive Benefit for Those Receiving Agonist Treatment for Prescription Opioid Dependence
The Prescription Opioid Addiction Treatment Study (POATS), carried out as part of the NIDA Clinical Trials…
Quality Framework for Emergency Department Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
- Summary: Emergency departments (EDs) are a key point of access to medical care for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). This paper describes a quality improvement framework for EDs that could help standardize care, reduce care inequities, and improve outcomes for patients with OUD.…
Fine-Tuning Naltrexone Treatment for Alcoholics
- In 1994, the Food and Drug Administration approved naltrexone for the treatment of alcoholism
- It has since proven to be highly effective for many in recovery, but it does not work for everyone
- A recent study has found that individual metabolism may be a factor in…
Alcohol and the Human Fetal Brain
- The first step in the metabolism of alcohol is its conversion to acetaldehyde (AcHO)
- AcHO is a highly reactive and toxic chemical that can damage the cells of all living things
- In adults, AcHO is blocked from entering the brain
- The prenatal brain may metabolize…
Measuring Alcohol Levels in Breath, Blood … and Now the Brain
- The brain is a critical organ system through which alcohol’s effects can lead to intoxication, tolerance and dependence
- Scientists have found a new means to measure directly alcohol concentrations throughout the brain
- The technology is called proton (1H)…
The Little Protein That Could
- A tiny protein called metallothionein (MT) may protect against alcohol’s neurotoxic effects
- The brain can make more of these proteins in response to alcohol consumption
- One of an individual’s different responses to alcohol may be related to his or her MT levels …
“Falling Down Drunk” Is Not a Laughing Matter
- Excessive alcohol consumption clearly has a deleterious effect on brain structure and function
- Gait and balance, followed by visuospatial abilities, show the greatest alcohol-related deficits
- Two principal neural systems, the cerebellar-frontal and the corticocortical…
Some Alcoholics May Self-Medicate With Carbohydrates Between Drinks
- Alcoholics have reduced levels of serotonin, a brain chemical
- Alcohol increases serotonin levels, as do carbohydrates
- Those alcoholics with high cravings for carbohydrates have a unique response to specific diets
- Carbohydrate craving may be an important clue in…