Alcoholism in MMT Patients

Alcohol use problem among patients in methadone maintenance treatment in Taiwan. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2011 Mar;40(2):142-9.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21036515

PARTICIPANTS:

Study population included 438 patients who underwent more than 6 months of MMT.

MEASUREMENTS:

Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected for each patient prior to treatment, and treatment-related variables were collected during treatment process. Hazardous drinking, alcohol abuse, and dependence were measured using a Chinese version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and by measuring breath alcohol concentration.

FINDINGS:

The prevalence rates of alcohol use problems, indicated by hazardous drinking are 31.4%. The protective predictors of alcohol use problems among MMT patients include an attendance rate of more than 90% (odds ratio [OR] = 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30-0.97) and being older than 36 years (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.27-0.86), and alcohol drinking problem at intake of study is a risk factor (OR = 5.30, 95% CI = 2.87-9.76).

Quality of Life (QOL) in MMT Patients

Change in quality of life and its predictors in heroin users receiving methadone maintenance treatment in Taiwan: an 18-month follow-up study. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2012 May;38(3):213-9.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22352836

METHODS:

A total of 368 intravenous heroin users receiving MMT in southern Taiwan between 2007 and 2008 were interviewed using the Taiwan version of the Brief Version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) at baseline and after 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months of treatment. Demographic and substance-use characteristics, severity of heroin use, HIV serostatus, criminal record, and family function data were collected during baseline interviews. Data on methadone dosage at each follow-up point and the duration of retention in the MMT program were also collected.

RESULTS:

Improvement in QOL was rapid during the first 3 months after initiation of MMT and slowed beyond the 3-month point. A higher dosage of methadone predicted a better QOL. In addition, longer retention in the program may be associated with a better QOL.

HIV Infection Risk in MMT Patients

HIV Infection Risk among Injection Drug Users in a Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program, Taipei, Taiwan 2007-2010. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2012 Nov;38(6):544-50.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22783806

Methods: Data from intake interviews and HIV testing completed by IDUs upon admission to the Taipei City Hospital MMTP in 2007-2010 were included in this analysis. HIV testing was repeated semi-annually among maintained clients who were HIV-negative during MMTP admission.

Results: Of 1444 IDUs admitted, 85.9% were male, median age was 40 years, and mean years of injecting was 14.3 (range: 1-64). The prevalence of HIV, HCV, and HIV/HCV co-infection was 13.4%, 91.1%, and 13.2%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, HIV infection was associated with sharing syringes during the 6 months prior to admission (OR = 14.76, 95% CI 10.31-21.13), homelessness (OR = 6.46, 95% CI 1.49-28.00), and lifetime number of MMTP admissions (OR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.30-2.38) and times incarcerated (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.18). HIV seroincidence was 1.15/100 person-years at risk (95% CI .62-8.77/100 PY) among IDUs who were HIV-negative at first admission.

sexual dysfunction methadone

Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2011 Aug;36(8):739-43. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7347.2011.08.007.

Sexual function of 612 male addicts treated by methadone.

Zhang Y, Wang P, Ma Z, Xu Z, Li Y.

alcohol gene fMRI

• rs3771863, rs3755459, and rs1106855 predicted BOLD activation in response to alcohol cues in those same reward and reinforcement brain areas, especially in the medial prefrontal cortex, striatum, and insula.
•  rs3771863 also predicted AD symptom count in the SAGE data set and BOLD activation in the mesocorticolimbic pathway response to alcohol cues.

TACR1 Genotypes Predict fMRI Response to Alcohol Cues and Level of Alcohol Dependence.
Blaine S, Claus E, Harlaar N, Hutchison K.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2012 Oct 18. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01923.x. [Epub ahead of print]

publish on scientific journal

• we report results from a large-scale survey of the submission process, covering 923 scientific journals from the biological sciences in years 2006–2008.
•  Manuscript flows among journals revealed a modular submission network, with high-impact journals preferentially attracting submissions. 
• About 75% of published articles were submitted first to the journal that would publish them, and high-impact journals published proportionally more articles that had been resubmitted from another journal. 
• Submission history affected postpublication impact: Resubmissions from other journals received significantly more citations than first-intent submissions, and resubmissions between different journal communities received significantly fewer citations.

Flows of Research Manuscripts Among Scientific Journals Reveal Hidden Submission Patterns
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1227833

cocaine evoked synaptic potentiation

• We find that cocaine potentiates excitatory transmission in D1-receptor-expressing medium-sized spiny neurons (D1R-MSNs) in mice via ERK signalling with a time course that parallels locomotor sensitization
•  Depotentiation of cortical nucleus accumbens inputs by optogenetic stimulation in vivo efficiently restored normal transmission and abolished cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization. 
• These findings establish synaptic potentiiation selectively in D1R-MSNs as a mechanism underlying a core component of addiction, probably by creating an imbalance between distinct populations of MSNs in the nucleus accumbens. 
• Our data also provide proof of principle that reversal of cocaine-evoke synaptic plasticity can treat behavioural alterations caused by addictive drugs and may inspire novel therapeutic approaches involving deep brain stimulation or transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Nature. 2011 Dec 7;481(7379):71-5. doi: 10.1038/nature10709.

Reversal of cocaine-evoked synaptic potentiation resets drug-induced adaptive behaviour.