Substance Abuse
The latest information on addiction, alcoholism, opioids, psychotherapy, and more, drawn from across our primary care and specialty care areas. Sign up now for monthly e-mail alerts on new content.
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Alcohol Sensitivity and Mood Disorder
- May 14, 2012
- Barbara Geller, MD
- Psychiatry
Young adults with bipolar features expect more pleasant effects from alcohol intake but have lower "highs" than controls.
- Reviewing:
- Yip SW et al. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012 Apr 11
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Cannabis: Cognitive and Neuroanatomical Effects and Risks
- May 14, 2012
- Steven Dubovsky, MD
- Psychiatry
THC's effects on working memory are similar to schizophrenia, and prefrontal brain volume may predict cannabis use.
- Reviewing:
- Bossong MG et al. Biol Psychiatry 2012 Apr 15; 71:693
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Deaths from Unintentional Injury Are Declining Among U.S. ChildrenFree
But certain types of injury-related mortality are on the rise.
- Reviewing:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2012 Apr 20; 61:270
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Youth with Chronic Pain and Mental Health Disorders Are at Risk for Long-Term Opioid Use
Knowledge of a preexisting mental health diagnosis calls for judicious prescribing of opioids and careful monitoring of refills.
- Reviewing:
- Richardson LP et al. J Adolesc Health 2012 Feb 28
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Exposure to Alcohol Use by Parents and in Movies Correlates with Onset of Adolescent Drinking
- April 4, 2012
- Alain Joffe, MD, MPH, FAAP
- Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
But only exposure in movies predicts transition to binge drinking.
- Reviewing:
- Stoolmiller M et al. BMJ Open 2012 Feb 20
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Naltrexone Implants for Polydrug Dependence
- April 2, 2012
- Joel Yager, MD
- Psychiatry
In a randomized, controlled trial, naltrexone implants decreased both heroin and amphetamine use.
- Reviewing:
- Tiihonen J et al. Am J Psychiatry 2012 Feb 17
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Long-Term Opioid Analgesic Use After Low-Risk Surgery May Be Common
- March 27, 2012
- Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
- General Medicine
The likelihood of receiving an opioid prescription 1 year later was almost 50% greater if opioids had been prescribed postoperatively.
- Reviewing:
- Alam A et al. Arch Intern Med 2012 Mar 12; 172:425
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
A Snapshot of HIV Infection Among Injection-Drug Users in the U.S.
- March 26, 2012
- Carlos del Rio, MD
- HIV/AIDS Clinical Care
Despite ongoing high-risk behavior, the prevalence of HIV infection among injection-drug users is about half of what it was a decade ago.
- Reviewing:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2012 Mar 2; 61:133
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Nature and Nurture in Suicide Attempts
- March 12, 2012
- Joel Yager, MD
- Psychiatry
In adoptees, the risk for suicidality was increased with the combination of suicidality in the biological parent and psychiatric hospitalization in the adoptive mother. CME
- Reviewing:
- Wilcox HC et al. Am J Psychiatry 2012 Feb 7
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Which Comes First: Depression or Risk Behaviors?
- March 7, 2012
- Alain Joffe, MD, MPH, FAAP
- Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Depressive symptoms precede increases in adolescent use of tobacco, marijuana, and hard drugs but not alcohol. CME
- Reviewing:
- Hooshmand S et al. J Adolesc Health 2012 Feb; 50:140
