More spooky memory research with implications for trauma and addiction: The researchers injected a small protein - a peptide called ZIP - directly into an area of the addicted rats' basal forebrain called the nucleus accumbens, which controls pleasure and reward and which has been demonstrated to be connected to drug addiction. Afterward, the rats … Continue reading Shaking the neurobiological monkey on the back
Category: Research
Tab Dump
Parents of drug addicts need our help - A plea for drug policy depates to consider the needs of parents of addicts. For families carrying the burden of drug dependency, the public and political debate often centres on the rhetoric of how to send the right message to young people. It's an empty argument for those … Continue reading Tab Dump
et tu MI?
Cochrane (The same research group that found AA ineffective [rebuttals here and here], declared stimulants an effective treatment for cocaine addiction and provided oxygen for breathless headlines about the effectiveness of naltrexone for alcohol dependence [rebuttal here].) has done a meta-analysis of motivational interviewing (MI) and found it pretty underwhelming: We included 59 studies with a total of 13,342 participants. Compared … Continue reading et tu MI?
a curious lack of skepticism
The American Scholar has a brutal take-down of the relationship between drug companies and medical journals. Flimsy plastic pens that scream the virtues of Vioxx and articles published in the pages of The New England Journal of Medicine would seem to mark the two poles of medical influence. Scarcely any doctor admits to being influenced by the … Continue reading a curious lack of skepticism
Asking the right questions
Addiction Today recently posted a summary of a 3 year old paper about problems with the focus of existing research on addiction treatment and proposals for new approaches. It makes some very important points. This article lists eight main faults: EXISTING RESEARCH IGNORES ‘outcome equivalence paradox’ EXISTING RESEARCH SACRIFICES RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNIQUE EXISTING RESEARCH IGNORES research … Continue reading Asking the right questions
Grief, love and addiction
On Being's blog draws a link between "complicated grief " (a potential new DSM-V diagnosis) and addiction. UCLA researchers found that grief over losing a loved one can take an extreme form of bereavement, stimulating the part of the brain normally associated with reward and addiction. This is called “complicated grief” and the name alone gives more … Continue reading Grief, love and addiction
A Matter of Interpretation
Stuart Gitlow is underwhelmed by a Cochrane review of naltrexone for alcohol dependence. In the process of dismantling Cochrane's conclusion (Naltrexone appears to be an effective and safe strategy in alcoholism treatment), he questions the value of drink counting. The authors reviewed 50 studies with nearly 7,800 participants. The review summary indicates that more patients … Continue reading A Matter of Interpretation
If the only tool you have is a hammer…
So...the reason for benzo use in methadone programs is untreated anxiety disorders? Important information on epidemiology of BZD misuse among methadone-maintenance patients suggests that most methadone programs do not address co-occurring anxiety problems, and methadone treatment may trigger onset or worsening of BZD misuse. The first few minutes of this video includes a methadone patient … Continue reading If the only tool you have is a hammer…
The Emperor of All Maladies
I've been reading The Emperor of All Maladies and I've been very struck by the parallels between the is philosophical and practical challenges faced by cancer and addiction researchers, advocates and practitioners. One of the pioneers of cancer research, treatment and advocacy faced difficult decisions about whether to disclose his own illness: Proud, guarded, and secretive—reluctant to … Continue reading The Emperor of All Maladies
Does Insite save lives?
Of course it saves some lives. However, that's the wrong question. The right question is whether Insite is the best way to spend $3,000,000 per year to help addicts. Would another approach save as many (or more) lives and have a greater impact on quality of life for addicts, their loved ones and the community? I believe … Continue reading Does Insite save lives?
Recovery Review 