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Tag Archives: the-development

Scientists gleam further insight into alcohol’s effect on brain reward system

Further insight into the effect of alcohol on the brain's reward system has been reported in the journal of Science Translational Medicine. It found alcohol effects the orbitofrontal cortex and results in a release of endorphins, previously only proven in animal studies.

Injecting drug use via femoral vein puncture: Preliminary findings of a point-of-care ultrasound service for opioid-dependent groin injectors in…

Background: Within the UK, injecting in the femoral vein (FV), often called ‘groin injecting’, is a serious cause of risk and harm. This study aimed to use ultrasound scanning as a means to engage groin injectors (GIs), examine their femoral injecting sites and assess their venous health, with the intention of developing improved responses. Methods: Between September 2006 and March 2009, GIs attending a network of community drug treatment centres in South East England were invited to attend an ultrasound ‘health-check’ clinic.

How The Brain Puts The Brakes On The Negative Impact Of Cocaine

Research published by Cell Press in the journal Neuron provides fascinating insight into a newly discovered brain mechanism that limits the rewarding impact of cocaine. The study describes protective delayed mechanism that turns off the genes that support the development of addiction-related behaviors…

The Soviet doctor and the treatment of drug addiction: "A difficult and most ungracious task"

This paper reviews the development of early Soviet drug treatment approaches by focusing on the struggle for disciplinary power between leading social and mental hygienists and clinical psychiatrists as a defining moment for Soviet drug treatment speciality that became known as “narcology.” From this vantage point, I engage in the examination of the rise and fall of various treatment methods and conceptualizations of addiction in Russian metropolitan centres and look at how they were imported (or not) to other Soviet republics.

DH announce new details for Public Health England & the transfer of public health to Local Authorities

The Department of Health (DH) have released a suite of fact-sheets about the new public health system promised as part of the NHS Reforms . This includes further details of the responsibilities of local government and the operating model for the new Public Health England (PHE), following the Public Health white paper . Public Health England (PHE) will be an executive agency of DH taking national leadership for public health issues

Protect children from alcohol misuse: Turning Point call for early intervention

The health and social care provider Turning Point has said alcohol misuse within families is an escalating concern in its new report “Bottling it up: the next generation” . It says early screening and identification of families is needed urgently to prevent the ‘inter-generational cycle’ of alcohol misuse which blights the lives of children and undermines their life chances.

Link Between Cannabinoid Receptor 1 And Dependence On Alcohol And Other Substances

While researchers know that genetic factors play an important role in the development of alcohol dependence (AD), it is challenging to discover which particular genes may be involved. Prior evidence had established that the endogenous cannabinoid system is implicated in AD, with cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) appearing to be the main candidate…

Harm reduction for the supply-side: Its time has come

In their article put to rigorous scrutiny the highly relevant question of whether the harm reduction concept could be usefully applied to supply-oriented policies. The question itself is not new.

Association Discovered Between Childhood ADHD And Substance Abuse Risk

Analysis of data from two long-term studies of the impact of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on the development of psychiatric disorders in young adults confirms that ADHD alone significantly increases the risk of cigarette smoking and substance abuse in both boys and girls…

British American Tobacco establishes stand-alone company, Nicoventures Limited

British American Tobacco confirmed today that it has established a start-up company, Nicoventures Limited, that will focus exclusively on the development and commercialisation of innovative regulatory approved nicotine products. Nicoventures, a stand-alone company which will be managed separately from the Group’s tobacco businesses, aims to provide adult smokers with a range of alternative products – currently unavailable on the market – that will offer them much of the experience they expect to get from a cigarette but without the real and serious health risks of smoking. The creation of Nicoventures is a natural extension of British American Tobacco’s approach to tobacco harm reduction that has been developed over a number of years.