Behavioral Health Central

Cocaine-related deaths rise in warm weather

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:15:00 +0000

In a study published online today in the journal Addiction, researchers in the United States have discovered that accidental overdose deaths involving cocaine rise when the average weekly ambient temperature passes 24 degrees Celsius (75 ° Fahrenheit). Using mortality data from New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for 1990 through 2006, and temperature data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, researchers found that accidental overdose deaths that were wholly or partly attributable to cocaine use rose significantly as the weekly ambient temperature passed 24 degrees Celsius. The number of cocaine-related overdose deaths continued to rise as temperatures continued to climb (see also Wiley-Blackwell ).

Cocaine-related overdose deaths increase as the ambient temperature rises because cocaine increases the core body temperature, impairs the cardiovascular system's ability to cool the body, and decreases the sense of heat-related discomfort that ordinarily motivates people to avoid becoming overheated. Cocaine users...

UM School of Medicine finds prenatal cocaine exposure not severely damaging to growth, learning

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:15:00 +0000

Children exposed to cocaine in the womb face serious consequences from the drug, but fortunately not in certain critical physical and cognitive areas as previously believed, according to a new comprehensive review of research on the subject from scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. When a pregnant woman uses cocaine, it can interrupt the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the baby, putting such children at risk for premature birth, low birth weight and many other problems. The new review of multiple major studies conducted on cocaine-exposed, school-aged children found this negative impact significantly affected children in subtle areas such as sustained attention and self-regulated behavior. The research, however, showed surprisingly little impairment directly from cocaine in key areas such as growth, IQ, academic achievement and language functioning (see also University of Maryland Medical Center ).

Many of the children did have low IQ and poor academic and language achievement. The...

Cocaine deaths linked to warmer weather

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:07:00 +0000

U.S. researchers say accidental deaths from cocaine overdose go up when outdoor temperatures get warmer.

Researchers at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor found the death rate from accidental cocaine overdose in New York City went up significantly when the average weekly ambient temperature was greater than 75 degrees Fahrenheit, or 24 degrees Celsius. The number of deaths related to overdoses of cocaine -- which causes body core temperatures to rise -- continued to rise with temperature climbs.

The study, published online in the journal Addiction, corrects previous research relating increases in cocaine deaths to temperatures higher than 87.9 degrees Fahrenheit -- the temperature increase is much lower at 75 degrees F. Average weekly temperature in New York City is above 75 degrees Fahrenheit about seven weeks per year.

"Cocaine users are at a high risk for a number of negative health outcomes and need public health attention, particularly when the...

Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners and the National Institute on Drug Abuse Plan to Initiate U.S. ...

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:21:00 +0000

Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. (NasdaqCM: CPRX) announced that it has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to conduct a U.S. Phase II(b) clinical trial evaluating CPP-109, Catalyst's formulation of vigabatrin, for the treatment of cocaine addiction. It is anticipated that NIDA, under their agreement with Veteran's Administration Cooperative Studies Program, will provide substantial resources for the trial and that Catalyst will contribute approximately $2.5 million in resources as part of the estimated $10 million trial cost (see also Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. ).

"We believe that support from NIDA further validates our enthusiasm of the potential for CPP-109 to help solve the global problem of cocaine addiction," said Patrick J. McEnany, Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst. "We are very pleased to be working with NIDA and look forward to their participation, financial support and guidance in this study as we advance the development of this...

Surge in cocaine use leads to new review

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:01:00 +0000

The UK's drug advisers are to review the effects of cocaine after describing as "deeply concerning" figures showing big jumps in its usage.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) said use of the "very harmful" drug had increased five-fold among 16 to 59-year-olds during the past 12 years and the purity of street samples had decreased.

Writing to the Home Secretary, the council's chairman Professor Les Iversen said he hoped his review would "counteract the increasingly common misapprehension that cocaine is a relatively safe drug".

His letter cites recent British Crime Survey statistics showing that 6.6% of 16 to 24-year-olds used cocaine last year, compared to 1.3% in 1996.

Prof Iversen - whose predecessor Professor David Nutt was sacked last year for criticising government drug policy - said that he did not expect the report to result in a call for a change in the classification of cocaine's existing Class...

Research reports on cocaine therapy from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, ...

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Researchers detail in 'DeltaFosB induction in orbitofrontal cortex potentiates locomotor sensitization despite attenuating the cognitive dysfunction caused by cocaine,' new data in cocaine therapy. According to a study from the United States, "The effects of addictive drugs change with repeated use: many individuals become tolerant of their pleasurable effects but also more sensitive to negative sequelae (e.g., anxiety, paranoia, and drug craving). Understanding the mechanisms underlying such tolerance and sensitization may provide valuable insight into the basis of drug dependency and addiction."

"We have recently shown that chronic cocaine administration reduces the ability of an acute injection of cocaine to affect impulsivity in rats. However, animals become more impulsive during withdrawal from cocaine self-administration. We have also shown that chronic administration of cocaine increases expression of the transcription factor DeltaFosB in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Mimicking this drug-induced elevation in OFC DeltaFosB through viral-mediated gene transfer mimics these behavioural changes:...

Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners and The National Institute on Drug Abuse Plan to Initiate U.S. ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:03:00 +0000

CORAL GABLES, Fla., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. (NasdaqCM: CPRX) announced today that it has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to conduct a U.S. Phase II(b) clinical trial evaluating CPP-109, Catalyst's formulation of vigabatrin, for the treatment of cocaine addiction. It is anticipated that NIDA, under their agreement with Veteran's Administration Cooperative Studies Program, will provide substantial resources for the trial and that Catalyst will contribute approximately $2.5 million in resources as part of the estimated $10 million trial cost.

Lindsay Lohan admits cocaine use

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Washington, Feb 23 (ANI): Lindsay Lohan has admitted using cocaine and visiting rehabs thrice.

The 'Mean Girls' star confessed she had almost killed herself with mix of alcohol and cocaine after her father started talking about her drugs habit to the press in 2007.

"When my father was going public, that's when I hit rock bottom," Fox News quoted her as telling The Sun.

She added: "I tried to mask my problems with alcohol, cocaine and mind-altering substances. I ran myself down and lost track of who I was."

Recollecting her May 2007 arrest for DUI (driving under the influence) and possession of cocaine, she said: "I just thank God everyone was okay. But it was scary. I had three drinks, at most. I've been stupid and childish and I wasn't thinking."

Lohan insists she has now got rid of her addiction.

She said: "I've made some dreadful mistakes but learned from them - that...

Drugs use doubled over the past three years

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Author: Helen Christophi

THE PERCENTAGE of cocaine and cannabis users in Cyprus doubled between 2006 and 2009 with more women using, and a hike from zero to 1.6 per cent in the 55-64 age group taking up cannabis, it emerged yesterday.

The statistics were released yesterday in the second annual Pancyprian General Population Survey on Tobacco, Alcohol and other Psychoactive Substances compiled by the Cyprus Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EKTEPN).

The survey randomly sampled 3,500 people, 45 per cent male and 55 per cent female, aged 15 to 64 years, and focused on the nature of the use of cannabis, ecstasy, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and LSD between 2006 and 2009.

According to the...

New Study Reveals A Killer Combination of Abused Substances

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:24:00 +0000

Substance abuse by itself is bad enough in that it can lead to addiction or arrest. But in some situations, drug abuse leads to sudden death. A study just released by the Institute of Legal Medicine in Seville, Spain, discovered a combination of factors that resulted in death for twenty-one drug abusers. These deaths weren't caused by drug overdoses - it was the fatal combination of drugs that ended these lives.

The Spanish study set out to determine factors involved in sudden deaths in southwest Spain between 2003 and 2006. Through autopsies and toxicology reports, the study determined that in three percent of sudden deaths, a fatal combination of cocaine, alcohol and tobacco use caused sudden death. Among these cocaine-related deaths, 76 percent had also used alcohol at the time of death, and 81 percent were smokers.

It's long been known that cocaine places stresses on one's heart, a fact tragically...

Drug dealer convicted in 2004 slaying: Woman was stabbed and strangled after buying crack ...

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:15:00 +0000

Feb. 5--Former crack cocaine dealer Michael Jones was convicted Thursday of stabbing and strangling a female customer six years ago in Salt Lake City.

The victim's mother burst into tears as the verdict was read by a 3rd District Court clerk.

"I've waited six years for justice," Frances Nilson said later.

Jones, who now faces up to life in prison, initially appeared to have no reaction. Moments later, he leaned over and put his head in his hands.

A jury of four men and four women deliberated 3 1/2 hours before finding Jones guilty of first-degree felony counts of murder and aggravated robbery, and one count of second-degree felony drug distribution.

Jones, 43, is scheduled for sentencing April 16 before Judge Michele Christiansen. He faces up to life in prison.

On Feb. 23, 2004, Tara Cassandra Brennan, 28, was strangled with a belt and her throat was slashed. Her body was found the next...

Cocaine or ecstasy consumption during adolescence ups addiction risk

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Washington, Feb 5 (ANI): A new study from the University of Valencia (UV) has shown that exposure to ecstasy or cocaine during adolescence increases the 'reinforcing effects' that make people vulnerable to developing an addiction.

"Although MDMA and cocaine are psychoactive substances frequently used by teenagers, very few studies have been done to analyze the short and long-term consequences of joint exposure to these drugs," said Jose Minarro, lead author of the study and coordinator of the Psychobiology of Drug Addiction group at the UV.

The study has shown for the first time that exposure to these drugs during adolescence leads to long-lasting changes that increase the reinforcing power of ecstasy or MDMA, and which last until adulthood.

To reach the conclusion, the researchers studied the joint consumption of different drugs in order to carry out an in-depth examination into the effects of this interaction.

They administered MDMA, cocaine and saline solution...

Charlie Wilson goes from homeless to Grammy nods

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:30:00 +0000

ATLANTA, Georgia_Over the years, the Grammys have served as a backdrop for heart-tugging comeback stories. If Charlie Wilson should win on Sunday either of the awards he has been nominated for, it would mark one of the more unusual ones: a resurgence after a series of setbacks, including two years homeless.

"People really don't know how I laid in the streets," Wilson said. "From that to this, I cried when they told me I had a Grammy nomination. It still doesn't seem real to me, because so many doors have been shut on me so many times. ... Everything was derailed."

Wilson has one of the most recognizable voices in R&B; his crisp tenor anchored hits like "Outstanding" and "You Dropped the Bomb on Me" as lead singer of the Gap Band in the early 1980s. The group, which included brothers Ronnie and Robert, were among the top R&B acts in...

Study Reveals More Details on the Mechanics of Cocaine Addiction

Dennis Miller — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:28:28 +0000

radio/audio/Ian_Maze_011910.mp3 Click here to listen to the audio.

By Dennis Miller, BHC Senior Writer

A new study provides important clues about the mechanism behind cocaine addiction, and may offer new avenues for pharmacologic treatment. The study, published in the journal Science, reveals genetic changes which can occur in the brain as a result of repeated exposure to cocaine. The study’s results join a growing body of research in the relatively new branch of science called epigenetics, which explores how lifestyle and environmental effects may change gene expression over time.

The research team was lead by Ian Maze, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Neuroscience at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. “We identified a gene known as G9a whose job is basically to maintain homeostatic levels of the gene expression in cells,” Maze explains. “Following a single dose of cocaine, you have increased expression of this particular gene and protein, G9a....

BHC News Brief: New Research Helps Explain Cocaine’s Addictiveness

Dennis Miller — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:03:53 +0000

A new study published in the journal Science offers new insight into the mechanism behind cocaine’s addictiveness. The research, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), points to an epigenetic mechanism of the brain to explain cocaine's addictive effect. Epigenetics is a fairly new avenue of scientific research which looks at changes to gene expression. Such changes are believed to be triggered by environmental factors, such as diet, drugs and toxins.

In the study, researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine gave a group of mice repeated doses of cocaine. Another group receieved saline doses with a final dose of cocaine. The intent was to see how the effects of repeated exposure to cocaine differs from one-time exposure. The researchers found that cocaine alters pleasure circuits in the brain by repressing the G9A enzyme, an important regulator of epigenetic control of gene expression. When the researchers reversed the...

Researchers look for clues to explain cocaine's addictiveness [BC-MED-COCAINE:LA]

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:46:00 +0000

A clue to explain how cocaine becomes addictive has emerged and may lead to new ways to treat the addiction.

Research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows that an epigenetic mechanism in the brain helps explain cocaine's addictiveness. Epigenetics is a hot, new branch of science that focuses on changes to gene expression even though a gene's sequence remains unchanged. Epigenetic changes are thought to be largely triggered by environmental factors, such as diet, substance abuse and toxic exposures.

In a study using mice, researchers led by Dr. Eric J. Nestler of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York gave one group of mice repeated doses of cocaine and another group repeated doses of saline with a final dose of cocaine to determine how the effects of repeated cocaine exposure differ from one-time exposure. They found that one mechanism by which cocaine alters the pleasure circuits in...

State officials warn of laced cocaine [Times-Standard, Eureka, Calif.]

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:03:00 +0000

Jan. 6--State health officials are warning drug programs across California to be on the lookout for cocaine laced with a pet de-worming drug that can cause serious immune system problems when ingested by humans.

The California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs recently issued a public health alert warning that levamisole -- an anti-parasitic drug used by veterinarians -- is increasingly being found in illicit cocaine, warning that it can cause major health problems. When ingested by humans, levamisole can severely reduce the number of white blood cells in the body, leading to an acute condition called agranulocytosis and greatly reducing the body's ability to fight off infections.

"Ingesting cocaine mixed with levamisole suppresses immune function and the body's ability to fight off even minor infections," the alert states. "People who snort, smoke, or inject crack or powder cocaine contaminated by levamisole can experience overwhelming, rapidly developing, life-threatening infections."

Heather Muller, spokeswoman...

BHC News Brief: Deep Brain Stimulation Investigated for Cocaine Addiction

Dennis Miller — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:41:37 +0000

A team of French researchers is investigating electrical stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) as a potential treatment for cocaine addiction.

Previous attempts to treat cocaine addiction by manipulating the dopamine system of the brain have produced mixed results, with side effects negatively impacting basic functions such as appetite. The French team, in a study recently published online [PDF] in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that direct stimulation of the STN may offer a superior approach to distinguishing between healthy behaviors that should prompt a dopamine reward with drug abuse, which should not.

The French scientists have previously demonstrated that inducing a lesion in the STN region of the brain in laboratory can suppress the desire for cocaine while preserving appetites. The new study shows that deep brain stimulation may produce the same results without the permanent damage associated with lesion induction.

Deep brain stimulation is already used today to...

BHC News Brief: Researchers to Study Cocaine and Amphetamine Addiction From a Cellular Level

Dennis Miller — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:40:58 +0000

Researchers at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh have received more than $2.4 million in federal funds to research potential drugs for cocaine and amphetamine addiction.

The researchers plan to examine addiction at the cellular level to determine how cocaine and amphetamines bind to the dopamine transporter, which is a protein that transports the neurotransmitter dopamine across membranes. They say their aim is to see if it might be possible to develop medications that would block the effects of cocaine and amphetamines.

The three researchers are Christopher Surratt, an Associate Professor and Division Head of Pharmaceutical Sciences; David Lapinsky, an Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry; and Jeffry Madura, Chair of the Chemistry Department, all at Duquesne University. Each has received grants from the National Institutes of Health for the multi-year project. The collaboration is considered somewhat unique since all are at one university, while such research is usually performed across multiple campuses.

Brazil launches national campaign against use of crack

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:52:00 +0000

BRASILIA, Dec 16, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The sharp increase in crack consumption in Brazil has prompted the Ministry of Health to launch on Wednesday a National Campaign to Alert and Prevent the Use of Crack.

The government's goal is to make young people aware of the high power of dependence, the great difficulty of recovery, and the risk of death because of crack, a very cheap drug that is a byproduct of cocaine.

The campaign started on Wednesday and will last through Jan. 31 on TV, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines and the Internet.

The target audience is young people aged from 15 to 29, from all social classes. The alert will also serve for parents, educators and opinion leaders in general.

"Crack has a devastating effect on the brain, destroying neurons and leaving the user vulnerable, with serious consequences for the individual and people they live with," said Jose Temporao, the Minister of Health, after a presentation ceremony of the campaign.

He also said the...

Heart Attack Map: Half of Cocaine Users Test Positive to Cocaethylene

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:00:00 +0000

LONDON, December 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Cocaethylene, a heart attack inducing chemical formed in the liver when cocaine and alcohol are mixed, is present in 45% of cocaine users according to Trimega Laboratories.

The chemical, thought to be responsible for an increase in heart attacks among under 40s, builds up over a number of years in the livers of those who drink alcohol excessively whilst taking cocaine. In terms of lethality, cocaethylene has been shown in mice to be more potent than cocaine or alcohol by exerting more cardiovascular toxicity than either drug alone.

By screening for substance abuse in the hair samples of 1,728 donors nationwide, Trimega Laboratories found cocaine to be present in 20% (344) of samples. Out of those testing positive to cocaine, 45% also tested positive to cocaethylene. Whilst there were too few samples to provide a meaningful analysis for Scotland & Wales, there were some distinct regional variations within England.

Presence of cocaethylene in cocaine...

Prince Charles' harpist was hooked on heroin, crack cocaine

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:01:00 +0000

London, Dec 3 (ANI): Prince Charles' former official harpist has confessed to a court that she was hooked on heroin and crack cocaine while performing for the Royal Family.

Jemima Phillips, 28, played at Charles and Camilla's wedding and many royal engagements.

And she performed at a Buckingham Palace reception hosted by the Queen for the 2012 Olympic Games bid.

Phillips is on trial accused of committing a series of burglaries with a boyfriend.

She told Gloucester Crown Court that her drug problem had started even before she began a stint as official harpist to the heir to the throne in July 2004.

Philips was weeping throughout her evidence.

"I took over as royal harpist. Even then my drug problem had started," the Daily Express quoted the musician as saying.

"Sometimes I would just play background music...

Fruit flies may offer drug addiction treatment

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:01:00 +0000

Washington, Dec 3 (ANI): Scientists suggest that fruit flies can prove to be an effective research model for studying the effects of cocaine and other drugs abuse on the brain.

Andrew Ewing and colleagues note that laboratory mice, rats, and monkeys have been mainstays in research with the ultimate goal of finding effective medicines for treating addiction.

Although these mammals have helped establish the behavioural effects of cocaine on the body, they provide relatively complicated models to study the effects of cocaine and other illicit drugs on the brain and nerves.

In the hope for a new simpler animal model they turned to fruit flies, which have many biological similarities to mammals, but are easier to study.

The scientists confirmed that use of fruit...

Here's why some people can't quit cocaine

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:01:00 +0000

Washington, Nov 20 (ANI): A new study from University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) sheds light on why some people fall back into drugs despite undergoing a treatment.

It shows that, in the case of cocaine, a high score on the so-called 'scale of craving', an antisocial personality type and previous heroin abuse are the factors most commonly involved in people falling back into the habit.

Lead researcher Ana Lopez told SINC that the objectives of the new study were: "To understand the factors linked to treatment outcomes, in order to help people get the right kind of treatment, reduce their chances of abandoning the treatment, ensure they stop using drugs and...

Study shows seizure drug curbs cocaine use

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0000

U.S. researchers say a placebo-controlled, double-blind study has shown vigabatrin, an anti-convulsant drug, also reduces people's use of cocaine and alcohol.

Medical researchers led by Stephen Dewey at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and Dr. Jonathan Brodie of New York University School of Medicine recruited parolees who were cocaine dependent, each using an average of two grams of cocaine daily for nine years.

While half the participants in the study received a placebo powder mixed into their juice each day, half got a powder containing vigabatrin. After three months, 14 of the 50 study participants who got vigabatrin each day were able to abstain from cocaine use during the final three weeks of the study, compared with only 4 of the 53 who received the placebo.

The scientists said use of cocaine was detected by twice-weekly urine tests. Those who got the vigabatrin were also far more likely to report abstinence...