Substance Abuse News and Research

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European approval of Cymbalta/Xeristar for treatment of major depressive episodes

Eli Lilly and Company and Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that Cymbalta/Xeristar (duloxetine hydrochloride)(+) has been granted marketing authorization by the European Commission for the treatment of major depressive episodes.

5 Jan 2005

Mutant gene that starves the brain of serotonin 10 times more prevalent in depressed patients

A mutant gene that starves the brain of serotonin, a mood-regulating chemical messenger, has been discovered and found to be 10 times more prevalent in depressed patients than in control subjects, report researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

21 Dec 2004

Emergency room patients with substance abuse treatment need incur higher health care costs

Emergency department patients with unmet substance abuse treatment need generate much higher hospital and emergency department charges than patients without such need, according to a new study to be published today as an advance online publication of Annals of Emergency Medicine.

20 Dec 2004

Having a job reduces likelihood of drug use

It's said that "idle hands are the devil's workshop." A pair of University of Houston professors studying employment and drug use now provide support for that proverb.

30 Nov 2004

Capsules may be effective in treating bipolar disorder

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have announced study results finding that a formulation of three-beaded extended-release carbamazepine capsules (ERC-CBZ) was effective, safe and tolerable in the treatment of bipolar I disorder

19 Nov 2004

Large increase in male mentally ill drug abusers

The amount of mentally ill male drug abusers has increased by more than 79% in five years across England and Wales, finds research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

16 Nov 2004

Abbott's investigational anti-interleukin-12 fully human monoclonal antibody in Crohn's disease study

Results of a Phase II study of Abbott's ABT-874, a fully human anti-interleukin-12 (IL-12) monoclonal antibody, will appear tomorrow in the New England Journal of Medicine citing treatment with ABT-874 shows differences in response and remission in patients with active Crohn's disease compared to placebo, in one arm of the study.

10 Nov 2004

Ecstasy use down among America's youth

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) just-released 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reports the number of current ecstasy users decreased between 2002 and 2003, from 676,000 (0.3 percent) to 470,000 (0.2 percent).

4 Nov 2004

Why some anesthesiologists end up abusing drugs

University of Florida researchers have presented a new theory at the 34th annual Society for Neuroscience on why some anesthesiologists end up abusing drugs.

25 Oct 2004

Survey on treatment for schizophrenia sheds new light on what people with schizophrenia feel is important for long-term quality care

Details from a large-scale survey focusing on treatment goals for schizophrenia shed new light on what physicians and people with schizophrenia feel is important for long-term quality care, according to Ronald J. Diamond, M.D., co-author of the study.

13 Oct 2004

New study highlights survey vulnerabilities

Some 8.3 percent of California teens smoke cigarettes. No, wait, make that 4.5 percent. Or is it really 14.2 percent?

12 Oct 2004

Using antidepressant medication to treat people with depression and alcohol or drug abuse is beneficial

A meta-analysis of 14 studies involving patients with co-occurring depression and alcohol or drug abuse suggests that using antidepressant medication to treat people with these disorders is beneficial

6 Oct 2004

New warnings on antidepressants for children and adolescents highlight the need for appropriate treatments for depression

“Taking an antidepressant comes with risks. When deciding whether an antidepressant is right for a son or daughter, parents should discuss with the physician the possible alternatives, including psychotherapy. Research by the National Institute of Mental Health shows that combining talk therapy and an antidepressant is the most effective treatment for teens battling depression,”

29 Sep 2004

Abused or neglected children are more likely to develop heart disease as adults

The study is the first to suggest that ischemic heart disease in adulthood may be a possible long-term consequence of childhood trauma.

22 Sep 2004

Red Bull energy drink does not improve a person’s physical performance

Energy drinks – usually a mixture of caffeine, taurine, carbohydrates, B-complex vitamins and gluconolactone – have become very popular in recent years.

15 Sep 2004

Recreational gambling good for the elderly

Unlike younger recreational gamblers who show high rates of alcohol use and abuse, depression, bankruptcy and incarceration, there appears to be an association between recreational gambling and good health among elderly persons, according to a Yale study in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

10 Sep 2004

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder costs the U.S. $77 billion each year

A new analysis of a large-scale survey released today estimates yearly household income losses due to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) within the U.S. at $77 billion, according to Harvard researcher, Joseph Biederman, M.D., co-author of the study.

9 Sep 2004

Adolescent substance abuse treatment programs lack key elements necessary for effective treatment

Many highly regarded adolescent substance abuse treatment programs lack several key elements believed to be necessary for effective treatment, including strategies for engaging and retaining teens, showing gender and culture sensitivity, and evaluating the success of treatment

7 Sep 2004

Pediatricians do not always feel comfortable or sufficiently trained to tackle the increasing growth in ADHD patient numbers

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 3-5 percent of all American children. Today pediatricians appear to be treating more children with these behavioral health problems.