The cut points for detecting all heavy drinkers (including binge drinkers without exceeding weekly thresholds) were lower than for detecting heavy drinkers excluding those who are only binge drinkers. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The surge in dopamine in ventral

striatal regions in response to drugs of abuse and drug-associated stimuli is a final common pathway of addiction processes. find more GABA B agonists exert their effects indirectly, by quieting dopaminergic afferents. The ability of the GABA B agonist, baclofen to ameliorate nicotine and drug motivated behavior is established within the animal literature, however its potential to do so in humans is understudied, particularly with respect to its possible utility as a smoking cessation agent.

We conducted a nine-week double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial of baclofen for smoking reduction (N = 30/group) in smokers contemplating, but not quite ready to quit. Baclofen was titrated upwards to 20 mg q.i.d. over a period of twelve days. The primary outcome measure was the number of cigarettes smoked per day (CPD).

A significant

group by time effect of medication was observed. Baclofen was superior to placebo in reducing CPD (P = 0.01, t = KPT-8602 supplier 1.97, p < 0.05). The most common side effect reported during baclofen treatment is transient drowsiness, however there were no differences between groups in mild, moderate, or severe sedation. Craving was significantly lowered at end of treatment in all smokers (p < EPZ004777 order 0.02). Retention

did not differ between groups.

In line with a Multitude of preclinical studies examining the effects of baclofen on drug-motivated behavior, baclofen reduced CPD. In agreement with other studies examining craving and drug use, reductions in CPD were accompanied by a reduction in craving, a major motivator underlying continued smoking and relapse. These preliminary results demonstrate provisional evidence of the utility of baclofen to aid in smoking cessation and indicate further investigation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Buprenorphine, a mu-opioid receptor partial agonist, has been shown to be safe and effective for treatment of opioid dependence. A novel implantable formulation of buprenorphine (Probuphine(R)), using a polymer matrix sustained-release technology, has been developed to offer treatment for opioid dependence while minimizing risks of patient noncompliance and illicit diversion. The goal of the current study was to conduct an initial, open-label, evaluation of the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of two doses of Probuphine in subjects with opioid dependence maintained on sublingual buprenorphine.