Recreational cocaine use is associated with attenuated latent inhibition

Recreational use of cocaine eliminates inhibition of return.

Chronic and recreational use of cocaine has been shown to impair inhibitory output control (response inhibition) but whether input control is also affected is an open question. For the first time, this study compared the ability to perform a cued target-discrimination task that measured inhibition of return (IOR), a reflexive inhibitory mechanism that delays attention from returning to a previo...

Eosinophilic "empyema" associated with crack cocaine use.

Smoking of crystalline cocaine, known as "crack" cocaine, has been associated with eosinophilic pneumonitis, but not with pleural effusions. We describe a patient with eosinophilic pneumonitis with an eosinophilic "empyema" after using "crack" cocaine. The illness resolved with corticosteroids. We hypothesised that his effusion would have increased levels of eosinophil cytokines that promote oe...

Fatal hyperthermia associated with cocaine use.

Diabetic ketoacidosis associated with cocaine use.

BACKGROUND Multiple risk factors for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) have been described, including omission of insulin therapy and clinical conditions known to increase counterregulatory hormones. Recently, substance abuse has been identified in patients with DKA. We observed many cases of DKA in cocaine users, although the association between cocaine use and DKA has not been well described in the...

Is crack cocaine use associated with greater violence than powdered cocaine use? Results from a national sample.

BACKGROUND The question of whether crack cocaine use is associated with increased violence compared to powdered cocaine use has not been adequately explored in large nationally representative general population samples. METHODS This study used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to 1) determine the comparative prevalences of violent behaviors...