BACKGROUND/AIMS Although use of 'ecstasy' (drugs sold as containing 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is prevalent, it is typically infrequent, and treatment presentations involving ecstasy as a principal problem drug are relatively rare. Human case reports and animal literature suggest dependence potential, although there may be some unique aspects to this syndrome for ecstasy in comparison t...

Desipramine was compared with a placebo under double-blind conditions to determine if it is effective treatment for withdrawal from cocaine dependence. Eleven (11) subjects received desipramine and 11 received placebo. There was no significant statistical difference between groups in self-report on effectiveness; retention in treatment; cessation of cocaine use; or suppression of withdrawal sco...

Two dissociable learning processes underlie instrumental behaviour. Whereas goal-directed behaviour is controlled by knowledge of the consequences, habitual behaviour is elicited directly by antecedent Pavlovian stimuli without knowledge of the consequences. Predominance of habitual control is thought to underlie psychopathological conditions associated with corticostriatal abnormalities, such ...

BACKGROUND To determine whether the long and short versions of the Cigarette Dependence Scale (CDS), the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), the Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI) and the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS) predicted smoking abstinence. METHOD We collected data via Internet in 2004-2007 in 2343 current smokers. Follow-up surveys were conducted after 8 days (N=...

Bovnc persons, chiefly women, reach old age in a state of economac dependence witholct being able to qualify for a social securzty benefit-because thev neucr acquire insured status for themselves and do not belong to the group of dependents who qualify on the basis of relationship ‘to a retired or deceaeed insured worker. This article analyzes data front two Social Security Admznistration. aurc...

Tobacco dependence is a key construct in tobacco research. This paper describes a construct validation approach to dependence assessment and describes key conceptual and psychometric criteria on which to evaluate putative measures of dependence. Five current dependence scales-the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.); the Ci...

Spatial econometric methods are used to investigate whether land use changes in one county are affected by changes in surrounding counties. Spatial dependence is hypothesized to arise from land substitution effects among neighboring counties. The estimation uses data on land use change for 1,055 counties of 12 Midwest states. ∗ The authors are PhD candidate, assistant professor and professor, r...

Environmental conditions can dramatically influence the behavioral and neurochemical effects of drugs of abuse. For example, stress increases the reinforcing effects of drugs and plays an important role in determining the vulnerability to develop drug addiction. On the other hand, positive conditions, such as environmental enrichment, can reduce the reinforcing effects of psychostimulants and m...