results the mean qtc at baseline (pre-methadone) was 426 ± 34 msec and after being on methadone for an average of 8.72 ± 4.50 years was significantly higher at 450 ± 35 msec. no significant relationships were found between qtc prolongation and risk factors except for calcium. the methadone dosage was significantly higher in veterans with a qtc change above the mean change of ≥ 24 msec (88.48 ± ...

conclusions sleep quality showed a poorer profile than sexual function. therefore, more emphasis should be laid on treatment of sleep disparity during follow up of mmt patients comparing to their sexual function. patients should be reassured that probable sexual dysfunctions should not be regarded as a consequence of mmt. results mean ± sd age of the subjects was 41.2 ± 7.9 years and 93.4% of t...

Exogenous cholecystokinin selectively antagonizes opiate analgesia, which suggests that endogenous cholecystokinin may act physiologically as an opiate antagonist and may play a role in opiate tolerance. The use of the selective cholecystokinin antagonist proglumide provided a test of these hypotheses in rats that were either inexperienced with or tolerant to opiates. Proglumide potentiated ana...

A model of the opiate receptor is proposed which explains structure-activity relationships of opiate drugs, including (i) the unique potency of certain opiates such as etonitazene, fentanyl, phenazocine, and oripavines; (ii) the role of N-allyl substituents in conferring antagonist properties; and (iii) chemical features that afford "pure" antagonists. The model indicates mlecular mechanisms fo...

Administration of cholecystokinin was recently found to attenuate opiate analgesia. In the present study, the role of endogenous cholecystokinin in opiate analgesia was examined. Endogenously released cholecystokinin was sequestered by antibodies to cholecystokinin developed in response to an active immunization procedure. Morphine analgesia was potentiated and prolonged in rats immunized again...

Neurexins are cell adhesion molecules that help to specify and stabilize synapses and provide receptors for neuroligins, neurexophilins, dystroglycans and alpha-latrotoxins. We previously reported significant allele frequency differences for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the neurexin 3 (NRXN3) gene in each of two comparisons between individuals who were dependent on illegal substanc...

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the development of opioid tolerance in patients receiving long-term methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). METHODS A region-wide cross-sectional study was performed focusing on dosage and duration of treatment. Differences between racemic methadone and levomethadone were examined. All 20 psychiatric hospitals and all 110 outpatient clinics in Berlin ...