BACKGROUND Animal experimental studies have prompted concerns that widespread use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') by young people may pose a major public health problem in terms of persistent serotonin neurotoxicity. AIMS To determine the status of brain serotonin neurons in a group of abstinent MDMA users. METHOD We assessed the integrity of brain serotonin neurons b...

BACKGROUND Psychiatric comorbidity can adversely affect opioid dependence treatment outcomes. While the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity among patients seeking methadone maintenance treatment has been documented, the extent to which these findings extend to patients seeking primary care office-based buprenorphine/naloxone treatment is unclear. AIMS To determine the prevalence of mood and...

OBJECTIVE Examined effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine use by age 15. METHODS Adolescent (n=358; 183 PCE, 175 non-prenatally cocaine exposed; NCE) drug use was assessed using urine, hair, and/or blood spot samples and self-report (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System; YRBSS) at ages 12 and 15. Logistic regression assessed effects of PCE on ...

This thesis comprises studies on opiate overdose death, and focuses on evaluation of toxicological characteristics including the possible influence of abstinence and polydrug use for the fatal outcome. In order to identify and classify drug abusers, a screening method for several drugs of abuse was developed and applied on randomly selected autopsy cases. Out of 75 cases, 26 positive results we...