Neurotrophins, brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), have been implicated in the modulation of heroin dependency. This study was designed to explore the expression alterations of BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4 in the context of heroin dependence and withdrawal in the rat nucleus accumbens (NAc). Heroin dependence was induced by a progressive intraper...

The forensic application of stable isotope analysis to cocaine and heroin for geolocation of exhibits must take into account the possible enrichment and/or depletion of 13C and 15N during the illicit manufacturing process. Continuous-flow elemental analysis-isotope ratio mass spectrometry was utilized to measure changes in the stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen for both cocaine (N = 9...

After absorption, heroin is transformed into mono-acetyl-morphine and then into morphine. Morphine, in turn, is metabolized to morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G), an inactive compound, and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G), a potent opioid agonist. Thus, changes in the rate of formation of M6G may alter the pharmacological consequences of a treatment with heroin or morphine. In this study, we investigate ...

Aspects of drug withdrawal may become conditioned to previously neutral environmental stimuli via classical conditioning processes. Nevertheless, the significance of conditioned withdrawal effects in motivating drug intake remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the effects of conditioned withdrawal in modulating heroin consumption and brain reward sensitivity in rats. Rats intravenou...

OBJECTIVE To describe the pattern of co-use of heroin and cocaine in individuals who were not receiving methadone maintenance treatment. DESIGN Structured interviews. SETTING Community hospital. PARTICIPANTS Individuals (n = 1111) selected from a cohort of out-of-treatment injection drug users in Montréal, Que. OUTCOME MEASURE Frequency (injections per day) and quantity (number of days ...

BACKGROUND As the availability of prescription opioids decreases and the availability of heroin increases, some prescription opioid users are transitioning to heroin. This study seeks to explore factors associated with respondents' transition from prescription opioid use to heroin. METHODS In-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 20) were conducted with buprenorphine patients in ...

OBJECTIVE Low heart rate variability (HRV) has been confirmed in heroin users, but the effects of heart-rate-variability-biofeedback in heroin users remain unknown. This study examined (1) correlations between depression and HRV indices; (2) group differences in HRV indices among a heroin-user group, a group with major depressive disorder but no heroin use, and healthy controls; and (3) the eff...

Heroin-associated spongiform leukoencephalopathy is a rare, and sometimes fatal, condition usually caused by vapor inhalation of heroin. The authors report a 41-year-old man who was diagnosed with delayed spongiform leukoencephalopathy three weeks after injecting heroin intravenously. He had been admitted to another hospital due to acute heroin overdose, which had occurred four hours after intr...

A STUDY on the extent of heroin use in a Dublin *^ South Inner City Electoral Ward during the period 1979-1985 was conducted between May and September. A total of 82 questionnaires were completed. Each respondent had a settled address in the Ward during 1979-1985. All gave a history of heroin use. The authenticity of heroin use was validated for all respondents through medical records. The exte...

Heroin addiction is a wide-reaching problem with a spectrum of damaging social consequences. Currently approved heroin addiction medications include drugs that bind at the same receptors (e.g. opioid receptors) occupied by heroin and/or its metabolites in the brain, but undesired side effects of these treatments, maintenance dependence and relapse to drug taking remains problematic. A vaccine c...