Addiction Rehab: Developmentally Divergent Effects of Rho-Kinase Inhibition on Cocaine- and BDNF-Induced Behavioral Plasticity.

Developmentally divergent effects of Rho-kinase inhibition on cocaine- and BDNF-induced behavioral plasticity.

Filed under: Addiction Rehab

Behav Brain Res. 2013 Jan 14;
Depoy LM, Noble B, Allen AG, Gourley SL

Prefrontal cortical dendritic spine remodeling during adolescence may open a window of vulnerability to pathological stimuli that impact long-term behavioral outcomes, but causal mechanisms remain unclear. We administered the Rho-kinase inhibitor HA-1077 during three adolescent periods in mice to destabilize dendritic spines. In adulthood, cocaine-induced locomotor activity was exaggerated. By contrast, when administered in adulthood, HA-1077 had no psychomotor consequences and normalized food-reinforced instrumental responding after orbitofrontal-selective knockdown of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a potential factor in addiction. Thus, early-life Rho-kinase inhibition confers cocaine vulnerability, but may actually protect against pathological reward-seeking-particularly in cases of diminished neurotrophic support-in adulthood.
HubMed – addiction

 

Multiple dimensions of spirituality in recovery: a lagged mediational analysis of alcoholics anonymous’ principal theoretical mechanism of behavior change.

Filed under: Addiction Rehab

Subst Abus. 2013 Jan; 34(1): 20-32
Krentzman AR, Cranford JA, Robinson EA

ABSTRACT   Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) states that recovery is possible through spiritual experiences and spiritual awakenings. Research examining spirituality as a mediator of AA’s effect on drinking has been mixed. It is unknown whether such findings are due to variations in the operationalization of key constructs, such as AA and spirituality. To answer these questions, the authors used a longitudinal model to test 2 dimensions of AA as focal predictors and 6 dimensions of spirituality as possible mediators of AA’s association with drinking. Data from the first 18 months of a 3-year longitudinal study of 364 alcohol-dependent individuals were analyzed. Structural equation modeling was used to replicate the analyses of Kelly et al. (Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2011;35:454-463) and to compare AA attendance and AA involvement as focal predictors. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine which spirituality dimensions changed as the result of AA participation. A trimmed, data-driven model was employed to test multiple mediation paths simultaneously. The findings of the Kelly et al. study were replicated. AA involvement was a stronger predictor of drinking outcomes than AA attendance. AA involvement predicted increases in private religious practices, daily spiritual experiences, and forgiveness of others. However, only private religious practices mediated the relationship between AA and drinking.
HubMed – addiction

 

Alcoholics anonymous science update: introduction to the special issue.

Filed under: Addiction Rehab

Subst Abus. 2013 Jan; 34(1): 1-3
Kelly JF

HubMed – addiction

 

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