International Journal of High Risk Behaviors and Addiction
Volume:13 Issue: 3, Sep 2024

While the harmful effects of methamphetamine abuse on the heart are well-known, the solutions to deal with these damages are not well-known.

This study aimed to investigate whether aerobic exercise combined with supplements such as Crocin and Berberine can potentially protect against methamphetamine-induced changes in the heart tissue of female rats.

Forty-two female rats were randomly assigned into seven groups (n = 6). The groups included healthy control, methamphetamine, methamphetamine + exercise, methamphetamine + Crocin, methamphetamine + Berberine, methamphetamine + exercise + Crocin, and methamphetamine + exercise + Berberine group. Methamphetamine (10 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally over five days. The animals were administered Crocin via intraperitoneal injection at 40 mg/kg during a four-week withdrawal period. At the same time, Berberine was dissolved in drinking water at 100 mg/kg concentration. The aerobic training consisted of running at 25 m/min for 30 minutes. A light microscope was used to observe the structural changes. Data analysis was performed using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests by SPSS 26, with a significance level of 5%.

The results of the study indicate that methamphetamine use causes hyperemia, inflammation, and histopathological damage in the heart cells and tissue (P = 0.001). The combination of exercise with Crocin significantly eliminated methamphetamine-induced heart tissue damage (P = 0.001) and improved cardio-respiratory endurance compared to control (P = 0.004) and methamphetamine (P = 0.01) groups. The combination of aerobic exercise with Berberine removed methamphetamine-induced heart cell damage (P = 0.001), and improved cardio-respiratory endurance compared to control (P = 0.024) and methamphetamine (P = 0.05) groups. In addition, all intervention groups showed a significant reduction in hyperemia and inflammation compared to the methamphetamine group (P = 0.001).

A combination of exercise with either Crocin or Berberine supplements demonstrated potential benefits in mitigating some of the harmful structural effects of methamphetamine and improving cardio-respiratory endurance.

Context:

 Non-alcoholic substance abuse is a major public health concern worldwide, with methamphetamine being the second most widely used non-alcoholic substance globally, and Iran ranks fifth in methamphetamine addiction. To date, no approved pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment by the Food and Drug Administration has been introduced for methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). Therefore, various treatment methods are currently utilized. One non-pharmacological approach that has gained attention is transcranial-direct current stimulation (tDCS), with various clinical evaluations focused on it.

The aim of this review is to assess the effectiveness of this method in improving symptoms in individuals with MUD.

Databases were reviewed up to October 10, 2023, in both Persian and English languages, using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Noormags. Keywords were MUD, tDCS, Addiction, Craving, and Cognitive Function. Studies were included based on Population, Intervention, Comparison (sham or active control), Outcomes (craving or cognition), and Study Design (randomized controlled trial). Studies were excluded if they involved brain mapping or neuroimaging. Meta-analysis was conducted based on Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) to compare tDCS to sham intervention (P ≤ 0.05, two-tailed). Random effects models were used for individual MUD data from studies that reported end-of-treatment craving data. The risk of bias was calculated using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool (RoB-2), and meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software.

A total of 870 studies were initially identified; twenty-three studies (mean age 30.13 ± 6.67) were identified that examined the effects of tDCS on MUD outcomes (e.g., craving, cognition). After removing heterogeneous studies, meta-analyses were performed for tDCS vs. sham control studies in the craving domain. We found that tDCS reduced craving, indicated by medium to large effect sizes (Hedges' g: -0.64; SMD -0.58, 95% CI -0.85 to -0.30; I² = 10.71%, Q value: 8.96). Results showed that complementary treatment with tDCS can be useful. The DLPFC (F3, F4) was the most commonly targeted brain region for stimulation or inhibition. However, the number of sessions and their duration varied significantly across studies.

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that tDCS can reduce momentary and cue-induced cravings. However, the studies varied in quality and sample size and used different scales for assessing cravings and cognitive functions, leading to inconsistencies. The review highlighted the importance of targeting the DLPFC due to its role in executive functions and self-control, with right-sided stimulation showing greater effectiveness. Emotional dysregulation in MUD, such as anxiety and depression, was also noted, with tDCS showing limited support for emotion regulation. The review identified the need for larger RCTs, standardized measurement tools, and detailed participant information to improve the understanding and effectiveness of tDCS in treating MUD.

Drug addiction represents a global crisis with increasing rates, particularly in regions like Iran. The widespread impact of addiction on individuals and societies underscores the need for comprehensive research. Providing further context on the global and national scope of the addiction crisis would strengthen the introduction.

This study aimed to examine the structural relationship between dark personality traits, morbid curiosity, and cognitive abilities, and their influence on vulnerability to addiction among Zanjan University students during the 2020 - 2021 academic year.

A total of 479 students from Zanjan University were selected through a cluster random sampling method during the 2020 - 2021 academic year. The study utilized the Addiction Vulnerability Scale (Zinali), the Dark Personality Traits Scale (Webster and Johnson), the Morbid Curiosity Scale (Scrivener), and a Cognitive Abilities Scale (Nejati). Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling were employed, using tools such as Pearson correlation and structural equations through SPSS 25 and AMOS 24 software.

The findings indicated that the model proposed by the researchers demonstrated an acceptable fit. Furthermore, a significant structural relationship was observed between dark personality traits and vulnerability to addiction (P < 0.05) with a path coefficient of 0.37. Additionally, the structural relationship between morbid curiosity and addiction vulnerability was significant (P < 0.05) with a path coefficient of 0.31. Cognitive abilities also had a significant structural relationship with vulnerability to addiction (P < 0.05) with a path coefficient of 0.46.

The results of this study provide important insights for the prevention and early identification of addiction in vulnerable populations. These findings have practical applications for educational institutions, addiction treatment centers, and correctional facilities.

Self-injurious behavior or self-harm among inmates is a common phenomenon. However, no study has yet been conducted in Iran regarding self-harm in female inmates.

The present study aimed to investigate the psycho-socio-demographic risk factors associated with non-suicidal self-harm in Iranian female inmates.

Participants in this case-control study were 306 female inmates in Tehran, who were randomly selected and divided into two groups: (1) 88 individuals who scored 5 or higher on the Sansone Self-harm Inventory (SHI), and (2) 88 individuals randomly selected from the 218 inmates who did not self-harm as the comparison group. The participants completed a researcher-designed questionnaire, SHI, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. The data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis in SPSS version 16.

Logistic regression analysis revealed that marital status (B = 1.438, P = 0.002), arrest history (B = 1.295, P = 0.005), substance abuse (B = 1.198, P = 0.011), psychiatric diagnoses (B = 1.126, P = 0.018), parental divorce (B = 1.280, P = 0.005), and difficulties in emotion regulation (B = 0.027, P = 0.022) were significant predictors of self-harm in inmates. Although there was a difference in the addiction rates of parents between those with self-harm and those without, this variable did not predict self-harm in female inmates (B = 0.488, P = 0.307).

The results of this study underscore the importance of family-based preventive interventions to prevent self-harm behaviors among female inmates.