Day: 12/11/2014

Phthalates

The study is the first to report a link between to and IQ in school-age children.

DnBP and DiBP are found in a wide variety of consumer products, from dryer sheets to vinyl fabrics to like lipstick, hairspray, and nail polish, even some soaps. Since 2009, several phthalates have been banned from children’s toys and other childcare articles in the United States.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-prenatal-exposure-common-household-chemicals.html#ajTabs

Cortisol – the stress hormone

http://cortisol.com/the-cortisol-stress-connection/#.VIqDvTHF_bY

Small increases of cortisol produce positive effects like improved memory, reduced sensitivity to pain, and increased sustained energy.

http://updates.pain-topics.org/2013/03/stress-brain-chronic-pain.html

The results, reported in the journal Brain, showed that patients with chronic pain generally have higher cortisol levels than healthy individuals.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-scientists-zeroing-psychosis-factors.html#ajTabs

During the first phase of a major national study, scientists have uncovered a new cluster of preclinical symptoms linked to a significant increase in the risk that a young person will go on to develop a psychotic illness, including schizophrenia… Among the key findings: Prodromal youth with elevated levels of the and indicators of neuro-inflammation are more likely to become psychotic within a year.

Study finds the mere presence of alcohol is enough to make women appear more sexually available

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-mere-presence-alcohol-women-sexually.html

Approximately half of all are also associated with either the perpetrator and/or the victim having consumed alcohol…

“These findings have implications for understanding how alcohol might contribute to sexual assault and also point to the need for further research on the relationship between how might reinforce negative sexual beliefs toward women.

‘Placebo therapy’ ineffective for long-term chronic pain relief

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-placebo-therapy-ineffective-long-term-chronic.html

Dr Goebel added: “It seems that the brain of CRPS patients cannot be easily ‘tricked’ into believing that a dummy intervention is effective. This means that health specialists should be cautious when considering placebo interventions for these patients.”

Police shoot, kill Georgia grandfather during no-knock drug raid

http://www.policestateusa.com/2014/david-hooks-raid/

The officers claimed to be looking for methamphetamines. After searching the home forty-four (44) hours, not a single trace of narcotics was retrieved.

http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/dublin/2014/12/10/david-hooks-shot-twice-in-back/20213383/

David Hooks was shot in the back and head as he was lying face down on the floor during a drug raid by Laurens County deputies.

How prescription drug abusers are cheating the system by shopping across state lines

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/12/08/how-prescription-drug-abusers-are-cheating-the-system-by-shopping-across-state-lines/

The universe of doctor shoppers is relatively low — another study from McDonald last year estimated just about one of every 143 patients prescribed a prescription painkiller in 2008 appeared to be doctor shoppers. They represented 0.7 percent of all patients with such a prescription, but bought about 4 percent of all opioids measured by weight.

Opioid Linked to Low Blood Sugar

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/GeneralEndocrinology/

The mild opioid tramadol was associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for hypoglycemia, researchers reported.

In a case-control study, the use of tramadol was associated with a 52% higher risk of hospitalization for hypoglycemia compared with codeine…

Tramadol is seen as a lower-risk alternative to other opioids and its prescriptions have increased in recent years. In August, the opioid became a schedule IV controlled substance.

It’s also unclear why hypoglycemia is less common in patients taking other mu-opioid agonists such as morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone, they note.

Moderate Results With Tx Program for Food Addiction

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AAAP/

“Emerging research has suggested several neurobiological behavioral similarities between substance use disorders and excessive eating,” Grilo said.

The behavioral treatment program started with behavioral weight-loss therapy, and then integrated the oral anorexiant sibutramine, and CBT. Sibutramine (Meridia) was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2010 by its maker, Abbott Laboratories, under pressure from the FDA, which cited concerns over the drug’s minimal efficacy coupled with increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events.

Wikipedia:  Sibutramine is a centrally-acting serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor structurally related to amphetamines, although its mechanism of action is distinct… It was sold under a variety of brand names including Reductil, Meridia, Siredia, and Sibutrex. It is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States.

Binge Eating: Stepping Stone to Drug Use?

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/EatingDisorders/36382

The prospective study looked at associations between over- and binge eating with overweight, obesity, binge drinking, depression, and drug and marijuana use risks in a population of 14,166 participants, ages 9 to 15, at baseline (mean age 12).

At baseline and in select time periods, the authors found the following among the participants:

  • Obese or overweight: 22.3% in 1996 and 30.7% between 1996 and 2007
  • Frequent binge drinking: 4.3% in 1996 and 60% between 1999 and 2007
  • Used marijuana: 12.2% in 1996 and 40.7% between 2001 and 2007
  • Used a drug other than marijuana: 9.1% in 1996 and 31.9% between 2001 and 2007

  

Adenosine

Adenosine prevents, reverses chronic pain

https://edsinfo.wordpress.com/2014/12/11/adenosine-prevents-reverses-chronic-pain/

How CBD Works

The Adenosine Receptor

CBD may exert its anti-anxiety effect by activating adenosine receptors. Adenosine receptors play significant roles in cardiovascular function, regulating myocardial oxygen consumption and coronary blood flow. The adenosine (A2A) receptor has broad anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body.

Adenosine receptors also play a significant role in the brain. They down-regulate the release of other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and glutamate.

http://www.projectcbd.org/news/how-cbd-works/

Combined effects of THC and caffeine on working memory in rats (2012)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21699509

Caffeine did not counteract memory deficits induced by THC but actually exacerbated them. These results are consistent with recent findings that adenosine A(1) receptors modulate cannabinoid signalling in the hippocampus.

Pharmacogenetic analysis of sex differences in opioid antinociception in rats

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14659521

Antinociceptive tests were conducted with the high-efficacy micro-opioid morphine, and the less efficacious opioids buprenorphine, butorphanol and nalbuphine. Baseline nociceptive latencies were consistently higher in males than their female counterparts. Sex differences in opioid antinociception were observed in all strains tested, with the opioids being more potent and/or effective in males. The magnitude of the sex differences was related to the relative efficacy of the opioid, with morphine, buprenorphine, butorphanol and nalbuphine being on average 2.2-, 2.6-, 15.9- and 11.9-fold more potent in males.