Published in Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research
Morphine, used clinically for pain management for its potent analgesic effects, has a high abuse potential. In this study, we utilized the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm and tail-flick latency to examine the effects of the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on sensitivity to morphine. Rats were pretreated with either LPS (250 μg/kg) or...
Published in Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research
Background. Proximal and distal social stimulation increase ethanol drinking in humans. Purpose. Our study evaluated the effects of proximal and distal social stimulation on home-cage ethanol drinking in mice. Study design. Proximal cagemate drinking (PCD) procedures use a clear plastic barrier to separate the drinker mouse from the proximal cagema...
Published in Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research
Study design. The protective effects of the natural antiox-idant caffeic acid (CA) on behavioral tasks and lipid peroxidation were tested in an excitotoxic model produced by unilateral intrastriatal injection of quinolinic acid (QUIN), and in striatal slices incubated in the presence of the same toxin. CA (20 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneal...
Published in Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research
Background. Nicotine is one of the most frequently used drugs of abuse. It has long been speculated that in addition to nicotine , tobacco contains other compounds that reinforce addiction. Two promising candidates are the tobacco smoke constituents, harmane and norharmane. Purpose. Our study evaluated the effects of exposure to harmane and norharm...
Published in Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research
Cerebellar abnormalities in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have been linked to brain insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists, which have insulin sensitizer and antioxidant effects, could potentially be used to treat neurodevelopmental abnormalities in FASD. Slice cultures generated...
Published in Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research
Several laboratories have shown that methamphetamine (METH) neurotoxicity is associated with increases of nitric oxide (NO) production in striatal tissue and blockade of NO production protects from METH. Because substance P modulates NO production, we tested the hypothesis that intrinsic striatal neuropeptides such as somatostatin and neuropeptide ...
Published in Journal of Evolutionary Medicine
Background. Evolutionary medicine, the intersection of evolutionary biology and medical sciences, has grown in the last two decades. However, this new scientific discipline continues to have a limited impact in clinical medicine and medical education. As this field undergoes its own evolution, it has become necessary to better define this area of s...
Published in Neuroenterology
Background. Stressful events in early life pre-dispose to the development of eating disorders in adulthood. This study investigates how neonatal maternal separation (NMS) affects satiety and ghrelin secretion in adulthood. Methods. Sprague-Dawley rats underwent NMS and controls were without NMS. Experiments were conducted on day 60: (1) water avoid...
Published in International Journal of Medical Biology
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the global leading cause of death for both men and women. Risk factors for CAD have been studied extensively and subsequently preventive and treatment measures have been prioritized globally. Nevertheless, the prevalence and mortality rate of CAD remains high. We attempted to identify the most common of the well-kno...
Published in Journal of Case Reports in Medicine
Mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) is an uncommon complication of a disease seen primarily in the developing world. A 31-year-old previously healthy man presented with six months of nasal congestion, throat pain, hoarseness, and intermittent dysphagia and odynophagia. The leishmania culture was positive, and PCR testing was consistent with Leishmania brazi...
