Methadone Treatment Induces Attenuation of Cerebrovascular Deficits Associated with the Prolonged Abuse of Cocaine and Heroin

Abstract

Opiate replacement therapy has been useful in reducing heroin use and in keeping patients in treatment programs. However, neuropsychological and neurophysiological effects of this treatment regimen have not been evaluated systematically. To determine whether methadone treatment reduces the magnitude of cerebral blood flow alternations in polysubstance (heroin and cocaine) abusers, we compared blood flow parameters in control subjects (n ¼ 26), polysubstance abusers (n ¼ 28) maintained on methadone for 24 weeks, and polysubstance abusers (n ¼ 22) who were not seeking treatment. Blood flow velocity was recorded from the anterior and middle cerebral arteries using transcranial Doppler sonography on an outpatient visit. The pulsatility index, a measure of cerebrovascular resistance, was significantly (po0.05) increased in both groups of polysubstance abusers compared to control subjects. Increased pulsatility in the two groups of substance abusers suggests constriction of the small cortical arteries. Nevertheless, the methadonemaintained polysubstance abusers had significantly lower pulsatility values than the nontreatment substance-abusing group. These findings suggest that maintenance on methadone might have significant beneficial neurovascular effects on this population of patients.

Mortality among individuals accessing pharmacological treatment for opioid dependence in California, 2006–10

“…Over time, however, treatment‐induced decreases in illicit drug use may reduce mortality risk due to infectious diseases [e.g. HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV)] and also protect against death from cardiovascular disease , accidents, trauma, suicide and other causes.…”

Ιστοπαθολογικές Αλλοιώσεις Των Εγκεφαλικών Αγγείων Συνεπεία Χρήσης Τοξικών Ουσιών

“…Παξ' φια απηά, νη ρξήζηεο πνιιαπιψλ νπζηψλ πνπ βξίζθνληαλ ζε ζεξαπεία κε κεζαδφλε παξνπζίαζαλ ζεκαληηθά ρακειφηεξεο ηηκέο παικηθφηεηαο ζε ζρέζε κε εθείλνπο πνπ δελ βξίζθνληαλ ζε πξφγξακκα ζεξαπείαο. Απηά ηα επξήκαηα ππνδειψλνπλ φηη ε ζπληήξεζε κε κεζαδφλε κπνξεί λα έρεη ζεκαληηθέο, επεξγεηηθέο, λεπξναγγεηαθέο δξάζεηο ζε απηφλ ηνλ πιεζπζκφ αζζελψλ (Herning et al, 2003).…”