Optimal Being

In recent years, the intersection between physical exercise and its effects on substance use disorders has garnered significant interest within the scientific community. A new study delves into this relationship, exploring how regular physical activity might influence the severity of dependence among individuals who use illicit substances. The research, published in the  Journal of Psychoactive Drugs , provides evidence that engaging in frequent exercise may be associated with lower levels of dependency on various drugs. Substance use disorders represent a significant challenge to public health systems worldwide, characterized by high rates of relapse post-treatment. Traditional approaches to addiction treatment have often focused on psychological and pharmacological interventions, yet emerging evidence suggests that supplementary strategies, such as exercise, could offer additional benefits. The rationale behind this study is rooted in the complex interplay between physical activi...

If addicted opiate users are undergoing withdrawal treatment, supplementation with an extract of  Passiflora incarnata  reduces the symptoms of withdrawal . Psychiatrists at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran published a small human trial in 2001 in which they tried to help 65 opiate users overcome their addiction. They gave all subjects clonidine for 2 weeks to reduce the side effects of withdrawal. Some of them also used 60 drops of a liquid supplement containing   Passiflora incarnata   every day. The researchers do not provide details about the product. Results The subjects who received  Passiflora incarnata  in addition to clonidine suffered as much from the physical effects of withdrawal as the subjects who only took clonidine. However, supplementation did reduce the mental effects of withdrawal - and consequently the overall withdrawal scores Conclusion Supplementation with   Passiflora incarnata   did not reduce physical withdra...

  Doxycycline, a widely used antibiotic, might help reduce the addictive effects of drugs like morphine and cocaine, according to new research published in  Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry . This finding opens up new possibilities for treating substance use disorders, offering hope for more effective interventions. Substance use disorders represent a major public health challenge globally. Characterized by the compulsive use of addictive drugs, these disorders lead to severe behavioral and neural changes, posing significant treatment challenges. Existing treatments are often inadequate, underlining the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. The researchers embarked on this study to explore the potential of doxycycline, a common antibiotic known for its anti-inflammatory properties, in mitigating the addictive effects of certain drugs. “Our interest in this topic from the complexity and recurrent nature of substance use disorders, which prese...

Drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disorder. Multiple neural networks in the brain including the reward system (e.g., the mesocorticolimbic system), the anti-reward/stress system (e.g., the extended amygdala), and the central immune system, are involved in the development of drug addiction and relapse after withdrawal from drugs of abuse. Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that it is promising to control drug addiction by pharmacologically targeting the addiction-related systems in the brain. Here we review the pharmacological targets within the dopamine system, glutamate system, trace amine system, anti-reward system, and central immune system, which are of clinical interests. Furthermore, we discuss other potential therapies, e.g., brain stimulation, behavioral treatments, and therapeutic gene modulation, which could be effective to treat drug addiction. We conclude that, although drug addiction is a complex disorder that involves complicated neural mechanis...