Substance Abuse and Addiction Commons^™

Evaluating The Causal Effect Of Tobacco Smoking On White Matter Brain Aging: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Analysis In Uk Biobank, Chen Mo, Jingtao Wang, Zhenyao Ye, Hongjie Ke, Song Liu, Kathryn Hatch, Si Gao, Jessica Magidson, Chixiang Chen, Braxton D Mitchell, Peter Kochunov, L Elliot Hong, Tianzhou Ma, Shuo Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for impaired brain function, but its causal effect on white matter brain aging remains unclear. This study aimed to measure the causal effect of tobacco smoking on white matter brain aging.

DESIGN: Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using two non-overlapping data sets (with and without neuroimaging data) from UK Biobank (UKB). The group exposed to smoking and control group consisted of current smokers and never smokers, respectively. Our main method was generalized weighted linear regression with other methods also included as sensitivity analysis.

SETTING: United Kingdom.

PARTICIPANTS: The study cohort included 23 …

Effect Of Fandom On Sports Gambling, Drake Deitch

Dissertations

The goal in this study was to investigate the relationship between fandom and betting. The hypothesis was that sports fans who gambled on their favorite teams would be more likely to make irrational decisions based more closely on emotional attachment than logical thinking. A total of 191 fans of the Chicago Bears (n = 80), Green Bay Packers (n = 57), and Minnesota Vikings (n = 54) were recruited for the study. Participants completed a survey that assessed their knowledge of and love for the three teams. Results indicated fans were far more likely to bet on their team regardless …

Cigarette Smoke Condensate Induces Centrosome Clustering In Normal Lung Epithelial Cells, Jose Thaiparambil, Chandra S Amara, Subrata Sen, Nagireddy Putluri, Randa El-Zein

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Unlike normal cells, cancer cells frequently have multiple centrosomes that can cluster to form bipolar mitotic spindles and allow for successful cell division. Inhibiting centrosome clustering, therefore, holds therapeutic promise to promote cancer cell-specific cell death.

METHODS: We used confocal microscopy, real-time PCR, siRNA knockdown, and western blot to analyze centrosome clustering and declustering using normal lung bronchial epithelial and nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. Also, we used Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software to identify novel pathways associated with centrosome clustering.

RESULTS: In this study, we found that exposure to cigarette smoke condensate induces centrosome amplification and clustering in …

Demographic And Psychosocial Factors Associated With Suicide Mortality Among Childbearing-Aged Individuals: A Case-Control Study, Katerina A. Furman, Amy Loree Phd, Lyuba Gavrilova Bs, Leah Hecht Phd, Hsueh-Han Yeh, Frances Lynch, Brian Ahmedani, Rebecca Rossom, Anne Beck Phd, Yihe Daida Phd, Gregory Simon Md, Christine Lu Phd, Joslyn Westphal Mph, Ashii Owen-Smith Phd, Stephen Waring, Cathrine Frank Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objective: Examine pregnancy-related, demographic, psychosocial and healthcare utilization factors associated with suicide mortality among childbearing-aged women. Methods: Data from nine health care systems in the Mental Health Research Network were included. A case-control study design was used in which 290 childbearing-age women who died by suicide (cases) from 2000-2015 were matched with 2,900 childbearing-age women from the same healthcare system and enrolled during the same time period who did not die by suicide. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze associations between patient characteristics and suicide. Results: Women who died by suicide were more likely to have mental health or …

Worse Postoperative Outcomes And Higher Reoperation In Smokers Compared To Nonsmokers For Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair, Susan G. Wager, Spencer Brown, Michael Gaudiani, Joshua P. Castle, Eric Jiang, Vasilios Moutzouros, Eric Makhni, Stephanie J. Muh

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Smoking impairs healing potential and is a significant risk factor for complications following orthopaedic surgeries. The purpose of this study was to determine if a cohort of former or current smokers at time of surgery met the minimally clinical important difference (MCID) for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity (PROMIS-UE), Depression (PROMIS-D), and Pain Interference (PROMIS-PI) scores in comparison to nonsmokers.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent rotator cuff repair was performed. Patients who completed preoperative and 6-month postoperative PROMIS scores were included. The MCID was calculated using a distribution technique with a threshold of 0.5 …

Childhood-Onset Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Exacerbates Opioid Use Disorder Consequences: Mediation By Impulsive Phenotypes, Liam R. Browning, Ciara Cannoy, Tabitha E. H. Moses, Leslie H. Lundahl Phd, David M. Ledgerwood Phd, Mark K. Greenwald Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is highly prevalent and associated with opioid use disorder (OUD). Yet, little is known about the mechanisms by which ADHD (which is a heterogeneous construct/diagnosis) might alter the trajectory of OUD outcomes.

Aim: This cross-sectional study examines relationships between childhood ADHD (inferred as predating substance use) and the extent to which the effects of ADHD on lifetime heroin-use consequences are mediated by foreshortened time perspective and drug-use impulsivity.

Methods: Individuals who report heroin use (N=214) were screened using the Assessment of Hyperactivity and Attention (AHA), Impulsive Relapse Questionnaire (IRQ), Stanford Time Perception Inventory (STPI), …

Federal Medication-Assisted Treatment Expansion Grants Do Not Reduce Homelessness, Andrew Sullivan, Changwe Park

Population Health Research Brief Series

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an evidence-based intervention that, combined with counseling and behavioral therapies, can effectively treat opioid use disorders. However, MAT is underused due to multiple barriers. To increase access to MAT, the U.S. government awarded grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to increase and retain the number of people receiving MAT. This brief examined differences in homelessness and employment outcomes between places that received a MAT grant and those that did not. They found that these grants did not reduce homelessness or unemployment rates in the places that received funding and concluded that their effectiveness may have …

How Has The Opioid Crisis Affected Health, Health Care Use, And Crime In The United States?, Johanna Catherine Maclean, Justine Mallatt, Christopher J. Ruhm, Kosali Simon

Population Health Research Brief Series

The U.S. opioid crisis is the deadliest drug crisis in the nation’s history and is not abating. This brief summarizes what is known about the relationships between opioid misuse, health, healthcare use, and crime. The authors show that the opioid crisis has led to worsening health, increased mortality, increased healthcare use, and modest increases in crime. In addition, the policies designed to curb opioid misuse and its associated harms have had only limited success.

Which Demographic Groups And Which Places Have The Highest Drug Overdose Rates In The U.S.?, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

Although the drug overdose crisis has affected all demographic groups and places in the United States, overdose rates are much higher in some sub-populations and places than others. This brief describes demographic and geographic differences in fatal drug overdose rates from 1999-2020. Throughout most of this period, fatal drug overdose rates were highest among young and middle-aged adult White and Native American males and middle-aged and older Black males. Rates have been consistently highest in Appalachia, but in recent years have spread throughout several regions in urban and rural areas alike. Although opioids have been the main contributor, cocaine- and …

Opioid Treatment Programs Can Reduce Opioid-Related Emergency Department Visits And Foster Care Placements, Lindsey Rose Bullinger, Vivian Wang, Kenneth A. Feder

Population Health Research Brief Series

The U.S. opioid epidemic has led not only to unprecedented increases in opioid overdoses, functional impairment, and deaths among adults but also harmed children. After lifting a long-standing moratorium on drug treatment programs and increasing the number of medication-assisted opioid treatment programs (OTPs), Indiana saw a decrease in emergency overdose treatments and foster care placements. This brief explores the positive effects of medication-assisted treatments on children and their caregivers and the cost savings for foster care agencies.

What Is The Effect Of Opioid Use During Pregnancy On Infant Health And Wellbeing At Birth?, Jessica Pac, Christine Durrance, Lawrence Berger, Deborah Ehrenthal

Population Health Research Brief Series

The opioid epidemic has severe consequences for pregnant women and their infants. Opioid use during pregnancy increases the risk of numerous poor outcomes at birth, including Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), preterm birth, and low birth weight. Opioid use during pregnancy can also lead to child protective services reports and foster care entry. This brief summarizes the findings from a recent study that used linked administrative data from Wisconsin from 2010-2019 and child protective service reports to evaluate the effects of exposure to prescription and illicit opioids during pregnancy on infant health and wellbeing at birth.

How Has The Opioid Overdose Crisis Affected Child Maltreatment In The U.S.?, Alexander Chapman

Population Health Research Brief Series

This brief summarizes results from a study examining the association between U.S. county-level opioid mortality rates and child maltreatment rates from 2007 to 2017. Places with higher opioid overdose mortality rates have higher rates of child maltreatment. Poverty makes this problem worse - where the proportion of families in poverty increases, the association between fatal opioid overdose rates and child maltreatment also increases. Findings suggest that intervening in opioid use by reducing poverty has the potential to markedly decrease the incidence of child maltreatment.

The Opioid Epidemic Has Disrupted Children’S Living Arrangements, Mónica L. Caudillo, Andres Villarreal, Philip N. Cohen

Population Health Research Brief Series

The contemporary drug overdose crisis has had profound impacts on children and families in the United States. This brief summarizes how children’s living arrangements have changed during the opioid epidemic. The authors find that opioid overdose deaths are associated with decreasing shares of children living with two married parents and increases in shares of children living with unmarried but cohabiting parents, single fathers, and adults other than their parents. These changes have been most pronounced among White children.

U.S. Counties With Higher Drug Overdose Rates Have Lower School Test Scores, Rajeev Darolia, Sam Owens, John Tyler

Population Health Research Brief Series

The impacts of the contemporary U.S. drug overdose crisis on child and family wellbeing have been profound. This brief describes the link between county-level opioid overdose rates and children’s test scores, finding that counties with higher overdose rates have lower average 3^rd and 8th-grade test scores than counties with lower overdose rates. The relationship between higher overdose rates and lower test scores is particularly strong in rural counties. The places with the highest overdose rates and lowest test scores tend to be economically-disadvantaged, suggesting that economic investments may be needed to address the issue.

Counties With Higher Prescription Opioid Presence Have Slower Student Learning Rates, Jessica Drescher, Carrie Townley-Flores

Population Health Research Brief Series

The adverse impacts of the U.S. opioid crisis have been documented in many domains, but surprisingly little attention has been directed to understanding how the opioid crisis has affected children’s educational outcomes. This brief shows that students in counties with high levels of opioid prescribing are learning more slowly over time than their peers in counties with low levels of opioid prescribing. In addition to directing more support to schools, the authors advocate for policies that address the underlying social conditions that lead to prescription opioid misuse.

The Oxycontin® Reformulation In 2010 Increased States’ Food Insecurity Rates, Colleen Heflin, Xiaohan Sun

Population Health Research Brief Series

The massive surge in opioid misuse and overdose over the past three decades has led to major family, economic, and social disruptions in the United States. OxyContin® - a highly potent, extended-release opioid was among the most commonly-abused narcotics throughout the 2000s. After reformulating OxyContin® to make it more difficult to inhale or inject, many people with opioid use disorders switched to using street drugs. The reformulation had many other unanticipated consequences. This brief shows that states with higher initial OxyContin® misuse rates had an increase in food insecurity after OxyContin® reformulation. The authors argue that public policies must consider …

Over Two-Thirds Of Opioid Overdose Victims In Canada Were Employed Before They Died, Alexander Cheung, Joseph Marchand, Patricia Mark

Population Health Research Brief Series

As in the United States, drug overdose is the leading cause of unnatural death in Canada, with most overdoses involving opioids. The authors of this brief quantify the lost labor productivity from opioid overdoses in Canada. They show that from 2016 to 2019, over two-thirds of opioid overdose victims were working and contributing to the economy before they died, with those employed in construction, trades, and transportation having the highest opioid overdose rates. The authors argue that destigmatizing drug use, ensuring a safe supply, and improving access to medical care and take-home Naloxone kits are critical for reducing overdose deaths.

Mglu5 Inhibition In The Basolateral Amygdala Prevents Estrous Cycle-Dependent Changes In Cue-Induced Cocaine Seeking, Claire M. Corbett, Emily N. D. Miller, Jessica A. Loweth

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Drug associated cues are a common relapse trigger for individuals recovering from cocaine use disorder. Sex and ovarian hormones influence patterns of cocaine use and relapse vulnerability, with studies indicating that females show increased cue-induced craving and relapse vulnerability compared to males. In a rodent model of cocaine craving and relapse vulnerability, cue-induced cocaine seeking behavior following weeks of withdrawal from extended-access cocaine self-administration is higher in females in the estrus stage of the reproductive (estrous) cycle (Estrus Females) compared to both Males and females in all other stages (Non-Estrus Females). However, the neuronal substrates and cellular mechanisms underlying these …

Naltrexone-Bupropion Combinations Do Not Affect Cocaine Self-Administration In Humans, Sean D. Regnier, William W. Stoops, Joshua A. Lile, Joseph L. Alcorn Iii, B. Levi Bolin, Anna R. Reynolds, Lon R. Hays, Abner O. Rayapati, Craig R. Rush

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

The FDA has not yet approved a pharmacotherapy for cocaine use disorder despite nearly four decades of research. This study determined the initial efficacy, safety, and tolerability of naltrexone-bupropion combinations as a putative pharmacotherapy for cocaine use disorder.

Thirty-one (31) non-treatment seeking participants with cocaine use disorder completed a mixed-design human laboratory study. Participants were randomly assigned to the naltrexone conditions (i.e., 0, 50 mg/ day; between-subject factor) and maintained on escalating doses of bupropion (i.e., 0, 100, 200, 400 mg/day; within-subject factor) for at least four days prior to the conduct of experimental sessions. Cocaine self-administration (IN, 0, 40, …

Naltrexone-Bupropion Combinations Do Not Affect Cocaine Self-Administration In Humans, Sean D Regnier, William W Stoops, Joshua A Lile, Joseph L Alcorn, B Levi Bolin, Anna R Reynolds, Lon R Hays, Abner O Rayapati, Craig R Rush

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The FDA has not yet approved a pharmacotherapy for cocaine use disorder despite nearly four decades of research. This study determined the initial efficacy, safety, and tolerability of naltrexone-bupropion combinations as a putative pharmacotherapy for cocaine use disorder. Thirty-one (31) non-treatment seeking participants with cocaine use disorder completed a mixed-design human laboratory study. Participants were randomly assigned to the naltrexone conditions (i.e., 0, 50 mg/day; between-subject factor) and maintained on escalating doses of bupropion (i.e., 0, 100, 200, 400 mg/day; within-subject factor) for at least four days prior to the conduct of experimental sessions. Cocaine self-administration (IN, 0, 40, 80 …

Examining The Effect Of Physician Language On Physician Impressions, Kathleen L. Hopps, Anna H. Rini, Maggie E. Williams, Gina A. Paganini, E. Paige Lloyd

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Previous research provides evidence that stigma can be perpetuated through language with consequences for well-being and quality of care. For example, providers who use stigmatizing language transmit bias toward patients with implications for care provided by other healthcare professionals. The current work extends upon this research by investigating perceptions of physicians who use stigmatizing or humanizing language. The current work sought to document the negative consequences of providers’ indelicate language on impressions of the provider, thereby motivating thoughtful language choices. To this end, the current work experimentally manipulated the language (stigmatizing, identity-first and destigmatizing, person-first) that hypothetical providers used to …

The Immunomodulating Effects Of Morphine Dependence And Withdrawal In A Rat Model, Mark Stoll

Annual Research Symposium

Would you like to know what happens to the immune system during opioid drug withdrawal?

The Role Of The Kcc2 In Substance Use And Abuse: A Systematic Review [Protocol], Alfred Amendolara, Steven Salazar, Chad Thompson, Hyrum Wright, Andrew Payne

Annual Research Symposium

This poster presents the protocol for an ongoing systematic review investigating the role of potassium chloride co-transporter 2 (KCC2) in substance use, abuse, and addiction.

Cross-Cultural Collaborations For Addressing Opioid Use Disorder In Utah, Michelle Q. Chapoose, Cassandra Manning, Erin Fanning Madden, Katie Zaman, Claire Warnick, Suzanne M. Prevedel, Sandra H. Sulzer

All Current Publications

Cross-cultural collaboration allows for more effective interventions for opioid use disorder among tribal communities. Practicing cultural humility, incorporating Indigenous knowledge, and amplifying Indigenous voices are crucial to the cross-cultural collaboration process. This process can ensure that interventions that address opioid use disorder meet the needs of tribal communities.

Subtypes Of Dual Users Of Combustible And Electronic Cigarettes: Longitudinal Changes In Product Use And Dependence Symptomatology, Anne Buu, Zhaoxue Tong, Zhanrui Cai, Runze Li, James J Yang, Douglas E Jorenby, Megan E Piper

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Cross-sectional surveys found behavioral heterogeneity among dual users of combustible and electronic cigarettes. Yet, prior classification did not reflect dynamic interactions between cigarette and e-cigarette consumption, which may reveal changes in product-specific dependence. The contexts of dual use that could inform intervention were also understudied.

Methods: This study conducted secondary analysis on 13 waves of data from 227 dual users who participated in a 2-year observational study. The k-means method for joint trajectories of cigarette and e-cigarette consumption was adopted to identify the subtypes of dual users. The time-varying effect model was used to characterize the subtype-specific trajectories of …

New Psychoactive Substances Intoxications And Fatalities During The Covid-19 Epidemic, Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro, Diletta Berardinelli, Tommaso Cassano, Gregory Dendramis, Eva Montanari, Marche Polytechnic University, Paolo Beretta, Simona Zaami, Francesco Paolo Busardò, Marilyn Ann Huestis

Institute of Emerging Health Professions Faculty Papers

In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, declaring the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic in March 2020. Stringent measures decreased consumption of some drugs, moving the illicit market to alternative substances, such as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). A systematic literature search was performed, using scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and institutional and government websites, to identify reported intoxications and fatalities from NPS during the COVID-19 pandemic. The search terms were: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, coronavirus disease 2019, intox*, fatal*, new psychoactive substance, novel psychoactive …

Association Between E-Cigarette Use Behaviors And Perceived Harmfulness Of E-Cigarettes And Anxiety/Depression Symptoms Among Black/African American Adults, David Adzrago, Kayo Fujimoto, Melissa B Harrell, Antwan Jones, J Michael Wilkerson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Black/African American adults are at greater risk of experiencing negative health outcomes stemming from tobacco use, yet little research has examined e-cigarette use behavior in the Black/African American adult-only population. We examined the association between e-cigarette use behaviors (never, former, and current use) and perceived harmfulness of e-cigarette use and anxiety/depression symptoms among Black/African American adults. This cross-sectional study was a secondary analysis of nationally representative data from the 2011-2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (n = 6,268). Multinomial logit models were used to examine differences in e-cigarette use behaviors (reference group = never used e-cigarettes), given the risk factors …

The U.S. Should Increase Access To Medication For Opioid Use Disorder Among Incarcerated Individuals, Cody Nagle

Population Health Research Brief Series

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is among the most common medical diagnoses for people in jails and prisons. Those leaving incarceration without substance use treatment are 40 times more likely than the general public to have a fatal overdose, making it the leading cause of death for people recently released. This brief describes the use of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) as realistic and legally protected approaches to reducing overdoses upon exiting incarceration. It also calls for federal regulation and guidance on the use of MOUD in prisons, jails, and drug courts to ensure each …

Association Between E-Cigarette Use Behaviors And Anxiety/Depression Among Black/African American Adults Based On Sexual Identity, David Adzrago, Melissa B Harrell, Kayo Fujimoto, Antwan Jones, J Michael Wilkerson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Limited studies have examined disparities in e-cigarette use among Black/African American adults by sexual identity and whether the relationship between symptoms of anxiety/depression and e-cigarette use varies by sexual identity. We examined the association between e-cigarette use behaviors (never, former, and current use) and anxiety/depression among a nationally representative sample of Black/African American adults who identified as a sexual minority (lesbian/gay, bisexual, and others) or heterosexual individuals. We combined cross-sectional data from the 2011 to 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (n = 6267), which is a nationally representative data set. We computed weighted e-cigarette use prevalence and multinomial logistic …

Mental Health In Pilots Ages 19-26: What Are The New Pilots Telling Us?, Jason T. Lorenzon, Diana Semilia

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Mental Health is stigma that reaches all professional pilots. After spending a considerable amount of money, a pilot is always afraid of losing his/her medical certification. This leads many pilots to not be honest and forthcoming about his/her own health situation or if he/she is forthcoming with any medical deficiency, the regulatory framework at the Federal Aviation Administration may put a further burden on the pilot to provide additional medical documentation, or the FAA may even amend, revoke, or suspend a pilot's medical certificate.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations,14 CFR Parts 61 and 67 and internal protocols creates a …