The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, Vol. 16(11) – Slots and shots: Drinking patterns of pathological gamblers before, during, and after treatment

Gambling-related problems often co-occur with other risky behavior patterns, such as excessive alcohol or substance use (Kessler et al., 2008). However, it is unclear whether efforts to address one behavior (e.g., gambling) will also lead to decreases in other problematic behaviors, or, instead, result in addiction-hopping, substituting one excessive behavior for another (Shaffer et al., 2004). This week, the WAGER reviews a study that examined the weekly alcohol use trajectories of treatment-seeking pathological gamblers to understand more fully the drinking patterns in that population (Rash et al., 2011). Method Participants were 163 individuals taking part in one of two randomized... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 7(11): Do smart kids become adult users of illegal drugs?

Children who score relatively high on intelligence tests become relatively healthy adults, in some important respects. For instance, White and Batty (2011) noted that they are less likely to smoke, more likely to engage in physical activity, and more likely to eat healthy foods than their peers. However, research is equivocal regarding a link between childhood IQ scores and adult use of illegal drugs (as reviewed by White & Batty, 2011). In this week’s STASH, we review a recent longitudinal, population-based study investigating the connection between childhood IQ and adult use of illegal drugs (White & Batty, 2011). Methods The... Read more →

Addiction & the Humanities, Vol. 7(10) – Movies as an addiction treatment education tool for medical practitioners

Addictive behavior is an ongoing public health problem. Fortunately, there are many possible pathways to health and recovery – including somatic healthcare. However, practitioners’ interest in specializing in addiction often drops as their medical training progresses (Ritson, 1991). This circumstance prompts a reconsideration of the teaching methods used to educate medical students about addiction. In this edition of Addiction & the Humanities, we present a paper that discusses potential benefits of using movies to educate medical students regarding drug addiction, and, hopefully, to facilitate students’ interest in addiction treatment (Cape, 2009). Cape (2009) suggests that using movies to familiarize medical... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 7(10) - Nicotine… a gateway drug?

Many people refer to marijuana as a gateway drug to other illicit drug use. However, some researchers have questioned whether this presumption has distracted researchers from considering the possibility that other more easily attainable substances might act as gateway drugs – for example, nicotine (Volkow, 2011). The week’s ASHES reviews an animal model study that explores whether nicotine exposure is associated with later cocaine use behavior (Levine et al., 2011). Methods Researchers separated mice into three groups: control group (exposed to saline); cocaine only group (exposed to cocaine for 7 days); and nicotine and cocaine group (exposed to nicotine for... Read more →