Acta Sci Neurol
April 2025
In spite of the ongoing exquisite work of a multitude of researchers worldwide including governmental institutions like the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and for example in the United States the FDA Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) embracing Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT) in 2022, 111,000 people prematurely died from opioid induced overdose. It is estimated that if treatment stays as usual by 2025 the death rate will increase to 165,00.Therefore, we are encouraging the scientific and clinical community to at least consider our "out of the box" thinking whereby we are proposing a new paradigm shift involving the " dopaminergic homeostatic modeling approach and Genetic screening to early identify preaddiction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe examine the relationship between substance use disorder (SUD) and schizophrenia, emphasizing the role of dopaminergic neurotransmission and genetic predispositions within the context of Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). Our hypothesis posits that a deficiency in gamma-type endorphins leads to persistent hyperdopaminergic activity, amplifying schizophrenia-related symptoms such as hallucinations. Thus, alcohol use may function as a physiological self-healing mechanism by increasing gamma-endorphin levels, thereby mitigating dopaminergic hyperactivity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn 1995, Kenneth Blum coined the term "Reward Deficiency Syndrome'(RDS) to provide the mental health field with an umbrella term expressing a dissatisfaction of everyday experiences due to a dysregulation of dopaminergic dysregulation especially the DRD2 Taq A1 polymorphism presenting with up to a 40% reduction of D2 receptors in brain tissue with two copies. While the concept of RDS as the actual real umbrella of all mental illness unlike the current DSM-V (the brain is not carved out as portrayed by this important psychiatric manual) awaits further intensive research. In fact, Steven Hyman (former director of NIMH) suggests otherwise and has urged for research related to etiological causes instead to help explain the failings of mental health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArtificially increasing dopamine transmission is the common mechanism by which substances with addictive potential lead to addiction. A key area of research in neurobiology is the role of dopamine. Significant advancements have been made in uncovering the intracellular signaling pathways that mediate both dopamine's immediate effects and its long-term influence on brain function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Pharm Biotechnol
April 2025
Background: Overdose involving opioids is the black heart of the addiction crisis. "Pre-addiction," as an encouraging concept by NIDA and NIAAA, seems best captured with the construct of dopamine dysregulation. Referring to the abundant publications on "Reward Deficiency Syndrome" (RDS), Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) test, RDSQ29, and KB220, Pre-addiction can be referred to as "reward dysregulation" as a suitable suggestion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pers Med
March 2025
In the United States, approximately 1 in 5 children experience comorbidities with mental illness, including depression and anxiety, which lead to poor general health outcomes. Adolescents with substance use disorders exhibit high rates of co-occurring mental illness, with over 60% meeting diagnostic criteria for another psychiatric condition in community-based treatment programs. Comorbidities are influenced by both genetic (DNA antecedents) and environmental (epigenetic) factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPersonalized repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (PrTMS) offers an individualized approach to neuromodulation through customized treatment protocols. This case series aims to explore therapeutic outcomes of PrTMS in two patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), based on standardized rating scale scores and spectral EEG-guided alpha brainwave activity optimization. Participants diagnosed with PTSD received PrTMS treatments informed by quantitative rating scales and weekly spectral EEG measurements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The present study relates to a method to treat and detoxify patients with substance use disorder (SUD) utilizing a series of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and enkephalinase infusions (NADASE) in subjects attending chemical dependency programs.
Objective: The primary objective of the current investigation is to provide some additional clinical evidence to show that NAD+ other amino acids including d-phenylalanine, glycine and ananylglutamine dipeptide and Myer's cocktail (B complex) infusions significantly attenuates substance craving behavior and concomitant psychiatric burden sequalae in poly-drug abusers attending both in-patient and out-patient level of care in a number of chemical dependency programs in orange country.
Methods: At symmetry approximately 1,000 now performed approximately 1,000 infusions on 900 patients without any serious side effects pointing to the safety of this procedure.
J Addict Psychiatry
June 2024
Unlabelled: This case study demonstrates that craniocervical spinal alignment with the EPIC technique spinal procedure appears to have a potential positive impact on ocular function. This paper will report the case of a patient with cranial nerve VI palsy and dizziness, and the clinical improvements following treatment with the soundwave technology of the EPIC technique spinal procedure [1].
Objective: To report the case of a patient with cranial nerve VI (CN VI) palsy and the clinical changes that occurred after receiving treatment using the EPIC (Evolutionary Percussion Instrument Corrections) technique spinal procedure.
Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with or without streptococcal and other bacterial infections (PANDAS/CANS) are emerging as a featured pediatric disorder. Although there is some controversy regarding treatment approaches, especially related to the behavioral sequelae, we have hypothesized in other published work that it is characterized by the rapid onset of Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) in children. We propose utilizing a multi-systems biological approach involving the coupling of genetic addiction risk testing and pro-dopamine regulation (KB220/POLYGEN) to help induce "dopamine homeostasis" in patients with PANDAS, especially those with known DNA-induced hypodopaminergia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychol Res Behav Manag
October 2024
The human brain not only controls the various physiological functions but is also the prime regulator of circadian rhythms, rewards, and behaviors. Environmental factors, professional stress, and social disintegration are regarded as the initial causative factors of addiction behavior. Shift work, artificial light exposure at night, and chronic and acute jet lag influence circadian rhythm dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFINNOSC Theranostics Pharmacol Sci
July 2024
Clonidine operates through agonism at the alpha-2A receptor, a specific subtype of the alpha-2-adrenergic receptor located predominantly in the prefrontal cortex. By inhibiting the release of norepinephrine, which is responsible for withdrawal symptoms, clonidine effectively addresses withdrawal-related conditions such as anxiety, hypertension, and tachycardia. The groundbreaking work by Gold .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExercise promotes health and wellness, including its operation as a protective factor against a variety of psychological, neurological, and chronic diseases. Selenium and its biomarker, selenoprotein P (SEPP1), have been implicated in health, including cancer prevention, neurological function, and dopamine signaling. SEPP1 blood serum levels were compared with a one-way ANOVA between sedentary (SED), moderately exercised (MOD) [10 m/min starting at 10 min, increasing to 60 min], and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercised rats [30 min in intervals of 2-min followed by a 1-min break, speed progressively increased from 10 to 21 m/min].
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe D2 dopamine receptor () gene has garnered substantial attention as one of the most extensively studied genes across various neuropsychiatric disorders. Since its initial association with severe alcoholism in 1990, particularly through the identification of the allele, numerous international investigations have been conducted to elucidate its role in different conditions. As of February 22, 2024, there are 5485 articles focusing on the gene listed in PUBMED.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFINNOSC Theranostics Pharmacol Sci
April 2024
The Carter Center has estimated that the addiction crisis in the United States (US), if continues to worsen at the same rate, may cost the country approximately 16 trillion dollars by 2030. In recent years, the well-being of youth has been compromised by not only the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic but also the alarming global opioid crisis, particularly in the US. Each year, deadly opioid drugs claim hundreds of thousands of lives, contributing to an ever-rising death toll.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Addict Psychiatry
April 2024
Annotated bibliography of genetic addiction risk severity (GARS) publications, pro-dopamine regulation in nutraceuticals (KB220 nutraceutical variants), and policy documents. Further research is required to encourage the field to consider "Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) Anti-addiction Modeling" which involves early risk identification by means of genetic assessment similar to GARS, followed by induction of dopamine homeostasis by means of genetically guided pro-dopamine regulation similar to KB220. These results suggest that genetically based treatments may be a missing piece in the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Addict Psychiatry
December 2023
In the USA alone, opioid use disorder (OUD) affects approximately 27 million people. While the number of prescriptions may be declining due to increased CDC guidance and prescriber education, fatalities due to fentanyl-laced street heroin are still rising. Our laboratory has extended the overall concept of both substance and non-substance addictive behaviors, calling it "Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychol Res Behav Manag
December 2023