This study examined the effects of combined administration of tyrosine, lecithin, L-glutamine and L-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) on heroin withdrawal syndromes and mental symptoms in detoxified heroin addicts. In the cluster-randomized placebo-controlled trial, 83 detoxified heroin addicts were recruited from a detoxification treatment center in Wuhan, China. Patients in the intervention group (n=41) were given the combined treatment with tyrosine, lecithin, L-glutamine and 5-HTP and those in the control group (n=42) were administered the placebo. The sleep status and the withdrawal symptoms were observed daily throughout the study, and the mood states were monitored pre- and post-intervention. The results showed that the insomnia and withdrawal scores were significantly improved over time in participants in the intervention group as compared with those in the control group. A greater reduction in tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, fatigue-inertia and total mood disturbance, and a greater increase in their vigor-activity symptoms were found at day 6 in the intervention group than in the control group (all P<0.05). It was concluded that the neurotransmitter-precursor-supplement intervention is effective in alleviating the withdrawal and mood symptoms and it may become a supplementary method for patients' recovery from heroin addiction.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Dietary Supplements ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; methods ; Female ; Heroin Dependence ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; administration & dosage ; Placebo Effect ; Single-Blind Method ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Drug abuse continues to be a serious public health threat worldwide. Most drug abuse prevention research has been conducted with predominantly American or European adolescent populations. Little is known about approaches that work best to prevent the initiation of Chinese adolescent drug use. For targeting risk factors of drug initiation in Chinese adolescents, a school-based health intervention program named "Cognition-Motivation-Emotional Intelligence-Resistance Skills" (CMER) was developed to enhance cognition upon drug use, to decrease motivation of drug use and to improve emotional adjusting and drug resistance skills in this study. A total of 798 students from 3 senior high schools in Wuhan, a city in central China, were assigned randomly to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received the CMER program in which knowledge, development of positive attitude and motivation towards drugs and training of peer resistance skills were basic elements. The immediate impact was compared by measuring the above mentioned elements prior to and three-month after the training session. Students from both groups were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographic items, self-reported drug use behavior, cognition, attitude, and motivation associated with the initiation of drug use and resistance skills. Three months after the intervention, significant effects were found on "illegal substance use at least once" (P<0.05) between the intervention and control groups. Immediate effects of the intervention were also found on knowledge, motivation and peer resistance skills (P<0.05), but there was no clear evidence for any effects on attitude towards substance use (P>0.05). It was concluded that the CMER program, which significantly increased the knowledge of drugs and peer resistance skills, was effective in the drug abuse prevention in a sample of school students in Wuhan, China.
Adolescent ; Adolescent Behavior ; psychology ; China ; epidemiology ; Cognition ; physiology ; Female ; Health Education ; methods ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Motivation ; School Health Services ; Students ; psychology ; Substance-Related Disorders ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

This study examined the association of problem behavior with neurotransmitter deficiency in adolescents, which would provide new insights into behavioral problems. A total of 1259 students of the seventh grade from 4 middle schools in Wuhan city located in the central China were recruited. With the approval of school and parents, they were invited to complete the Youth Self-Report (YSR) questionnaire and Symptom Scale of Neurotransmitter Deficiency (SSND) questionnaire. Pearson's bivariate correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficients between each subscale of YSR and SSND ranged from 0.24 to 0.61 with all P<0.01. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that anxiety/depression was interrelated with insufficiency of GABA and 5-HT; aggressive behavior was associated with inadequate GABA; famine of DA influenced the attention problems. It was concluded that neurotransmitter deficiency may cause a series of behavioral and mental problems.
Adolescent ; Adolescent Behavior ; psychology ; Dopamine ; deficiency ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Disorders ; metabolism ; psychology ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; deficiency ; Serotonin ; deficiency ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; deficiency