33. Flavored cigarettes, posttraumatic stress, teenage drinking...and more

By Tom O'Connell

The Journal published by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto includes some fascinating research in its July/August 2000 issue. The information is thought-provoking, and the following excerpts from the Journal of Addiction and Mental Health are included for your consideration:

*FLAVORED CIGARETTES FROM INDIA BECOMING POPULAR HERE: "At about $2. U.S. a pack, and with more tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide than regular cigarettes, Indian bidis (flavored cigarettes) are fast catching on among American teens....bidis have quickly acquired a share of the market, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia."

*TEEN "RAVES" CAN TRIGGER CONVULSIONS: "At an Edmonton rave, six teenagers fell to the ground in convulsions, prompting epilepsy researchers to consider raves among the growing list of events that can trigger seizures, the National Post reports. The exhausted, all-night revelers succumbed after being subjected to a flashing light show in the early morning. Seizures can be triggered by flashing lights, hyperventilation, and sleep deprivation, all of which may be experienced by ravers, and heightened by the use of drugs such as Ecstasy, cautions Dr. Frederick Andermann of the Montreal Neurological Hospital.

*TEENAGE DRINKING RESULTS IN COGNITIVE DEFICITS: "California researchers have found that adolescents with histories of extensive alcohol use display detectable deficits in neuropsychological function, particularly in the retention and retrieval of both verbal and non-verbal information....Adolescents who had been more long-term drinkers performed worse on tests of verbal and non-verbal retention. Recent withdrawal from alcohol resulted in difficulties with visual motor integration and 'visuoperceptual,' which is visual perception and the ability to organize visual information."

--Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, Feb 2000

*ICELANDERS SELDOM SUFFER FROM LIGHT DEPRIVATION: "In the past, studies have found the rate of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) among Icelanders to be lower than expected given the short daylight hours the country experiences in winter. Rates of SAD among persons of Icelandic descent in Winnipeg, Manitoba have also been found to be lower than the rates among other Winnipegers....The authors speculate that this resistance to SAD may be due to unique genetic factors among the Icelandic population....it may be that populations become acclimatized to life at higher latitudes over time." --American Journal of Psychiatry, Feb 2000

*LOWER DOSES OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATIONS REDUCE SIDE-EFFECTS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS: "With the help of new brain imaging technology, researchers have discovered how to treat schizophrenia with lower doses of medication. This could mean fewer side-effects, with patients feeling less 'doped up,' not as lethargic and better able to think clearly." --American Journal of Psychiatry, April 2000

 *TRAFFIC INJURIES CAN LEAD TO POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS: "Children and their parents suffering car accidents are at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a study sponsored by the U.S.-based Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, developing PTSD is a common yet overlooked result of vehicle accidents. The report encouraged physicians treating the physical effects of such accidents to screen their patients for PTSD and refer them for treatment when appropriate."

*ZOLOFT USED TO TREAT POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: "Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina found sertraline (Zoloft) to be an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)....Of those treated with sertraline, more than half reported significant improvement in social and occupational functioning, and in perceived quality of life. Insomnia was the only side-effect significantly more common among sertraline users...

--Journal of the American Medical Association, April 12, 2000

NOTE: The Journal's Website is www.camh.net/journal. Also, you may explore the Internet resource provided by the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments

(CANMAT). You'll find useful information at www.canmat.org.

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