Summary: In the US, more than a million suicides are attempted each year, causing more than 45000 deaths, most of which are young adults. Yet, there is no known effective treatment to reduce suicides significantly. Now a new study shows that a simple measure of using a folic acid supplement may reduce suicide risk by as much as 44%.

This is a very unusual and accidental finding of one of the new studies showing that folic acid may considerably reduce suicide risk.

it has long been known that vitamins are associated with better mental health, brain health, and energy levels, especially vitamin Bs. However, no one thought that it could reduce the suicide rate in such a significant manner, particularly in the case of opioid addiction treatment. Suicides or attempted suicides are generally associated with depression, and almost close to 5% of US adults are living with the condition. Each year about 12 million think of suicide and 10% of them attempt it, and it results in more than 45,000 deaths every year.

Despite so much progress in science, mental health disorders are increasing. There are tens of drugs to treat depression, yet none seems to work in all cases. Anti-depressants are moderately effective in treating depression. But, even worse, they fail to help in many instances.

In the new study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, researchers were looking for a possible association between depression risk and the use of various medications, a subject that is poorly explored yet.

For the purpose of the study, researchers analyzed the data of close to a million patients. They used the drug refill data to see if there is any association between the intake of various drugs and suicide risk. To understand this, they almost analyzed the patients’ use of close to 1000 drugs. To their surprise, their analysis showed that folic acid appears to be associated with significantly lower suicide risk.

Therefore, they decided to focus particularly on folic acid, also known as vitamin B9. The role of vitamin B-complex in brain health is known. Therefore, folic acid is often prescribed during prenatal care as it is essential for fetal brain development and reduces the risk of certain congenital disabilities.

For this purpose, they collected data from 866,586 patients who were given folic acid between 2012 to 2017. Since folic acid is more commonly prescribed to women, overwhelming numbers of those who took folic acid were women (80%).

When they analyzed the data, they found that people who took folic acid had a significantly lower suicide risk. However, since most patients who used folic acid were pregnant women, it is easy to understand such findings. Pregnant women are the least likely to commit suicide.

Nonetheless, researchers decided to move forward with their study and analyze the data of males. They were amazed to see that in men, folic acid intake reduced suicide risk by almost 44%, even after adjusting for various other confounding factors. These are incredible findings, as folic acid is readily available and is quite safe for prolonged use2.

There were some other interesting findings in the study, like a linear relationship between folic acid intake and reduced risk of suicides. The study found that folic supplementation for each month reduced suicide risk by about 5% and maxed out at about 44%. That is a massive benefit.

Since folic acid has many health effects similar to cyanocobalamin or vitamin B12, the researchers also decided to see if vitamin B12 could also help reduce suicide risk. However, they did not find any correlation between vitamin B12 intake and suicides. Hence, it appears that this benefit is unique to folic acid.

These findings have huge clinical relevance and must be tested in further well-designed clinical trials. It is vital to understand why folic acid is so helpful in preventing suicides. It is also essential to explore its role in treating depression.

If these findings are confirmed in clinical trials, then folic acid may emerge as a cheap and safe treatment for depression and preventing suicides, and it may help save thousands of lives.

Summary: Corticosteroids are among the most commonly used drugs. They are used to manage various health conditions, from pain, inflammation, allergies, and autoimmune disorders. However, their prolonged use is also associated with many side effects, including a higher risk of mood swings, depression, reduced cognition, and more. A new study comparing MRI brain scans of steroid users with non-users found that these effects on mental health are due to structural changes in the brain that occur due to prolonged use of steroids.

Steroids are among the most commonly used drugs to manage pain and inflammation. They are among the most common medications for allergies and autoimmune diseases. Quite often, people have to use steroids continually for years to keep their disease condition in control. Here, of course, we are talking about corticosteroids, not androgens, which are performance-enhancing drugs. The human body has many different steroidal hormones with various functions. Sex hormones are not the only steroids. Corticosteroids are very close to the hormones secreted by the adrenal gland in their structures.

Corticosteroids are the drugs of choice for managing severe asthma, autoimmune disorders, and even chronic pain. Doctors may prescribe these drugs for either inhalation or oral intake. Though these drugs are relatively safe when inhaled, on prolonged use, inhaled and oral drugs have similar side effects. Some of the common side effects of corticosteroids are increased infection risk, water retention, high blood pressure, mood swings, behavioral changes, stomach upset, weight gain, and more. Doctors have long known these side effects. Nonetheless, they have to prescribe these medications for many disease conditions, as there are no other options. Online addiction counseling is also a helpful treatment option for those who suffer from addiction, including opioid dependence. Combining corticosteroids with online addiction counseling may help to manage chronic pain and opioid dependence more effectively.

For example, inhaled corticosteroids are the most effective treatment for many asthma patients. Similarly, doctors may require using corticosteroids to manage chronic inflammatory conditions. Though doctors have long known that corticosteroids cause mood swings and symptoms like anxiety, depression, mania, and other mental health issues, but they do not know the cause of these side effects. They are unsure if these side effects are due to some metabolic changes, hormonal changes, altered levels of neurotransmitters, or something else. Now, study shows that these mental health issues probably arise due to structural brain changes caused by prolonged corticosteroid use.

In the new study, researchers used a UK biobank that contains data from more than half a million adults aged 40 to 69 years. For their study, researchers analyzed the MRI brain scans of 222 people using systemic steroids and another 557 using inhaled steroids. In addition, they compared their brain scans with 24,106 non-steroid users.

The study found that both inhaled and systemic steroid use was associated with structural brain changes like reduced white and gray matter in the brain. It means that neuronal connectivity is compromised by prolonged steroid use. The study found that white matter structures were especially less intact in long-term steroid users. Needless to say, researchers also found that such brain damage was more prominent in oral steroids users compared to inhaled steroids users. 

Additionally, the study found systemic steroid use resulted in larger caudate, whereas inhaled steroids caused a smaller amygdala. Both these structures play important roles in cognition and emotional processing. These structural changes in the brain of systemic steroid users were also associated with more severe signs of depression, fatigue, restlessness, and apathy. 

It is among the first studies to show that prolonged corticosteroids cause structural changes in the brain, which results in neuropsychiatric side effects. Moreover, the study found that such side effects are common with oral and inhaled corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are widely used drugs and are regarded as irreplaceable in many disease conditions. Thus, researchers say that this study shows an urgent need to find safer alternatives to synthetic corticosteroids.

In recent years doctors have been told to reduce the use of opioids for pain management as they are considered addictive painkillers. Instead, use other less potent medications. Therefore, it is natural to ask if opioids are really so good for pain management.

To start with, it is vital to understand that opioids are among the oldest painkillers used by humans. Opioids are good, not just for pain. They are also used to suppress cough, manage diarrhea, and manage many other health conditions.

Pain is not a disease but rather a symptom. Nonetheless, many health conditions cannot be cured, and thus pain remains one of the most common causes for visiting doctors. Almost half of all the patients who visit a physician’s office have some pain.

At present, the approach to treating pain is pretty straightforward. Doctors use the so-called pain-treatment ladder. First, they would start with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, if these medications fail to help patients, they would progress to weaker opioids like tramadol. Finally, they need to prescribe opioids. Therefore, doctors use opioids when other efforts have failed to provide sufficient chronic pain relief.

Studies suggest that about one-fifth of all those living with pain need opioids for sufficient pain relief. However, doctors have now been under pressure to reduce opioid use. They are already tapering opioids in many patients and avoiding prescribing opioids to new patients. However, there are worries that it may be causing more harm than good and are being considered as addictive painkillers.

It is true that 1-3% of patients may become addicted to these drugs. However, this does not mean that the vast majority of patients must suffer due to an addiction risk in a small number of patients. Moreover, most of those addicted to opioids are quite likely to continue abusing various substances. If they do not get prescription drugs, they are quite likely to use street drugs. There is insufficient evidence that those people became addicted to opioids merely due to opioid prescriptions by doctors.

There are numerous studies showing that opioids are excellent and safe painkillers. However, some patients are prone to opioid addiction due to genetics or other reasons. In addition, many people living with chronic pain have depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues, which makes them prone to addiction. 

Therefore, instead of stopping using opioids or stopping prescribing, there is just a need to identify high-risk patients. 

Opioids are metabolized very differently in different individuals. Thus, for some, only a small dose is sufficient for pain relief, and others require much higher dosages. Nonetheless, they are quite good for pain relief once the right dose has been identified. 

Since individuals metabolize these drugs differently, some people are naturally prone to become dependent on these medications.

In recent years, some experts have been talking about drug resistance and other things like opioids causing hyperalgesia. However, there is limited data to suggest that such things occur or have any significant clinical value. Moreover, such problems may happen only in a small number of patients. Therefore, these are not reasons to stop prescribing opioids for chronic pain relief.

The truth is that opioids cause very few side effects in most patients, like constipation, sleepiness, low concentration, nausea, and low sexual libido. However, most of the side effects are not severe and can be managed in different ways. For example, in some, opioids may be titrated, and others may be prescribed different opioids.

Many problems with opioids occur due to individual sensitivities, and regretfully many physicians are unaware of it. Thus, if the patient cannot tolerate one opioid, another opioid can be used. Additionally, it must be understood that there is nothing like one size fits all, and in the case of opioids finding the right dose is challenging due to massive individual differences.

To sum up, opioids are safe and excellent painkillers. However, there are massive individual differences. For example, some require opioids at a much higher dosage. Additionally, some are prone to addiction. In such cases, getting opioid addiction treatment must not be ignored.  Therefore, these individual differences must be understood for safe opioid use.

The Bottom Line

Addictionology Center offers a unique telemedicine program that helps you to get opioid addiction treatment with complete privacy right in the comfort of your home. Get in touch with our experts today to get chronic pain relief and addiction pain life.

Summary: Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is quite common in the US, and yet it has received insufficient attention from researchers. There are very few drugs that can help manage CUD. New studies show that ketamine may help achieve CUD remission. A new study using AI went through 90 million EHRs and found that those who received ketamine as an anesthetic were more likely to achieve CUD remission than those who received other anesthetics or antidepressants.

Cocaine addiction and overdose are significant problems in the United States. Millions of individuals struggle with cocaine use disorder (CUD) each year. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 2 million Americans aged 12 or older had used cocaine in the past month in 2020. Moreover, the number of cocaine overdose deaths in the United States has been increasing steadily over the past decade. In 2022, there were more than 32,000 overdose deaths involving cocaine or other psychostimulants. Over the last decade or so, the number of people living with CUD has increased significantly, and so have overdose-related deaths. Thus, an urgent need is to find an effective treatment for the condition.

Despite years of research, effective treatment options for CUD have remained elusive. The complex nature of cocaine addiction, which affects multiple neurotransmitter systems in the brain, and the lack of research funding for CUD are the main reasons behind the difficulty in developing effective treatments.

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant that affects the brain’s reward and motivation pathways. It works by increasing dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels in the brain, which leads to euphoria and heightened energy. However, the effects of cocaine are short-lived, and individuals who use cocaine frequently develop tolerance, which means they need ever-increasing doses to achieve the same effect. This can lead to dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and compulsive drug-seeking behavior, which are hallmarks of addiction.

Traditional therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and contingency management, have shown some success in treating CUD. Still, they are often not enough to prevent relapse in the long term. In addition, medications approved for the treatment of drug addiction and other substance use disorders, such as methadone and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, have not been effective in treating CUD.

The lack of effective treatments for CUD is due in part to the complex nature of the disorder. Cocaine addiction involves changes in multiple neurotransmitter systems in the brain, which can alter reward and motivation pathways. Moreover, cocaine use can have both physical and psychological effects, making it difficult to address through a single approach. Another challenge is the lack of research funding for CUD. Compared to other substance use disorders like opioid addiction, CUD has received relatively little attention from researchers and policymakers. This lack of funding has made conducting large-scale clinical trials and developing new medications and therapies difficult.

However, emerging research suggests that ketamine may be a promising new approach for treating CUD. Ketamine is an anesthetic drug shown to have rapid antidepressant effects in low doses. In addition, studies have suggested that ketamine may also be effective in reducing cocaine cravings and preventing relapse in individuals with CUD. 

With every passing year, evidence is increasing in support of the use of ketamine for treating CUD. In one of the recent studies published in the journal Addiction, researchers used artificial intelligence to understand the role of ketamine in CUD.

Why use artificial intelligence? Well, AI has some distinct benefits, like it is better suited than humans for analyzing massive data sets. For example, researchers used AI in the study to analyze 90 million electronic health records (EHRs). And many of them were given various anesthetics.

In the study, AI found that patients who were given ketamine as an anesthetic and were living with CUD had much higher CUD remission rates compared to patients who were given other anesthetics. For example, the rate of CUD remission was four times higher than patients who received antidepressants or midazolam. Thus, the researchers concluded that ketamine has excellent potential for managing CUD.

Summary: Alzheimer’s is among the most common neurodegenerative disorders. There are no medical drugs that can cure it. A new study shows that high omega-3 intake at a young age is a way to improve brain function and have higher hippocampal volume. Thus, higher omega-3 intake at a young age may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life and promote mental health improvement.

As people live longer, brain disorders continue to increase. Though there are many neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s is particularly a cause of concern. There are already 6.5 million Americans living with the condition, and these numbers are expected to keep rising.

Currently, no drug can help prevent Alzheimer’s or reverse it. Medications used to treat Alzheimer’s can only slow down its progress. 

More than a century of research into the subject has failed to provide sufficient information about the condition. Studies show that people are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition after the age of 65, though some might be diagnosed earlier. 

Nonetheless, studies do provide some valuable information. It appears that Alzheimer’s starts much earlier than its diagnosis. One develops its symptoms only when considerable damage has been done. Therefore, any measure to reduce Alzheimer’s risk must be initiated early.

Though doctors cannot reliably assess the risk of Alzheimer’s in all patients, studies show a high association of the condition with genetics. For example, those who carry the APOE4 gene are at considerable risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life. Thus, these individuals can start their efforts to prevent disease early, even if they do not have any symptoms of the condition.

Many nootropics can boost various brain functions. However, it is unclear what health supplements may really help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Now a new study provides sound evidence that high omega-3 intake may be associated with better brain health and may help reduce Alzheimer’s risk.

It is no secret that omega-3 fatty acids are good for brain health. Among three omega fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are especially good for brain health. Many clinical studies have shown that they are suitable for brain development, help considerably improve metabolic health, and boost various brain functions.

Now a new study shows that the benefits of omega-3 intake can even be visualized using brain scans. Those with high omega-3 intake have visibly higher hippocampal volume, a brain area associated with memory and learning. 

A study in 2,183 healthy individuals who were dementia and stroke-free found that if one starts taking omega-3 fatty acids in middle age, it may significantly reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, omega-3 may help high-risk individuals like those with the APOE4 gene variant.

In the study, researchers noted higher hippocampal volume associated with higher omega-3 intake and found that omega-3 fatty acids helped improve reasoning and other brain functions. Not only that but omega-3 also helped by improving the functioning of small blood vessels in the brain. 

In their study, researchers divided participants into two groups, one with a very low omega-3 concentration in their blood cells and another group with a relatively high omega-3 concentration in their blood.

Most of the benefits mentioned above were only seen in those with high omega-3 fatty acids in blood cells. This is the first study to show such a relation between high omega-3 fatty acids intake and brain health in young adults.

Needless to say, those with healthier brains in middle life are also less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. It means that higher omega-3 intake is especially vital for high-risk individuals.

Omega-3 fatty acid intake may not reverse Alzheimer’s and may have little benefit when living with the condition. However, it means that omega-3 fatty acids would help more when their intake is increased much before the disease starts developing.

It means that low omega-3 fatty acids in the blood cells must be regarded as a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s.

Are Opioids Helpful In Mental Health Improvement

There are cases of people who have a drug addiction or alcohol dependence history. In such cases, doctors might prescribe alcohol dependence treatment and addiction treatment programs while managing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. These can also include suboxone treatment and opioid addiction treatment for mental health improvement.

Summary: A new study found that veterans are least likely to seek treatment for common health conditions such as sleep and substance use problems. The study also found that veterans were more willing to seek treatment for physical health conditions such as chronic pain and brain injuries but less willing to seek help for mental health conditions like alcohol or drug use and sleep disorders. In addition, there is a link between the willingness to seek treatment among veterans of color and incidents of discrimination. 

They have sacrificed to protect their country and experienced unique challenges due to their service. As a result, veterans are more likely to experience certain physical and mental health issues than the general population. They may also have different values and experiences that shape their perspective on life.

One of the most notable differences between veterans and the general population is the high rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans. PTSD is a condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. Veterans who have been in combat are at a higher risk of developing PTSD. Due to their service, they may also experience physical injuries, such as amputations or traumatic brain injuries.

Another difference between veterans and the general population is the unique stressors that veterans may face. For example, veterans may struggle with re-adjusting to civilian life after returning from deployment. They may also have difficulty finding employment or accessing healthcare. Due to these unique challenges, veterans may be more reluctant to seek help for issues such as sleep problems or substance use. They may also have different attitudes toward seeking help and may be less likely to seek help from traditional healthcare providers.

According to a recent study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, American military veterans are the least likely to seek treatment for common health conditions such as sleep and substance use problems. The study, which included 334 veterans from 46 states, found that veterans were more willing to seek treatment for physical health conditions such as chronic pain and brain injuries but less willing to seek help for mental health conditions like alcohol or drug use and sleep disorders. The study also found a link between the willingness to seek treatment among veterans of color and incidents of discrimination.

The study involved participants from 46 states, with 66% being men and over 70% identifying as a person of color. They were asked to answer screening questions for 15 different medical conditions, such as insomnia, hazardous alcohol use, drug use, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, they were asked to rate the importance of treatment for each health condition and their willingness to seek addiction treatment programs.

The research found that most participants were willing to seek treatment for both physical and mental health issues but were more inclined to seek treatment for physical health conditions as opposed to mental health conditions. Furthermore, the study revealed that willingness to seek treatment was highest for chronic pain, chronic medical conditions, and physical brain injuries but lowest for alcohol or drug use and sleep disorders.

The researchers suggest that this may be because sleep and alcohol problems are prevalent among veterans. Thus they may be normalized or minimized to the extent that they are not viewed as problems that need treatment such as telehealth programs. Additionally, the study looked into the impact of discrimination on seeking treatment for physical or mental health issues. The results showed that more frequent experiences of discrimination were associated with less willingness to seek treatment for physical or mental health problems.

For veterans of color, discriminatory experiences were associated with less willingness to seek treatment, but only among those who denied using other strategies for coping with stress.

The study suggests that empowering veterans to utilize healthy coping methods may mitigate the negative impact of discriminatory experiences on treatment-seeking. Additionally, doctors treating veterans must be aware of these issues, as without handling these mental health problems treating physical ailments or chronic pain may be challenging in the population group.

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Summary: Depression is one of the leading mental health issues. Moreover, no two patients living with depression are the same. Many people are also living with anxious depression. Such patients are challenging to manage with a traditional therapeutic approach. A new study using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) shows that it can be quite helpful in relieving the symptoms of both anxiety and depression.

Depression is a widespread mental health disorder in the United States that affects people of all ages. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 15 million adults in the US experience at least one major depressive episode each year. Depression can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life, negatively impacting work, relationships, and overall well-being. Therefore, it is essential to understand the causes of depression to identify effective treatment options.

Though depression is a common health issue, it remains poorly understood. Hence, despite the availability of tens of medications for managing depression, its treatment is far from satisfactory.

In fact, many people living with depression do not respond well to pharmacological treatment. Doctors often describe this as resistant depression. Not only that, antidepressants may instead cause many side effects, and in some cases, they might even make depression worse. That is why doctors are always looking for novel and safer ways to manage depression.

To further make things difficult, many people are living with major depression disorder (MDD) complicated by anxiety and thus called anxious depression. Such individuals are particularly challenging to treat. They often require prolonged medical treatment, and yet many do not respond well to the therapy. Such kind of severe anxious depression may cause significant disability.

Even if a patient responds to the medical drugs, it generally takes quite a long time to gain disease remission. Therefore, most patients suffering from anxious depression must continually take medications even if remission has been achieved. 

In recent years, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has emerged as an effective and safe treatment for depression and anxiety. Moreover, this kind of treatment is very safe and rarely causes any side effects. 

TMS involves applying magnetic pulses to specific areas of the brain to stimulate neural activity. Since magnetic pulses are of very low energy, they do not cause any harm. TMS is not just good for managing mental health issues, and it is also good for boosting regenerative processes. Since it has many beneficial health effects, it has become the subject of much research.

Now a new study shows that TMS is not just good for resistant depression. It is also quite useful for managing anxious depression.

The new study aimed to determine whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) could help patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms. The study looked at 1,820 patients who had been diagnosed with MDD and had completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Global Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) before and after receiving at least one TMS treatment between May 2016 and January 2021.2

The study found that patients with anxious depression significantly improved after receiving TMS treatment. In addition, their symptoms of both anxiety and depression improved significantly. On average, there was a 50% or greater reduction in both GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. 

The study concluded that routine TMS treatment delivered in diverse clinical settings could lead to marked anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in patients with anxious depression. 

Though researchers have long known about the benefits of TMS in depression, now they understand that it is also good for complex patients displaying the signs of both depression and anxiety.

Summary: Studies show that just about 40% of those who begin addiction treatment programs finish it. Moreover, treatment relapse rates are pretty high. It means that the majority of those who start substance abuse treatment fail to benefit. However, studies suggest that non-pharmacological means like regular telephonic follow-up, family support, 12 steps, and spirituality can help improve addiction recovery rates.

Many people living with addiction would like to live a healthy life. Therefore, many of them also join recovery programs. However, it is no secret that many of these de-addiction programs fail long-term. However, initial results may be pretty encouraging.

The National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services survey shows that less than half of those who start treatment for opioid and alcohol addiction complete it. Furthermore, only about 40% of those joining treatments are estimated to finish it. Needless to say, in the long run, just a small number of them can stay clean.

All this means that only a small fraction of those joining addiction treatment programs benefit in the long run. This is a cause for worry. It means that addiction treatment is not able to help well in most cases. However, researchers think that small changes to addiction treatment can substantially increase addiction recovery rates.

Researchers have not realized the factors that influence recovery rates. Using these new techniques means that more than 70% who start substance abuse treatment can finish it, and most of them can stay clean for years. Some are able to live addiction free for the rest of their life.

The Suboxone program is another form taken up for opioid addiction treatment. 

It appears that during treatment, there is a need to resolve addictive behavior. It is about teaching those living with substance use disorder (SUD) new ways of countering their well-established habits. It is also about providing much-needed social support.

For example, a simple measure of making a phone call twice a month may help a patient stay clean. It helps them mentally and emotionally. They feel better connected with their treating doctors. Studies suggest that even such a simple measure of keeping regular contact with the patients can increase their chances of staying addiction free by almost twice. Thus, in addiction treatment, follow-up with patients is critical.

Many other factors influence long-time recoveries, like better social support, family support, and engagement with peer groups. 

Further, recovery rates can be increased significantly through a 12-steps program and spirituality. 

It is about realizing that recovery is a lifelong process. Just completing a few week-long treatments does not mean that a person will be able to stay clean for long. Thus, the two most important factors ensuring long-term recovery are social/emotional support and behavioral therapy.

A 12-step program and spirituality can also help enforce certain things. First, one needs to practice spirituality daily. It is about strengthening willpower, increasing self-confidence, and believing that one can overcome addiction. It is also about developing a moral inventory. Finally, it is about accepting shortcomings and working on them. Prayers and meditation may also help eliminate weaknesses and promote spiritual awakening.

When it comes to long-term recovery, it is not so much about drug therapy as it is about non-pharmacological means. There is increasing evidence that follow-up with patients, providing them with social support, and teaching them ways to alter their behavior can have a significant impact. 

Therefore, all those seeking treatment for their addiction must pay particular attention to the non-pharmacological treatments provided by any addiction center, like social support, 12 Steps, spirituality,  teaching social and cognitive coping, and more.

Summary: Life expectancy has increased considerably in the last few decades in the US and globally. However, this has also altered the disease pattern. A new study in the US shows that one in ten adults is now living with dementia, and another 22% are living with cognitive impairment. Since life expectancy is expected to keep rising over the next few decades, the nation and healthcare system should be better prepared to manage dementia.

In the US, average life expectancy has constantly risen since the early 20th century. Although, there has been some decline in the last few years due to Covid-19. Nonetheless, on average, people in the US can expect to live 10 years longer than in the mid-20th century.

However, the aging population also means that disease pattern is changing. Aging particularly increases the risk of brain disorders like dementia and mild cognitive impairment. The risk of dementia increases with age and due to various socio-demographic factors.

There has been no study regarding the prevalence of dementia in the US for 20 years. Thus, the new study was carried out, and its findings were published in the journal JAMA in October 2022. This new study shows that one in ten Americans live with dementia, and another 22% live with mild cognitive impairment.

This new study is important in many ways. First, it is a part of the nationally representative and long-running Health and Retirement Study. It shows the actual burden of dementia in the US. This data would help track the trends for coming years or even decades. Additionally, the study is relevant considering the impact of covid-19 on life expectancy and metabolic health in the US. 

Longevity and dementia

The study analyzed the data of 3500 adults in the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) Project. They were part of Michigan’s nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS) done between 2016-17. All participants had to complete comprehensive neuropsychological tests that were good not only for detecting dementia but also mild cognitive impairment.

The study had many interesting findings. It found that increasing longevity has much to do with the increasing rate of dementia. Thus, the study found that the prevalence of dementia was about 3% in those 65 to 69; however, it increased to 35% in those 90 and over.

Researchers say that understanding this data is vital to prepare the healthcare system in the US better. Moreover, countering the rising rates of dementia and mild cognitive decline would require specific policy changes in the nation.

Doctors say that the number of people living with dementia and cognitive impairment is bound to increase with increasing life expectancy. This increase may be significant in the coming decades, and the nation must be prepared to meet this challenge.

Additionally, it is vital to understand the economic impact of rising dementia. It will result in added healthcare costs of about $250 billion in the US and close to a trillion US dollars worldwide.

Dementia and disparities

The study also had some other significant findings, like a higher prevalence of dementia in specific population groups. Thus, the study shows that apart from age, other factors associated with higher dementia prevalence are ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education.

Data shows that dementia is more common among socially deprived people. Thus, the risk of dementia is relatively higher in African Americans. Mild cognitive decline is more common in Hispanics. Generally, cognitive decline is greater in people who did not obtain much education.

This data suggests the need for even more extensive population-based studies to understand how various factors increase the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.

Finally, this study also shows an urgent need to improve diagnostic tools and prepare the healthcare system for upcoming problems.

Summary: Doctors are more likely to prescribe opioids to those living with chronic pain. Thus, these are also people more likely to develop OUD. A new study shows that these are individuals living with a peculiar kind of problem called central sensitization. Such individuals are more likely to suffer from chronic pain and respond poorly to pain treatment, and thus at a greater risk of OUD.

It is no secret that those living with chronic pain are more likely to be prescribed opioids, and thus such people are also more likely to develop pain medication addiction. However, the relationship between OUD and chronic pain is as casual as it may sound. 

There are many people for whom doctors prescribe opioids for their chronic pain, and yet only some develop OUD. Therefore, there is a need to understand the link between the two. Researchers could identify one potential mechanism in one of the first of its kind of study. They found increased central sensitization among those living with OUD.

Central sensitization is a unique issue affecting many chronic pain patients. In this condition, individuals have a spinal cord that is exceptionally good at sending pain signals to the brain. Consequently, their brain struggles to overcome these pain signals and becomes sensitized. Hence, such people are more likely to suffer from pain and have a low pain threshold.

In the first of its kind of study, researchers used a special scale to measure central sensitization in those living with OUD. It is the first study to demonstrate that those living with OUD or opioid addiction have central sensitization.

This latest study was published in the journal Pain Reports. In the study, researchers enrolled 141 patients living with OUD and being treated for opioid addiction. In the study, they had to answer questions regarding their pain, quality of life, pain beliefs, and more. These questions helped researchers understand central sensitization in such patients1.

People living with chronic pain are more likely to be living with OUD. At the same time, those living with chronic pain also have difficulty living without opioids. Thus, they are at significant risk of developing opiate dependence and living with OUD. In addition, researchers found that those living with OUD had worse quality of life, more difficulty controlling chronic pain, and greater central sensitization.

People living with central sensitization were more likely to seek pain treatment and prescribed opioids for their pain. Unfortunately, this is often the beginning of opioid addiction for many such individuals. Moreover, in these people, pain is more likely to persist for a long time and have treatment relapses, which further adds to the opioid dependence risk.

Therefore, researchers say that central sensitization may significantly complicate OUD treatment. However, it also means that clinicians should measure central sensitization in those living with opioid addiction to treat OUD successfully.

One of the issues why this problem often remains neglected is that very few physicians specialize in pain and addiction treatment. Hence, most patients continue to receive treatment for these conditions separately. 

Nevertheless, there are some specialists in the US that specialize both in pain and Opioid addiction treatment. However, health experts warn that, at present, there are very few treatment options for those living with central sensitization and OUD. It means that doctors need to explore different treatment approaches in those living with OUD, including non-pharmacological means.

Addictionology Center in St Louis provides a holistic set of services to treat chronic pain as well as medication for opioid use disorder. It has its telemedicine addiction treatment program along with suboxone treatment to provide you with the facilities in the comfort of your home.