The complexity of treating conditions such as ADHD and depression during adolescence requires a delicate balance. These diseases often overlap, often known by combinations of drugs such as Ritalin (known for their usefulness in ADHD treatment) and the antidepressant Fluoxetine (Fluoxetine). Both drugs have their advantages, but they also have risks, especially when abused by teenagers seeking cognitive enhancement or for recreational purposes. Surprisingly, many high school students have been found to try these prescription drugs outside of medical intent, causing a portal for potential drug abuse. The study explores the implications of combining these drugs in her teenage years, questioning whether this early exposure may pave the way for increased susceptibility to cocaine addiction later.
In a detailed study led by Professor Panayotis Thanos of the University of Buffalo and Professor Heinz Steiner of Rosalind Franklin University, supported by Dr. David Komatsu of Stony Brook University, Professor Michael Hadjiargyrou and Wen Lee of New York Institute of Technology, Shannon Klein Klein Klein, Rania Ahmed, Madison McCarthy and Daniela senior at the University of Buffalo, found an unsettling link . The study, published in Addiction Neuroscience, examines the long-term effects of prescription of both altruta protein and fluoxetine during puberty, reveals a significant increase in cocaine in adolescent rats. This pivotal study brings the potential danger of co-prescribing these drugs in adolescence, suggesting that the likelihood of drug abuse problems may increase in the future.
Professor Thanos, Professor Steiner and his research team conducted the survey by dividing adolescent male mice into four different groups who received different treatments for a month through drinking water. One group has white water as the baseline for comparison, while the other water is altrust, fluoxetine, or a combination of both. Following this one-month treatment phase, the animal’s propensity to self-manage cocaine was tested for two weeks, providing insights into potential drug-seeking behaviors after treatment.
Professor Thanos shared: “We found that in the first week of self-management of cocaine, rats previously treated with Ritalin showed a significant increase in activity to obtain cocaine, which is much larger than those with water. By the second week, the acceptance The tendency for cocaine was more obvious in rats treated with altarin and fluoxetine, with significantly higher levels of activity and increased cocaine consumption compared to the control group. “This highlights the significant impact that these drugs may have when used together.
To accurately administer cocaine for self-management tests, each rat was prepared surgically with a catheter connected to the jugular vein. The experimental setup consists of two levers in the operating room: one that can provide cocaine when pressed and the other that will remain inactive, serving as a control to distinguish drug-seeking behavior from general activity levels.
Professor Steiner discussed the results, noting: “Our finding that chronic treatment of altarin and fluoxetine during adolescence can lead to breakthroughs in cocaine use later. This suggests that in teenagers, The two drugs prolong together can make individuals more likely to become cocaine addiction in young people. “This important insight requires reevaluation of how to prescribe young people, especially those receiving ADHD and depression treatments. drug.
The research’s approach opens new avenues to understand how early life affects certain drugs that affect drug consumption patterns in later life. “Our aim is to understand whether the same treatment regimen that causes behavioral changes will also affect cocaine used in rats,” Professor Thanos further elucidated, elucidating the approach behind his significant findings. This survey not only highlights the risks of concurrent use of Ritalin and antidepressants such as fluoxetine, but also lays the foundation for future research to examine the lasting effects of psychotropic drugs on the possibility of substance abuse. As we move forward, Professor Panayotis Thanos and Professor Heinz Steiner highlight the importance of the scientific community and healthcare providers to ensure that treatment strategies for adolescents are carefully reviewed to avoid potential drug use risks.
Journal Reference
Daniela Senior, Panayotis K. Thanos et al., “Chronic oral methylphenidate and fluoxetine treatment in adolescent rats increases cocaine self-management”, Neuroscience of Addiction, 2023.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100127.
About the Author
Dr. Panayotis (Peter) Thanos is a senior research scientist and research professor and director (BNNLA) of the Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory (BNNLA) in the Clinical Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Buffalo. Dr. Thanos has received a variety of research and mentoring awards including the U.S. Department of Energy Distinguished Mentor Award. Dr. Thanos has written/written more than 220 peer-reviewed journal articles with an H-Index of 55. Dr. Thanos’s research focuses on behavioral neuropharmacology and neuroimaging of addiction and substance abuse. His research is based on the notion that there are specific genetic and epigenetic vulnerabilities that greatly contribute to reward deficiency syndrome (RDS), where addiction is part of it. Dr. Thanos’ lab utilizes molecular, behavior and imaging (positron emission tomography, MRI, CT, autoradiography) methods in animal models and examines how these models promote clinical data, which are several ongoing Part of clinical translation studies.
Dr. Heinz Steiner He is a professor of cell and molecular pharmacology at the Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, and lead investigator at the Stanson Toshok Center for Brain Function and Repair at Rosalind Franklin University. Dr. Steiner received his Master of Biology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland and his Ph.D. PhD in Physiological Psychology from the University of Düsseldorf, Germany. After working at the Bethesda National Institute of Mental Health, he was an assistant professor of research in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Tennessee, School of Medicine, and the Memphis Neuroscience Center. He joined the faculty member of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical College in 2000 and served as department chair from 2011 to 2022. Dr. Steiner’s research focuses on the functional organization of the basal ganglia and related brain systems, especially the role of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin in the regulation of basal ganglia-cortical interactions. One of his main goals in his work is to understand how treatments for dopaminergic and serotonergic drugs lead to changes in gene regulation of genes and their consequences for drug addiction and other brain diseases. Dr. Steiner is the senior editor of the Basal Gangular Structure and Function Manual and co-editor of Elsevier’s Behavioral Neuroscience Manual series.
