Article
Psychiatry
Miri Serebro, Shira Sobol-Goldberg, Daniel Feingold
Summary: This study sheds light on the etiology of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) among young combat veterans, highlighting the psychological factors of self-medication for trauma and sense of betrayal playing a significant role in cannabis use.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jordan P. Davis, John Prindle, Shaddy K. Saba, Carl A. Castro, Justin Hummer, Liv Canning, Eric R. Pedersen
Summary: Insomnia is common among military veterans, often accompanied by substance use and perceived stress. The relationship between insomnia, cannabis use, and stress is complex. Higher levels of prior insomnia were associated with greater increases in stress, and higher levels of prior stress were associated with greater increases in cannabis use. Importantly, cannabis use was found to exacerbate both stress and insomnia severity, suggesting potential costs and benefits for veterans.
JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Family Studies
Jordan P. Davis, Eric R. Pedersen, Joan Tucker, Michael Dunbar, Anthony Rodriguez, Rachana Seelam, Elizabeth J. D'Amico
Summary: This study used data from a longitudinal cohort to examine the effects of early childhood adversity on transitions into alcohol and cannabis co-use trajectories among young adults. The study found that individuals who experienced high levels of childhood adversity were more likely to transition into chronic and rapidly increasing co-use trajectories. Male individuals who experienced high levels of childhood adversity were also more likely to meet clinical cutoff for depression.
CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Adam Fijtman, Ashley Clausen, MarciaKauer-Sant Anna, Rajendra Morey
Summary: This study investigated the association between trauma exposure and suicide attempt in Veterans with bipolar disorder. The results showed that individuals with bipolar disorder who experienced physical assault and childhood sexual abuse were more likely to have a history of suicide attempts. These findings highlight the importance of assessing previous trauma exposure when identifying Veterans at risk for bipolar disorder.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Nicholas A. Livingston, Stacey L. Farmer, Colin T. Mahoney, Brian P. Marx, Terence M. Keane
Summary: Returning veterans diagnosed with cannabis use disorder (CUD) showed higher levels of depression, anxiety, PTSD, alcohol use, and worse psychosocial functioning compared to those without the diagnosis. CUD was also associated with more severe and persistent alcohol use and PTSD symptom severity over the long term.
PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Annie L. Ryder, Beth E. Cohen
Summary: High rates of marijuana use have been reported among Veterans, especially for managing symptoms of PTSD. This study examined the differences in sociodemographic and psychosocial factors between Veterans with and without past-year marijuana use. Regardless of PTSD status, Veterans who used marijuana in the past year had worse physical function and increased psychological symptoms. With limited evidence on the risks and benefits of marijuana for mental health, informed discussions between patients and providers are crucial.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Kirsten H. Dillon, Elizabeth E. Van Voorhees, Eric B. Elbogen, Jean C. Beckham, Patrick S. Calhoun
Summary: The study found an association between cannabis use disorder and anger, aggressive urges, and difficulty controlling violence in a large sample of Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans, even after accounting for demographic variables and comorbid symptoms. These results suggest that the association between CUD and aggression should be considered in treatment planning and highlight the critical need to understand the mechanism behind this association.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Deborah Hasin, Claire Walsh
Summary: This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the comorbidity between cannabis use and CUD with other substance use and psychiatric disorders. Evidence shows a potential causal relationship between cannabis use and psychotic disorders, while the relationship with mood and anxiety disorders is inconsistent. Limited understanding exists regarding the impact of CUD on individuals with personality disorders.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Amanda J. F. Tamman, Frank R. Wendt, Gita A. Pathak, John H. Krystal, Janitza L. Montalvo-Ortiz, Steven M. Southwick, Lauren M. Sippel, Joel Gelernter, Renato Polimanti, Robert H. Pietrzak
Summary: The study found that attachment style may moderate the expression of PTSD symptoms related to polygenic risk, with a positive correlation between re-experiencing PRS and PTSD symptoms observed only among veterans with an insecure attachment style. The research also revealed a significant interaction between attachment style and a novel locus implicated in regulating excitatory synaptic transmission and plasticity.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Keren Doenyas-Barak, Ilan Kutz, Erez Lang, Rachel Merzbach, Rachel Lev Wiesel, Rahav Boussi-Gross, Shai Efrati
Summary: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects a significant proportion of veterans returning from combat, leading to long-term social, behavioral, and occupational dysfunction. Current available treatments do not provide remission for many patients, highlighting the need for effective therapies that can repair brain structure and restore function. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has shown promising results in treating disruptions in brain structure and function, and recent protocols emphasizing frequent fluctuations in oxygen concentrations may contribute to its positive effects. Clinical findings have also demonstrated the beneficial effect of HBOT on veterans with treatment-resistant PTSD, improving brain function and inducing structural changes. This article reviews the regenerative effects of HBOT and ongoing research on its use for veterans with PTSD.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Anesthesiology
Zachary L. Mannes, Carol A. Malte, Mark Olfson, Melanie M. Wall, Katherine M. Keyes, Silvia S. Martins, Magdalena Cerda, Jaimie L. Gradus, Andrew J. Saxon, Salomeh Keyhani, Charles Maynard, Ofir Livne, David S. Fink, Sarah Gutkind, Deborah S. Hasin
Summary: In the United States, cannabis is being used more often to manage chronic pain. This study looked at trends in cannabis use disorders (CUDs) among Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients with chronic pain, and whether these trends varied by age. The study found that CUD prevalence has increased more among VHA patients with chronic pain, particularly among those age ≥65.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Pablo Romero-Sanchiz, Ioan T. Mahu, Sean P. Barrett, Joshua P. Salmon, Mohammed Al-Hamdani, Jennifer E. Swansburg, Sherry H. Stewart
Summary: Conditioned craving to trauma cues and avoidance learning are factors in comorbid trauma-related distress and substance misuse. Exposure to trauma cues may increase cannabis misuse through conditioned craving and the desire to relieve negative emotions, especially in individuals with more severe PTSD symptoms.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Galina A. Portnoy, Mark R. Relyea, Candice Presseau, Skye A. Orazietti, LeAnn E. Bruce, Cynthia A. Brandt, Steve Martino
Summary: Screening for intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences and use concurrently in mental health care settings can help identify high rates of IPV among patients. The findings emphasize the importance of conducting IPV screenings across gender and age groups and the need to develop targeted treatments for IPV, particularly in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder.
Article
Psychiatry
Zachary D. Zuschlag, Ebele Compean, Paul Nietert, Steven Lauzon, Mark Hamner, Zhewu Wang
Summary: The study found that the absence of the 10R/10R genotype of the DAT1 gene is associated with an increased risk of developing PTSD and higher CAPS total scores. This suggests that certain genotypes of the DAT1 gene may play a role in the development of PTSD in combat veterans.
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Anka A. Vujanovic, Shelby J. McGrew, Jessica L. Walton, Amanda M. Raines
Summary: The co-occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) is common among military veterans, and addressing distress intolerance and anxiety sensitivity may improve treatment outcomes for these individuals. This study found that the severity of PTSD symptoms was related to alcohol use severity through anxiety sensitivity, and to drug use severity through distress intolerance.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Angela K. Stevens, Holly K. Boyle, Alexander W. Sokolovsky, Helene R. White, Kristina M. Jackson
Summary: This study suggests that college students who consume alcohol and cannabis simultaneously for different motives may face unique risks of negative consequences. Limiting the number of alcohol products consumed on SAM-use days may be beneficial, especially for young adults who use for intoxication enhancement or social reasons.
EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Angela K. Stevens, Rachel L. Gunn, Alexander W. Sokolovsky, Suzanne M. Colby, Kristina M. Jackson
Summary: This study identified different polysubstance use patterns in young adults based on age and college attendance, indicating important differences between noncollege and college-attending youth. Results highlighted that most young adults engage in some form of polysubstance use in the past year.
EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Angela K. Stevens, Holly K. Boyle, Helene R. White, Kristina M. Jackson
Summary: The study revealed that social and enhancement motives are associated with planned drinking, while offered motives and coping motives are linked to unplanned drinking. Unplanned drinking tends to occur at home, alone, or with roommates, whereas planned drinking is more likely to happen at bars/restaurants, parties, or friends' places.
PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Angela K. Stevens, Tim Janssen, William C. M. Belzak, Hayley Treloar Padovano, Kristina M. Jackson
Summary: Alcohol outcomes expectancies (AOEs) are strong predictors of alcohol initiation and drinking behavior escalation among adolescents. Using regularized moderated nonlinear factor analysis (MNLFA), this study found minimal differential item functioning (DIF) in a 22-item, two-factor measure of positive and negative AOEs among adolescents. After controlling for DIF, the positive AOE latent factor mean differed by SES, age, and alcohol initiation, while the negative AOE latent factor mean differed by sex and SES.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Jennifer E. Merrill, Holly K. Boyle, Angela K. Stevens, Kristina M. Jackson, Robert Miranda, Kate B. Carey
Summary: This study found that college student drinkers tend to evaluate alcohol-related consequences more positively during drinking events compared to the next morning. The findings highlight the importance of timing and mood in consequence evaluations, as well as the optimal timing for interventions targeting drinking consequences.
PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Angela K. Stevens, Holly K. Boyle, Mary B. Miller, Kate Carey, Kristina M. Jackson, Nancy P. Barnett, Jennifer E. Merrill
Summary: This study provided a qualitative analysis of intentions and willingness regarding heavy episodic drinking (HED) and high-intensity drinking (HID) in young adults, finding variability in intentions and willingness across occasions and drinking events. Young adults tend to plan for a desired level of intoxication rather than a specific number of drinks to consume.
PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2022)
Review
Substance Abuse
Alba Gonzalez-Roz, Victor Martinez-Loredo, Elizabeth R. Aston, Jane Metrik, James Murphy, Iris Balodis, Roberto Secades-Villa, Kyla Belisario, James MacKillop
Summary: This meta-analysis evaluated the concurrent validity of the Marijuana Purchase Task (MPT) in relation to cannabis involvement. The results showed that the MPT has adequate concurrent validity in measuring cannabis demand, particularly in intensity, O-max, and elasticity. There may be meaningful sex differences in the reinforcing value of cannabis.
Article
Substance Abuse
Melissa J. Cox, Angela K. Stevens, Tim Janssen, Kristina M. Jackson
Summary: This study used real data to analyze the impact of social and physical environments on alcohol consumption levels. The results found that social settings such as parties and being with intoxicated individuals were associated with a higher risk of high-intensity drinking. The context of drinks at the end of an event served as a significant signal of alcohol consumption levels.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Substance Abuse
Jane Metrik, Denis M. McCarthy
Article
Substance Abuse
Jennifer E. Merrill, Angela K. Stevens, Kristina M. Jackson, Helene R. White
Summary: This study investigated the cannabis use among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the prevalence of any cannabis use and the use of specific formulations (leaf, edibles, concentrates) declined after campus closures, while the frequency of use remained unchanged. Students living with parents appeared to have lower risk of frequent cannabis use.
JOURNAL OF STUDIES ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
(2022)