Research Square
April 23, 2026
Leah M Salinsky, Joshua L Fox, Kyra C Diaz et al.
preprint
Polysubstance use involving psychostimulants and opioids is increasingly prevalent and associated with elevated overdose risk, relapse vulnerability, and poor treatment outcomes. However, the neurobehavioral consequences of opioid-stimulant use remain poorly understood. We evaluated whether repeated methamphetamine-fentanyl polysubstance treatment disrupts social preference during withdrawal,...
Addiction Biology
March 1, 2026
Leah M Salinsky, Kyra C Diaz, Joshua L Fox et al.
1 citation
Polysubstance use of opioids and stimulants is increasingly common among individuals with a substance use disorder, yet most researchers examine these substances in isolation. This gap limits our understanding of the effects of polysubstance use and how these differ from single substance use. Here, we examined the impact of single versus polysubstance exposure of fentanyl and methamphetamine on...
Psychopharmacology
August 1, 2025
Leah M Salinsky, Christina R Merritt, Erik J. Garcia et al.
8 citations
Overdose fatalities involving cocaine continue to rise with over 5.3 million cocaine users reported in the United States in 2022. The abuse liability of cocaine is reliant upon inhibition of dopamine (DA) reuptake and consequent increase in DA efflux in meso-corticolimbic circuitry that controls reward and motivation. Cocaine also increases serotonin (5-HT) efflux which is integral in cocaine...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
2023
Leah M Salinsky, Christina R Merritt, Joshua C Zamora et al.
14 citations
Opioid misuse and opioid-involved overdose deaths are a massive public health problem involving the intertwined misuse of prescription opioids for pain management with the emergence of extremely potent fentanyl derivatives, sold as standalone products or adulterants in counterfeit prescription opioids or heroin. The incidence of repeated opioid overdose events indicates a problematic use...
The FASEB Journal
May 1, 2022
Leah M Salinsky, R. Fox, Noelle C Anastasio et al.
A record ~100,000 fatalities due to drug overdoses was reported in the U.S. for the twelve months preceding April 2021. Opioids account for most deaths, and recurrent opioid use may lead to the development of opioid use disorder (OUD), a debilitating chronic disorder. Current medication‐assisted OUD treatment (e.g., buprenorphine) mitigates withdrawal, reduces mortality, and reduces intake of...