American Journal of Psychiatry
October 9, 2024
Caesar G. Imperio, Frances R. Levin, Diana Martínez
9 citations
Substance use disorder (SUD) is common in psychiatric patients and has a negative impact on health and well-being. However, SUD often goes untreated, and there is a need for psychiatrists, of all specialties, to address this pervasive clinical problem. In this review, the authors' goal is to provide a resource that describes treatments for SUD, using neuroscience as a framework. They discuss...
Nature Medicine
June 2023
Margaret Haney, Monique Vallée, Sandy Fabre et al.
Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is widespread, and there is no pharmacotherapy to facilitate its treatment. AEF0117, the first of a new pharmacological class, is a signaling-specific inhibitor of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1-SSi). AEF0117 selectively inhibits a subset of intracellular effects resulting from Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) binding without modifying behavior per se. In mice and...
JAMA Psychiatry
2023
Brian D Kiluk, Bethea A Kleykamp, Sandra D Comer et al.
22 citations
Novel treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) are needed to address both the ongoing opioid epidemic and long-standing barriers to existing OUD treatments that target the endogenous μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system. The goal of this review is to highlight unique clinical trial design considerations for the study of emerging treatments for OUD that address targets beyond the MOR system. In...
American Journal of Psychiatry
December 2, 2019
Elias Dakwar, Frances R. Levin, C. Hart et al.
179 citations
OBJECTIVE Pharmacotherapy and behavioral treatments for alcohol use disorder are limited in their effectiveness, and new treatments with innovative mechanisms would be valuable. In this pilot study, the authors tested whether a single subanesthetic infusion of ketamine administered to adults with alcohol dependence and engaged in motivational enhancement therapy affects drinking outcomes....
American Journal of Psychiatry
June 24, 2019
Elias Dakwar, E. Nunes, C. Hart et al.
179 citations
OBJECTIVE Research has suggested that subanesthetic doses of ketamine may work to improve cocaine-related vulnerabilities and facilitate efforts at behavioral modification. The purpose of this trial was to test whether a single ketamine infusion improved treatment outcomes in cocaine-dependent adults engaged in mindfulness-based relapse prevention. METHODS Fifty-five cocaine-dependent...
Neuropharmacology
November 1, 2018
Elias Dakwar, Edward V. Nunes, Carl L. Hart et al.
83 citations
Efforts to translate sub-anesthetic ketamine infusions into widespread clinical use have centered around developing medications with comparable neurobiological activity, but with attenuated psychoactive effects so as to minimize the risk of behavioral toxicity and abuse liability. Converging lines of research, however, suggest that some of the psychoactive effects of sub-anesthetic ketamine may...
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
January 15, 2014
Elias Dakwar, C. Anerella, Carl L. Hart et al.
125 citations
Background Sub-anesthetic ketamine infusions may benefit a variety of psychiatric disorders, including addiction. Though ketamine engenders transient alterations in consciousness, it is not known whether these alterations influence efficacy. This analysis evaluates the mystical-type effects of ketamine, which may have therapeutic potential according to prior research, and assesses whether these...
Biological Psychiatry
September 12, 2013
Elias Dakwar, Frances R. Levin, Richard W Foltin et al.
Background: Cocaine dependence involves problematic neuroadaptations that might be responsive to modulation of glutamatergic circuits. This investigation examined the effects of subanesthetic ketamine infusions on motivation for quitting cocaine and on cue-induced craving in cocaine-dependent participants, 24 hours postinfusion. Methods: Eight volunteers with active DSM-IV cocaine dependence...
American Journal on Addictions
August 30, 2013
Elias Dakwar, Frances R. Levin
Background: Mindfulness-based approaches may be effective treatments for substance use disorders (SUDs), but they have only been investigated for SUDs in the group setting. Methods: A novel 10-week individual mindfulness-based psychotherapy was provided weekly to participants. Tolerability and therapeutic feasibility were assessed by retention rates, incidence of adverse events or clinical...
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
July 1, 2011
Frances R. Levin, John J Mariani, Daniel J Brooks et al.
Cannabis dependence is a substantial public health problem. Behavioral treatments have shown promise, but there are no effective medications for cannabis dependence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of dronabinol, a synthetic form of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, a naturally occurring pharmacologically active component of marijuana, in treating cannabis...
Harvard Review of Psychiatry
2009
Elias Dakwar, Frances R. Levin
53 citations
Over the past 30 years the practice of meditation has become increasingly popular in clinical settings. In addition to evidence-based medical uses, meditation may have psychiatric benefits. In this review, the literature on the role of meditation in addressing psychiatric issues, and specifically substance use disorders, is discussed. Each of the three meditation modalities that have been most...