This article examines the relevance of relationally oriented psychoanalytic phenomenology as a frame of reference for understanding psychotic states in schizophrenia. The etiology and structural characteristics of such states are examined from both a neurophysiological, and a relational and interpersonal point of view. Many findings indicate organic abnormalities in schizophrenia, acquired...
Salvia divinorum is a member of the Lamiaceae family and contains the psychotropic diterpene and kappa-opioid receptor agonist salvinorin-A. Originally a shamanic inebriant used by the Mexican Mazatec Indians, the plant and its preparations are becoming increasingly popular among non-traditional users. Demographic data and information on pattern of use and subjective effects were obtained by...
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in synaptic development and plasticity, and alterations in BDNF expression or signaling are implicated in drug addiction and psychiatric diseases, such as depression and schizophrenia. In this study, we administered phencyclidine to postnatal and adult rats with different time schedules, and determined the correlations between BDNF expression...
To the Editor.—Dextromethorphan is the d-isomer of the codeine analog, levorphanol, and the active ingredient in >100 over-the-counter cough and cold preparations. Reports of dextromethorphan abuse date back to the 1960s.1,2 There is some evidence suggesting that when used inappropriately at very high doses (eg, 1500 mg/day), dextromethorphan can result in a dependence-like syndrome.2...
NeuroscienceOctober 13, 2006R D Crean, S A Davis, S N Von Huben et al.
Severe and malignant hyperthermia is a frequently reported factor in emergency department (ED) visits and fatalities in which use of amphetamine drugs, such as (+/-)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), (+/-)3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and (+)methamphetamine (METH), is confirmed. Individuals who use "ecstasy" are also often exposed, intentionally or otherwise, to several of these...
'Foxy' is a widely used street name for a hallucinogenic drug containing the tryptamine derivative 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT). The US Drug Enforcement Administration classified 5-MeO-DIPT as a Schedule I substance in 2004 [1]; the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has also restricted this substance since April 2005, according to the Narcotics and...
3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") is a popular drug of abuse known to result in depletions of the serotonin (5-HT) system. A number of studies have reported that ecstasy users differ from controls on a variety of measures of cognitive function. However, the literature is not consistent and many negative findings were also reported. One reason for such inconsistency might be...
The hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum (i.e., "magic mint") is a member of the Sage family that has been used for divination and shamanism by the Mazatecs. Over the past decade or so, S. divinorum has been increasingly used recreationally. The neoclerodane diterpene salvinorin A is the active component of S. divinorum, and recently, the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) has been identified, in...
Abstract: This chapter approaches the issue of marijuana use from a Jewish perspective. The Torah demands that Jews become “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The Jewish tradition uses wine to sanctify holidays and marriages; it does not use marijuana for those purposes. Still, Judaism allows Jews to ingest many things that are not intrinsically holy as part of the effort to fulfill the...