Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

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Objective: The present study is conducted with the aim of examining the relationship between borderline personality traits and the level of craving for use in individuals dependent to stimulant drugs. Methods: The study is descriptive and correlational. 114 male and female (N=114) Methamphetamine users (the age range of 18-35 and with average age of 22.7) who got the highest scores in Borderline Personality Questionnaire in screening stage, were selected and the craving for use was evaluated in them using Visual Index Scale of Assessing Craving for Use. Data were analyzed using independent t test and Pearson test. Findings: Results showed there is a positive significant relationship between borderline personality traits and the level of craving for use (P<0.01). Also, there is a significant difference between the severity of symptoms and craving for use and sex (P<0.05). That is, women scored higher in both components. Conclusion: The present findings can help to take measures in the field of addiction treatment and personality characteristics deserve to be considered in planning appropriate interventions.

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Background: Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant drug that is highly addictive and causes epigenetic changes that is associated with symptoms of depression. The aim of the present study is comparing age and gender differences in individuals dependent and independent to methamphetamine and examining the relation of depression with the level of cortisol.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 55 methamphetamine users with diagnosis of depression (29 men and 26 women) and also 65 non-users depressed patients (30 men and 35 women) among who referred to three stimulant treatment centers in Tehran were selected using purposeful sampling method and were assigned into four groups. Evaluating the level of plasma cortisol hormone was done using radioimmunoassay method (RIA) and depression symptoms were evaluated using Depression Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using chi-square test, multivariate variance analysis and Pierson correlation.
Results: The results showed the level of cortisol in two groups of male and female Meth users was higher than two groups of non-users (p<0.05). Also, there is a significant relationship between the level of cortisol and depression in Meth users (p<0.05). This relationship is stronger in women than men. Also, age index in users had lower than two groups of non-users (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of the present study can be useful in the process of preventing and treating addiction. Using chemotherapy in creating changes in cortisol levels with the aim of controlling usage relapse can be an appropriate path for future research in this field.
            
 

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Background: The emergence of stimulants is a challenge in the field of addiction. Abuse of stimuli is associated with behavioral and psychological damage. From a biological point of view, methamphetamine use is associated with changes in plasma cortisol levels and subsequent psychological changes. Given the importance of the issue, many researchers have considered the need for psychological interventions to improve the quality of life of patients with substance abuse. Although in recent years we have witnessed the emergence of various therapies in the field of addiction; but we still see the failure of some patients in treatment programs, continuous abuse and high recurrence rates. Studies show that the condition of most addicts recurred after stopping treatment and generally about 50 to 60 percent of patients improved within 6 months and 80 percent of patients with a gap of 1 year after the end of treatment, began re-use of drugs again. One of the important components in the treatment of addiction is psychotherapy, which increases the consequences of treatment. One of the types of psychotherapy that can play an important role in the field of addiction is therapies focused on positive psychology, including wellbeing therapy, which originates from cognitive-behavioral therapy. Considering what has been said and contradictory findings on the effectiveness of wellbeing therapy, and considering the significant prevalence of stimulant use and its destructive effects on the individual, family and society, as well as considering the promising effects of positive therapies, including wellbeing therapy in the treatment of mood disorders and addictive indicators, the present study was conducted aimed to investigate the effectiveness of wellbeing therapy on psychological well-being index, optimist and life expectancy in Iranian men dependent on methamphetamine in the abstinence from use phase.
Methods: The present study was conducted in the form of a single-center randomized clinical trial (clinical trial registration code: TCTR20190506001). The data of the present study were collected during October to March 2013, using clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires. The statistical population of this study consisted of all men taking methamphetamine in the abstinence from use phase and living in Tehran, and they were in Verdich Camp for doing detoxification process. In this study, considering the one-sidedness of the test and taking the base of 𝚣 = 1.645, α = 0.05 and also the test power 1-β = 0.84, the sample size in each group was estimated to be 25 people. From the mentioned community, 50 participants were selected using random sampling and randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups (25 people in each group) using Excel Office software. In order to ensure the subjects' commitment to abstinence from use, participants' urine was randomly taken twice a week for one month and then once every 15 days and based on the assumed threshold of five hundred ng / ml and was analyzed using chromatographic method. Wellbeing therapy protocol was presented to the experimental group as a group for 12 sessions and each session lasted 50 minutes and the control group was placed on a waiting list. The two groups were evaluated in two rounds of pre-test and post-test by Ryff's Well-being therapy, shierer's optimist Questionnaire and snyder's hope Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by parametric t-test and analysis of covariance. All stages of the research were carried out after obtaining informed consent and based on the latest version of the Helsinki Declaration.
Results: In terms of cognitive demographic distribution, the subjects often had a education level above diploma (wellbeing therapy: 64%, control: 72%). In the age index, most of the subjects had an age index of less than 25 years (wellbeing therapy: 68%, control: 60%). In terms of job status component, the majority of participants in the treatment and control groups were unemployed (wellbeing therapy: 56%, control: 60%). In the financial status index, the majority of participants in both groups had an income of less than one million tomans per month (wellbeing therapy: 60%, control: 68%). The results showed that wellbeing therapy had a significant effect on improving psychological wellbeing indices with a confidence interval of 24.3 (16.75-31.85), optimist with a confidence interval of 19.71 (14.68-24.74) and hope with a confidence interval of 17.02 (11.56-22.48) (all p's < 0.01).
Conclusion: The present study was formed in order to change the view from the problem-oriented approach or psychological damage to the ability-building approach. The findings of this study confirm the research background on the effectiveness of positive therapies as an effective component in the process of recovery and abstinence from drug use. The findings of this study are consistent with a wide range of research backgrounds that have confirmed the effectiveness of wellbeing therapy in the treatment of emotional and mood disorders and increasing psychological wellbeing. Although similar to this study was not observed in terms of research dependent variables, but studies based on wellbeing therapy intervention have been conducted that indicate the effectiveness of this therapy.
The most important limitation of the present study can be considered the different records of hospitalization of patients in the camp. According to the research background, the transition from substance use to abstinence takes place through stages that can affect the mental processes and behavioral patterns of patients. It is suggested that in future studies, the criterion of time of abstinence should be considered as one of the entry criteria. Also, the mere use of self-report tools such as questionnaires, especially in certain areas such as addiction can be associated with the respondent bias, so it is suggested that biological markers be used in the evaluation of psychological indicators in the future studies. Conducting a randomized clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of wellbeing therapy in cocaine users could be a good route for future studies. Findings of this study can be associated with clinical applications in the context of prevention and treatment of stimulant addiction.
 

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Background & Aims: Taking drugs (methamphetamines) increases free radicals and causes oxidative stress in the body. Addiction is a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment. To date, drugs that have been widely used to prevent relapse and reduce cravings in consumers have not been successful. Evidence also suggests that for better adaptation to the environment, a balance between physical fitness and physical composition is needed, and if individuals do not have favorable conditions in terms of physical condition and physical composition, they are usually isolated, pessimistic and isolated from mental balance. They will not have a good time. Basically, high levels of health, hygiene and physical fitness indicators can indicate the health and ability of a community and the term physical fitness can be used in connection with muscle strength, muscle strength, muscle endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility and agility. Other factors affecting the diseases of addicted people include oxidative stress caused by the production of free radicals. Free radicals have negative effects such as cardiovascular disease. If the production of free radicals exceeds the ability of the antioxidant defense system to withstand, oxidative pressure is created. With increasing oxidative pressure, the balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant system disappears and by overcoming oxidative pressure on the antioxidant system, inflammatory responses are stimulated and organs are damaged and ultimately lead to various diseases and endanger the health of the individual. Sirt-1 is a basic protein for coping with oxidative stress and homeostasis control, also known as the elixir of youth and longevity factor. Sirt-1 is a basic protein for coping with oxidative stress and homeostasis control, also known as the elixir of youth and longevity factor. Sirt-1 destiles many target proteins, such as p53 and FoxO proteins, which provide protection against apoptosis and play an important role in the survival of many cell types. Recent studies have shown that Sirt-1 controls the transcription activities of FoxO. It is predicted that Sirt-1 is a suitable candidate that regulates the cells of the body's tissues against oxidative stresses. The use of non-pharmacological methods such as exercise training is important for the treatment of addiction. Among these exercises are Pilates exercises. Pilates' goal is to strengthen the physical strength, achieve and maintain a healthy body, as well as a healthy mind to perform good daily tasks and other physical activities. So The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of Pilates training on serum levels of Sirt-1 and some physical fitness in methamphetamine-addicted men.
Methods: The present study was a semi-experimental study in which the study population of addicted men was quitting, 44 of whom were infected by random sampling method with at least three months of presence in addiction treatment camp in two groups (with inclusion criteria: a) duration of presence more than two months in Camp B) not taking certain drugs during the study period C) age range of 15-40 years d) history of drug use more than two years and addiction to methamphetamine And those with a history of orthopedic, cardiac and metabolic diseases with severe neurological symptoms were excluded from the study), exercise (21) and control group (23) were excluded. Seventy-two hours before the start of the training program, the subjects were familiar with the research conditions and the environment of the training hall in the briefing session and body indicators such as height and weight were measured. Also, in order to determine aerobic fitness and to evaluate the maximum oxygen consumption (VO₂max), rockport one mile walking test was used and for muscular endurance was obtained through sitting test that the number of sittings per minute was measured for each person and for flexibility, sitting and reach test was used. Blood samples were performed 24 hours before the start of the exercises. The training group (Pilates) participated in 3 sessions of 60 Pilates precision training sessions each week. The control group continued their normal life until the end of the study without participating in any exercise program. Each Pilates training session consisted of 10 minutes of warm-up, 45 minutes of Pilates specialized training and 5 minutes of cooling. It should be noted that the training protocol based on the latest ACSM guidelines for inactive and unprovoked individuals and considered intensities also started from 40% and increased to 70% according to ACSM guidelines. Blood samples were taken from the braid vein in pre and post-test conditions of 5 cc. Sirt-1 concentration was measured using ZellBio GmbH ELISA kit, Germany. To detect the normal distribution of data, Kolmogrov-Smirnov test was used to investigate intragroup and intergroup changes of dependent and independent t-test. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20 at a significant level of 0.05.
Results: Evaluations of dependent T-test after the intervention of eight seven Pilates exercises showed that sirt-1 serum values were significantly unchanged in the control group (p=0.814), but in the training group it was associated with a significant increase (p=0.001). Flexibility in the control group after 8 weeks was significantly unchanged (p=0.545), but in the training group after 8 weeks the intervention increased significantly (p=0.019) and muscle endurance in the control group after eight weeks was unchanged (p=0.496), but in the training group after eight weeks the intervention increased significantly (p=0.001).
Conclusion: The present study showed that after 8 weeks of Pilates training, serum levels of Sirt-1, muscular endurance and flexibility increased significantly. Considering the important role of Sirt-1 in different cellular processes and increasing its level after exercise and also strengthening physical fitness factors after exercises, it can be said that increasing these factors is one of the possible mechanisms that Pilates exercises can increase health and prevent risk factors and pathogenesis in addicts. Research has shown Sirt-1 plays its anti-oxidative role through SRT1720 activator, reducing oxidative stress caused by exposure to cigarette smoke in lung tissue. Sirt-1 does this by activating the Foxo3-dependent pathway and reducing oxidative stress caused by this pathway has a protective role against pulmonary inflammation in people with lung disease. Based on the present findings, Pilates training may be used as an important non-pharmacological agent to improve Sirt-1 and enhance muscle endurance and flexibility.
 

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