Sensation seeking and symptoms of disruptive disorder: association with nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana use in early and mid-adolescence

Exploring the Link between ADHD and Cannabis Use in Swedish Ninth Graders: The Role of Conduct Problems and Sensation-Seeking

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has in several studies been linked to substance use, including cannabis use. However, crucial gaps remain regarding how to understand this association. Analyzing the association between ADHD and substance use is complicated because of a pronounced overlap between ADHD, conduct problems, and traits such as sensation-seeking. Objectives: Using data from a large and nationally representative study among Swedish adolescents, this study explored the role of conduct problems, but also of sensation-seeking, in accounting for the association between ADHD and cannabis use. Results: There was a notable association between ADHD and cannabis use that was attenuated when conduct problems were controlled for. The association between cannabis use and conduct problems, in turn, was attenuated when sensation-seeking was controlled for. Individuals with both ADHD and conduct problems were more likely to have used cannabis than individuals with ADHD only, but not compared with individuals with conduct problems only. Conclusions: Whereas conduct problems largely explain the link between ADHD and cannabis use, sensation-seeking seems to account for the association between conduct problems and cannabis use.

Association Between Screen Overuse and Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Elementary School Children

OBJECTIVES

This study identified the association between excessive exposure to screen media and behavioral and emotional problems in elementary school students.

METHODS

A total of 331 parents of children aged 7-10 years were recruited from "The Kids Cohort for Understanding of Internet Addiction Risk Factors in Early Childhood (K-CURE)" study. Children's demographics, household media ownership, screen time, and behavioral/emotional problems were assessed using a parental questionnaire. Children's behavior/emotional problems were measured using the Korean version the of Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) score.

RESULTS

The total K-CBCL score in the screen overuse group was 51.18±9.55, significantly higher than 47.28±10.09 in the control group (t=2.14, p=0.05). For each subscale, the externalization score (51.65±10.14, 48.33±8.97, respectively; t=2.02, p<0.05), social problem score (55.41±6.11, 53.24±5.19, respectively; t=2.27, p<0.05), and rule breaking behavior score (55.71±6.11, 53.24±5.19, respectively; t=2.27, p<0.05) were significantly higher in the screen overuse group than in the control group. In addition, the screen overuse group also had a significantly higher usage rate than the control group, even if limited to smartphones, not only on weekdays (3.56±2.08, 1.87±2.02, respectively; t=-4.597, p<0.001) but also weekends (1.62±0.74, 1.19±0.83, respectively; t=-3.14, p=0.003).

CONCLUSION

The study suggested that screen media overuse patterns in children in Korea are particularly relevant to the excessive use of smartphones and are related to higher risks of emotional and behavioral problems.

Inhalant Use and Mental Health Problems in Russian Juvenile Delinquents

BACKGROUND

Inhalant use by children and adolescents has been linked to an increased risk of multiple drug use, mental health problems and antisocial behavior.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the frequency of inhalant use and psychiatric diagnoses among incarcerated delinquent youths in Russia.

METHODS

A total of 370 incarcerated delinquents from a juvenile correction center in Northern Russia were assessed by means of a semi-structured psychiatric interview and by self-reports.

RESULTS

Compared to non-users (N = 266), inhalant users (N = 104) reported higher rates of PTSD, early onset conduct disorder, ADHD, alcohol abuse and dependence, as well as higher levels of antisocial behavior, impulsiveness and more psychopathic traits. Frequent inhalant users also reported the highest rates of co-occurring psychopathology.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that inhalant use in delinquents is frequent and may require additional clinical measures to address the issue of psychiatric comorbidity.

Influence of the Novelty-Seeking Endophenotype on the Rewarding Effects of Psychostimulant Drugs in Animal Models

Novelty seeking (NS), defined as a tendency to pursue novel and intense emotional sensations and experiences, is one of the most relevant individual factors predicting drug use among humans. High novelty seeking (HNS) individuals present an increased risk of drug use compared to low novelty seekers. The NS endophenotype may explain some of the differences observed among individuals exposed to drugs of abuse in adolescence. However, there is little research about the particular response of adolescents to drugs of abuse in function of this endophenotype, and the data that do exist are inconclusive. The present work reviews the literature regarding the influence of NS on psychostimulant reward, with particular focus on adolescent subjects. First, the different animal models of NS and the importance of this endophenotype in adolescence are discussed. Later, studies that have used the most common animal models of reward (self-administration, conditioned place preference paradigms) to evaluate how the NS trait influences the rewarding effects of psychostimulants are reviewed. Finally, possible explanations for the enhanced risk of developing substance dependence among HNS individuals are discussed. In conclusion, the studies referred to in this review show that the HNS trait is associated with: (1) increased initial sensitivity to the rewarding effects of psychostimulants, (2) a higher level of drug craving when the subject is exposed to the environmental cues associated with the drug, and (3) enhanced long-term vulnerability to relapse to drug consumption after prolonged abstinence.

Relationship between Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-second version and psychiatric disorders in youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland

BACKGROUND

There is growing evidence that it is important to have well-standardized procedures for identifying the mental health needs of youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. One of the most widely used tools for mental health screening in the juvenile justice system is the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-second version (MAYSI-2). To contribute to the body of research examining the utility of the MAYSI-2 as a mental health screening tool; the first objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between the MAYSI-2 and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions using a cross-sectional design. Secondly, as the sample was drawn from the French-, German- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland, the three languages were represented in the total sample and consequently differences between the language regions were analyzed as well. The third objective was to examine gender differences in this relationship.

METHODS

Participants were 297 boys and 149 girls (mean age = 16.2, SD = 2.5) recruited from 64 youth welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland. The MAYSI-2 was used to screen for mental health or behavioral problems that could require further evaluation. Psychiatric classification was based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to predict (cluster of) psychiatric disorders from MAYSI-2 scales.

RESULTS

The regression analyses revealed that the MAYSI-2 scales generally related well to their corresponding homotypic (cluster of) psychiatric disorders. For example, the alcohol/drug use scale identified the presence of any substance use disorder and the suicide ideation scale identified youths reporting suicide ideation or suicide attempts. Several MAYSI-2 scales were also related to heterotypic (cluster of) psychiatric disorders. For example, the MAYSI-2 scale alcohol/drug use, was positively related to any disruptive disorder. Furthermore, the results revealed gender differences in the relationship between the MAYSI-2 and K-SADS-PL (e.g., in the boys' subsample no MAYSI-2 scale was significantly related to any affective disorder; whereas, in the girls' subsample the MAYSI-2 scales depressed-anxious and somatic complaints were significantly related to any affective disorder).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, The MAYSI-2 seems to serve well as a first-stage screen to identify service needs for youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland. Its effectiveness to identify the presence of (cluster of) psychiatric disorders differs between genders.

Alterations in alpha5* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors result in midbrain- and hippocampus-dependent behavioural and neural impairments

RATIONALE

Evidence links alterations in α5-containing nicotinic receptors (α5*-nAChRs) to nicotine addiction. Notably, the rs16969968 polymorphism in the α5 gene (α5SNP) increases the risk for heavy smoking and impairs nicotine-rewarding properties in mice. Additional work is needed to understand how native and polymorphic α5*-nAChRs contribute to processes associated with the risk for nicotine addiction.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed at understanding the contribution of α5*-nAChRs to endophenotypes like increased responses to novelty and anxiety, known to promote vulnerability to addiction, and to the response of the dopamine and serotonin systems to nicotine.

METHODS

Behavioural phenotypes were investigated in mice lacking the α5 gene (α5(-/-)). Nicotine injections were performed to test the consequences of nicotine exposure on the phenotypes identified. Dopamine and serotonin signalling were assessed using in vivo microdialysis and electrophysiology. We used lentiviral vectors to compare the consequences of re-expressing either the α5 wild-type allele or the α5SNP in specific brain areas of α5(-/-) mice.

RESULTS

α5(-/-) mice did not exhibit high responses to novelty but showed decreased novelty-induced rearing behaviour together with high anxiety. Exposure to high doses of nicotine rescued these phenotypes. We identified altered spontaneous and nicotine-elicited serotonin and dopamine activity in α5(-/-) mice. Re-expression of α5 in the ventral tegmental area and hippocampus rescued rearing and anxiety levels in α5(-/-) mice, respectively. When expressing the α5SNP instead, this resulted in a knockout-like phenotype for both behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that altered α5*-nAChR cholinergic signalling contributes to emotional/behavioural impairments that may be alleviated by nicotine consumption.

Neurobiology of Adolescent Substance Use Disorders

There are many facets of the neurobiology of substance use that are distinct in adolescence as compared with adulthood. The adolescent brain is subject to intense subcortical reward processes, but is left with an immature prefrontal control system that is often unable to resist the pull of potentially exciting activities like substance use, even when fully aware of the dangers involved. Peer influences serve only to magnify these effects and foster more sensation-seeking, risky behavior. The unique aspects of neurobiology should be taken into consideration when designing prevention programs and clinical interventions for adolescent substance use disorders.

The novelty-seeking phenotype modulates the long-lasting effects of intermittent ethanol administration during adolescence

The aim of the present study was to investigate if a novelty-seeking phenotype mediates the long-lasting consequences of intermittent EtOH intoxication during adolescence. The hole board test was employed to classify adolescent mice as High- or Low-Novelty Seekers. Subsequently, animals were administered ethanol (1.25 or 2.5 g/kg) on two consecutive days at 48-h intervals over a 14-day period. Anxiety levels--measured using the elevated plus maze- spontaneous motor activity and social interaction test were studied 3 weeks later. A different set of mice underwent the same procedure, but received only the 2.5 g/kg dose of ethanol. Three weeks later, in order to induce CPP, the same animals were administered 1 or 6 mg/kg of cocaine or 1 or 2.5 mg/kg MDMA. The results revealed a decrease in aggressive behaviors and an anxiolytic profile in HNS mice and longer latency to explore the novel object by LNS mice. Ethanol exposure enhanced the reinforcing effects of cocaine and MDMA in both groups when CPP was induced with a sub-threshold dose of the drugs. The extinguished cocaine-induced CPP (1 and 6 mg/kg) was reinstated after a priming dose in HNS animals only. Our results confirm that intermittent EtOH administration during adolescence induces long-lasting effects that are manifested in adult life, and that there is an association between these effects and the novelty-seeking phenotype.

Addictions and Personality Traits: Impulsivity and Related Constructs

Behavioral tendencies that might be captured through self-report measures may provide insight into personality features that are associated with substance addictions. Recently, impulsivity and related constructs, such as sensation-seeking, have been examined to help better understand their relationships with addictions. Here, we review recent findings that show links over developmental epochs between addictive behaviors and impulsivity, sensation-seeking, and other constructs that are theoretically linked. These findings have significant implications for generating improved treatments and interventions aimed at preventing the development of addictive disorders.

Television's Cultivation of American Adolescents' Beliefs about Alcohol and the Moderating Role of Trait Reactance

Cultivation research has shown that heavy television viewing is linked to audiences' generalized, and often skewed, views of reality. This research investigates whether television viewing is related to adolescents' views about the consequences of drinking and whether psychological trait reactance moderates this cultivation effect. Results from a survey of 445 American teenagers show that cumulative exposure to television is linked to reduced beliefs about alcohol's negative consequences and greater intentions to drink. These effects were greater for adolescents low on trait reactance. This research adds to the general psychological research on trait reactance as a moderator of media influences and makes a substantive contribution towards furthering our understanding of the media and public health concerns that surround risky adolescent behaviors.

Contribution of impulsivity and novelty-seeking to the acquisition and maintenance of MDMA self-administration

It has been suggested that the response to novelty and impulsivity predict the latency to acquisition and maintenance of drug self-administration, respectively. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between these two traits and (1) the latency to acquisition and (2) maintenance (drug-seeking) of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) self -administration. Impulsivity, measured as premature responding on the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), and novelty-seeking, measured as the locomotor response in a novel environment, were measured prior to self-administration. Latency to acquisition was determined as the number of test sessions required to self-administer an initial criterion of 90 infusions of 1.0 mg/kg/infusion, as well as an additional 150 infusions of 0.5 mg/kg/infusion MDMA. For some rats, the ability of MDMA [0, 5.0 or 10.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (IP)] to produce drug-seeking was subsequently measured, and for others, impulsivity was again measured following self-administration. Novelty-seeking was not significantly correlated with either the acquisition or drug-seeking measures of MDMA self-administration. Impulsivity was not significantly correlated with the latency to acquire self-administration of MDMA, but was significantly and positively correlated with the magnitude of MDMA-produced drug-seeking. Furthermore, MDMA self-administration produced a number of notable, but transient, deficits in the 5-CSRTT; there was an increase in omission rate and a delayed increase in premature responses in particular. These findings suggest that impulsivity, but not sensation seeking, might be a risk factor for the development of compulsive drug-seeking following withdrawal from MDMA self-administration.

Individual differences and social influences on the neurobehavioral pharmacology of abused drugs

The interaction of drugs with biologic targets is a critical area of research, particularly for the development of medications to treat substance use disorders. In addition to understanding these drug-target interactions, however, there is a need to understand more fully the psychosocial influences that moderate these interactions. The first section of this review introduces some examples from human behavioral pharmacology that illustrate the clinical importance of this research. The second section covers preclinical evidence to characterize some of the key individual differences that alter drug sensitivity and abuse vulnerability, related primarily to differences in response to novelty and impulsivity. Evidence is presented to indicate that critical neuropharmacological mechanisms associated with these individual differences involve integrated neurocircuits underlying stress, reward, and behavioral inhibitory processes. The third section covers social influences on drug abuse vulnerability, including effects experienced during infancy, adolescence, and young adulthood, such as maternal separation, housing conditions, and social interactions (defeat, play, and social rank). Some of the same neurocircuits involved in individual differences also are altered by social influences, although the precise neurochemical and cellular mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated fully. Finally, some speculation is offered about the implications of this research for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.

Brain Activity in ADHD Patients Performing the Counting Stroop Task: A Social Neuroscience Approach

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms are manifested in social dynamics. In this study, the brain activity of eight child and adolescent patients diagnosed with ADHD was examined while they performed the Counting Stroop task and results were interpreted using social neuroscience premises. Brain activity was identified in frontal, parietal, and temporal regions related to the orienting system of attention and with linguistic, facial recognition, and mnemonic processes. Consistent with previous reports, these patients showed no activation in prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices related to the executive system of attention. Also, they manifested activation in the insular cortex involving interoceptive processes that may be associated with impulsiveness. Global brain activity involves a network formed during early development and includes experiential components such as learning of rules, reward systems, empathy, and decision making. An integrative assessment of ADHD should consider psychosocial and neurobiological causes integrated into an individual's own experiences assembled throughout life.

Former heroin addicts with or without a history of cocaine dependence are more impulsive than controls

BACKGROUND

Personality traits such as impulsivity and sensation seeking may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of illicit drug use. Since studies have reported higher impulsivity and sensation seeking traits in cocaine dependent subjects, we were interested in determining whether former heroin addicts in methadone pharmacotherapy with comorbid cocaine addiction have greater impulsivity than those without.

METHODS

Instruments to assess impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11) and sensation seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale version V) were administered to former severe heroin addicts meeting Federal criteria for methadone maintenance pharmacotherapy with (n = 71) or without cocaine dependence (n = 31) and to 145 normal healthy (non-methadone-maintained) volunteers.

RESULTS

The methadone-maintained without cocaine dependence and the methadone-maintained with cocaine dependence groups, both scored higher than did the normal volunteer group on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale total score (p<0.001). On the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Attentional, Nonplanning, and Motor subscales, the methadone-maintained and methadone-maintained with cocaine dependence groups scored higher than did normal volunteers with no history of drug abuse or dependence (p<0.001). There was no difference among groups on total score or any subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scale. However, males in all groups overall scored higher than did females on Disinhibition and Thrill and Adventure seeking subscales of the Sensation Seeking Scale version V (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates higher impulsivity in former severe heroin addicts meeting criteria for or currently in stable methadone maintenance pharmacotherapy, irrespective of a positive or negative history of cocaine dependence.

Community-level Effects of Individual and Peer Risk and Protective Factors on Adolescent Substance Use

The association between community-aggregated levels of peer and individual risk and protective factors and prevalence of adolescent substance use was examined in repeated cross-sectional data among youth in 41 communities ranging in population from 1,578 to 106,221. The association between community levels of these peer and individual risk and protective factors in 2000 and substance use 2 years later was examined by using within-cohort analyses (e.g., sixth grade in 2000 predicting eighth grade in 2002) and cross-cohort analyses (e.g., sixth grade in 2000 predicting sixth grade in 2002). In both within- and across-cohort analyses, community-aggregated levels of peer and individual risk and protective factors predicted the prevalence of adolescent substance use 2 years later, suggesting that focusing on elevated peer and individual risk factors and depressed peer and individual protective factors at the community level to guide the selection of preventive interventions may be a viable strategy for community efforts to prevent adolescent substance use community wide.

Thrill seeking and religiosity in relation to adolescent substance use: tests of joint, interactive, and indirect influences

Thrill seeking is a robust positive predictor of adolescent substance use. Religiosity is negatively associated with substance use among teens, although findings are mixed. Few studies have examined the interplay between these two prominent risk and protective factors. The current study addresses this gap by examining the joint, interactive, and indirect influences of thrill seeking and each of two dimensions of religiosity, religious salience and religious attendance, in relation to adolescent substance use. Participants were 667 rural youths (345 girls and 322 boys) and their families participating in a longitudinal family-focused prevention trial. Data were collected via self-report surveys at six time points across 7 years, spanning ages 11 through 18. Results from latent growth curve analyses showed that both religious salience and religious attendance growth factors were associated negatively with late adolescent substance use, while adjusting for thrill seeking and selected covariates. Although the link between thrill seeking and substance use was not moderated by religiosity, there was a statistically significant indirect effect of thrill seeking on the outcome through a faster rate of downturn in religious attendance. Family intervention also predicted a slower rate of downturn in religious attendance and was associated negatively with substance use in late adolescence. Early adolescent substance use predicted a faster rate of decrease in religious salience throughout the teen years. The pattern of associations was similar for boys and girls. Findings suggest that teens who are elevated on thrill seeking could be targeted for specially designed substance use prevention programs and provide additional evidence for the efficacy of family interventions.

Adolescent brain development and the risk for alcohol and other drug problems

Dynamic changes in neurochemistry, fiber architecture, and tissue composition occur in the adolescent brain. The course of these maturational processes is being charted with greater specificity, owing to advances in neuroimaging and indicate grey matter volume reductions and protracted development of white matter in regions known to support complex cognition and behavior. Though fronto-subcortical circuitry development is notable during adolescence, asynchronous maturation of prefrontal and limbic systems may render youth more vulnerable to risky behaviors such as substance use. Indeed, binge-pattern alcohol consumption and comorbid marijuana use are common among adolescents, and are associated with neural consequences. This review summarizes the unique characteristics of adolescent brain development, particularly aspects that predispose individuals to reward seeking and risky choices during this phase of life, and discusses the influence of substance use on neuromaturation. Together, findings in this arena underscore the importance of refined research and programming efforts in adolescent health and interventional needs.

Trauma, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and alcohol-use initiation in children

OBJECTIVE

This study examined initiation of alcohol use among adolescents, in relation to their earlier traumatic experiences and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

METHOD

Data were from a longitudinal study of children of Puerto Rican background living in New York City's South Bronx and in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The subsample (n = 1,119; 51.7% male) of those who were 10-13 years old and alcohol naive at baseline was used in the analyses.

RESULTS

Alcohol-use initiation within 2 years after baseline was significantly more common among children reporting both trauma exposure and 5 or more of a maximum of 17 PTSD symptoms at baseline (adjusted odds ratio = 1.84, p < .05) than among those without trauma exposure, even when potentially shared correlates were controlled for. Children with trauma exposure but with fewer than five PTSD symptoms, however, did not differ significantly from those without trauma exposure, with regard to later alcohol use.

CONCLUSIONS

PTSD symptoms in children 10-13 years old may be associated with early onset of alcohol use. It is important to identify and treat PTSD-related symptoms in pre-adolescent children.

The emergence of gonadal hormone influences on dopaminergic function during puberty

Adolescence is the developmental epoch during which children become adults-intellectually, physically, hormonally and socially. Brain development in critical areas is ongoing. Adolescents are risk-taking and novelty-seeking and they weigh positive experiences more heavily and negative experiences less than adults. This inherent behavioral bias can lead to risky behaviors like drug taking. Most drug addictions start during adolescence and early drug-taking is associated with an increased rate of drug abuse and dependence. The hormonal changes of puberty contribute to physical, emotional, intellectual and social changes during adolescence. These hormonal events do not just cause maturation of reproductive function and the emergence of secondary sex characteristics. They contribute to the appearance of sex differences in non-reproductive behaviors as well. Sex differences in drug use behaviors are among the latter. The male predominance in overall drug use appears by the end of adolescence, while girls develop the rapid progression from first use to dependence (telescoping) that represent a female-biased vulnerability. Sex differences in many behaviors including drug use have been attributed to social and cultural factors. A narrowing gap in drug use between adolescent boys and girls supports this thesis. However, some sex differences in addiction vulnerability reflect biologic differences in brain circuits involved in addiction. The purpose of this review is to summarize the contribution of sex differences in the function of ascending dopamine systems that are critical to reinforcement, to briefly summarize the behavioral, neurochemical and anatomical changes in brain dopaminergic functions related to addiction that occur during adolescence and to present new findings about the emergence of sex differences in dopaminergic function during adolescence.

Nitrous oxide inhalation among adolescents: prevalence, correlates, and co-occurrence with volatile solvent inhalation

Few studies have examined the prevalence of nitrous oxide (NO) inhalation or co-occurrence of NO and volatile solvent (VS) use in adolescents. Study aims were to (1) describe the independent and conjoint prevalence of NO and VS use in incarcerated youth, (2) compare adolescent users of both NO and VS inhalants (NO+VS) to users of NO-only, VS-only, and nonusers of NO and VS (NO/VNS nonusers) with regard to demographic, psychological, and behavioral characteristics, and (3) conduct logistic regression analyses identifying correlates of NO use. Residents (N = 723) of Missouri Division of Youth Services were assessed with standardized psychosocial measures. Participants averaged 15.5 (SD = 1.2) years of age, were ethnically diverse and predominantly male. Lifetime prevalence of NO use was 15.8%. NO+VS users evidenced greater impairments compared to NO+VS nonusers. VS-only users evidenced impairments that were similar in kind but at lower prevalences compared to those displayed by NO+VS users, whereas NO-only youth had profiles that were similar to those of NO/VS nonusers. Psychiatric disorders, polydrug use, and temperamental fearlessness were correlates of NO use. NO+VS users were at high risk for behavioral and emotional problems. Screening and interventions for NO and VS inhalant use should be implemented in juvenile justice facilities.

Performance and subjective effects of diazepam and d-amphetamine in high and low sensation seekers

Although sensation-seeking status is associated with age of initiation and amount of drug use among adolescents, and sensitivity to the behavioral and reinforcing effects of drugs among young adults, it is unclear whether sensation-seeking status among adolescents is predictive of sensitivity to the pharmacological effects of drugs (i.e. abuse potential) as adults. This study examined the acute behavioral effects of oral diazepam and d-amphetamine in young adults, ages 18-21 years, who had consistently scored in the highest or lowest third of their grade-based cohort on a modified Sensation Seeking Scale that was completed annually between ages 10 and 14 years. Healthy participants completed 16 7.5-h test days, with test days separated by a minimum of 48 h. Each day, assessments consisting of computer task performance, verbal report of drug effects, and cardiovascular measures were completed 0, 50, 110, 170, 230, and 290 min after drug administration. Placebo and three active doses of diazepam and d-amphetamine (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/70 kg) were tested under double-blind conditions according to a randomized-block design. Typical stimulant and sedative effects were obtained with d-amphetamine and diazepam, respectively. Drug effects varied as a function of sensation-seeking status, with magnitude of effects on cardiovascular function, task performance, and report of positive drug effects being greater among high sensation seekers, and report of negative drug effects being greater among low sensation seekers. Adolescents who report high levels of sensation seeking on a consistent basis are more sensitive to pharmacological effects of stimulant and sedative drugs that are associated with abuse potential as young adults.

Adolescent ecstasy and other drug use in the National Survey of Parents and Youth: the role of sensation-seeking, parental monitoring and peer's drug use

The association between high sensation-seeking, close friends' drug use and low parental monitoring with ecstasy (MDMA) use in adolescence was examined in a sample of US household-dwelling adolescents aged 12-18 years (N=5049). We also tested whether associations were of stronger magnitude than associations between these correlates and marijuana or alcohol/tobacco use in adolescence. Data from Round 2 of the National Survey of Parents and Youth (NSPY) Restricted Use Files (RUF) was analyzed via Jackknife weighted multinomial logistic regression models. High sensation-seekers were more likely to be ecstasy, marijuana, and alcohol/tobacco users, respectively, as compared to low sensation-seekers. High sensation-seeking and close friends' drug use were more strongly associated with ecstasy as compared to marijuana and alcohol/tobacco use. Low parental monitoring was associated with marijuana use and alcohol/tobacco use and there was a trend for it to be associated with ecstasy use. Ecstasy use is strongly associated with peer drug use and more modestly associated with high sensation-seeking. School prevention programs should target high-sensation-seeking adolescents and also encourage them to affiliate with non-drug using peers.

Impulsivity as a vulnerability marker for substance-use disorders: review of findings from high-risk research, problem gamblers and genetic association studies

There is a longstanding association between substance-use disorders (SUDs) and the psychological construct of impulsivity. In the first section of this review, personality and neurocognitive data pertaining to impulsivity will be summarised in regular users of four classes of substance: stimulants, opiates, alcohol and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Impulsivity in these groups may arise via two alternative mechanisms, which are not mutually exclusive. By one account, impulsivity may occur as a consequence of chronic exposure to substances causing harmful effects on the brain. By the alternative account, impulsivity pre-dates SUDs and is associated with the vulnerability to addiction. We will review the evidence that impulsivity is associated with addiction vulnerability by considering three lines of evidence: (i) studies of groups at high-risk for development of SUDs; (ii) studies of pathological gamblers, where the harmful consequences of the addiction on brain structure are minimised, and (iii) genetic association studies linking impulsivity to genetic risk factors for addiction. Within each of these three lines of enquiry, there is accumulating evidence that impulsivity is a pre-existing vulnerability marker for SUDs.

The reliability and validity of the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS-8) with young adult Latino workers: implications for tobacco and alcohol disparity research

AIM

This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS-8) in both English and Spanish with Latinos, the fastest-growing minority group in the United States, and the correlation between sensation seeking and tobacco and alcohol use.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey, computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI).

SETTING

Dallas and Houston, Texas.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 789 Latinos participated in this study. Participants were currently in the work-force, not enrolled in college, and between the ages of 18 and 30 years.

MEASUREMENTS

Participants completed a self-report questionnaire (in either English or Spanish) consisting of items measuring tobacco and alcohol use as well as the eight-item Brief Sensation Seeking Scale.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

For English-speaking Latino participants, the BSSS factor structure was second-order unidimensional and correlated positively with life-time cigarette use, intention to smoke in the future and amount and frequency of alcohol consumption. For Spanish-speaking Latino participants, a four-subfactor solution for the BSSS provided the best fit to the data although correlations between the four subscales and cigarette use were small.

Unwanted and wanted exposure to online pornography in a national sample of youth Internet users

OBJECTIVE

The goal was to assess the extent of unwanted and wanted exposure to online pornography among youth Internet users and associated risk factors.

METHODS

A telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 1500 youth Internet users aged 10 to 17 years was conducted between March and June 2005.

RESULTS

Forty-two percent of youth Internet users had been exposed to online pornography in the past year. Of those, 66% reported only unwanted exposure. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to compare youth with unwanted exposure only or any wanted exposure with those with no exposure. Unwanted exposure was related to only 1 Internet activity, namely, using file-sharing programs to download images. Filtering and blocking software reduced the risk of unwanted exposure, as did attending an Internet safety presentation by law enforcement personnel. Unwanted exposure rates were higher for teens, youth who reported being harassed or sexually solicited online or interpersonally victimized offline, and youth who scored in the borderline or clinically significant range on the Child Behavior Checklist subscale for depression. Wanted exposure rates were higher for teens, boys, and youth who used file-sharing programs to download images, talked online to unknown persons about sex, used the Internet at friends' homes, or scored in the borderline or clinically significant range on the Child Behavior Checklist subscale for rule-breaking. Depression also could be a risk factor for some youth. Youth who used filtering and blocking software had lower odds of wanted exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

More research concerning the potential impact of Internet pornography on youth is warranted, given the high rate of exposure, the fact that much exposure is unwanted, and the fact that youth with certain vulnerabilities, such as depression, interpersonal victimization, and delinquent tendencies, have more exposure.

Health-risking social behaviors: moving forward

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have a long history of supporting investigator-initiated research and research training to enhance the scientific understanding of and effective interventions for a range of problems associated with youth violence. New technologies are emerging and basic research has promise for increasing our understanding of how biological factors operate in conjunction with other factors to contribute to violent behavior, psychopathology, and drug abuse. This article describes emerging areas and directions for research in this important area of public health.

Authoritative parenting and sensation seeking as predictors of adolescent cigarette and marijuana use

Adolescents with high sensation-seeking tendencies often seek out thrill seeking experiences to satisfy their need for stimulation and sensation. In many cases, sensation-seeking adolescents fulfill their need for stimulation and sensation by using illicit substances. However, not all high sensation seekers use drugs, although the factors that prevent or buffer sensation seeking remain unexplored. This study fills this gap in extant research by examining the role of authoritative parenting as a protective factor that prevents or buffers cigarette and marijuana use by adolescents with high sensation-seeking tendencies. Data from 1461 adolescents attending 6th through 8th grades in central Colorado were gathered during a semester-long classroom-based intervention to prevent the onset or further use of cigarettes. Results indicate that authoritative parenting moderated the effect of sensation seeking on adolescent marijuana attitudes, intentions, and peer influence but not behaviors. Further, authoritative parenting was a stronger influence than sensation seeking on cigarette-related outcomes with just the opposite effect observed for marijuana-related outcomes.

Understanding alcohol misuse and comorbid psychiatric disorders

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review examines the relationship between alcohol misuse and comorbid psychiatric disorders, and the treatment of these comorbid disorders. In the past, the literature was dominated by papers describing prevalence, clinical services and comorbidity with schizophrenia. It is now advancing into areas such as the relationship between alcohol misuse and the anxiety disorders, affective disorders and eating disorders, and considering the diagnostic paradigm. Knowledge is also emerging about the influences of genetics and adverse effects over different stages of the life cycle in the development of these disorders.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent studies have examined the relationships between alcohol dependence and psychiatric illness, particularly anxiety and depression, but also subthreshold conditions. Childhood trauma, having parents with substance dependence and genetic factors influence the development of alcohol and comorbid psychiatric disorders. There is a genetic contribution to suicidal behaviour in alcohol-dependent patients. Early diagnosis is important. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores on admission to psychiatric hospital were found to correlate with suicidal ideation and behaviour. In patients with alcohol use disorders, treatment for depression works better after a period of abstinence. Abstinence alone can help for anxiety disorders. High-intensity services had better outcomes for this comorbid population than less intensive services.

SUMMARY

Depression in patients with alcohol use disorders cannot be ignored. Treatment of depression alone will not help the alcohol use problems. All psychiatric inpatients should be screened for alcohol use disorders as part of their risk assessment. Research is focusing more on examining the complexities of these disorders, but there are no specific pharmacotherapies to treat particular comorbid conditions.