[Early maladaptive schemes and relapse during methadone maintenance treatment among drug addicts (a cognitive approach)]

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE

Dysfunction of cognitive schemas and addictive behaviors are often coexisting which can cause relapse during drug treatment. The objective of this study is to assess early maladaptive schemas (EMS) among heroin users and their relationship with relapse during methadone maintenance treatment.

SUBJECT AND METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study carried out on 166 heroin users treated with methadone at the medico-psychological center in northern Morocco during 2017. The subjects completed both the Young short version schema questionnaire (YQS) and the ASI questionnaire (Addiction Severity Index) to measure the severity of drug addiction.

RESULTS

The results showed that the most activated schemas in the totality of the subjects were fear of losing control, Emotional deficiency and failure. They were also significantly more activated in women than in men for five schemas indicating rejection and separation, and a lack of autonomy. Regarding the relapse during treatment consumption there was a positive and significant correlation with ten out of thirteen SPI, which means the more the intensity of SPI decrease the greater the tendency to relapse (r=0.509, P<0.0001). However, there was also a weak correlation between the consumption of other drugs and SPI.

CONCLUSION

The cognitive approach has highlighted the essential role of cognitive disorders in addictive behaviors that EMS may be predictors of relapse during substitution treatment, and that a concurrent therapy of schema may reduce the likelihood of relapse.

Impact of lead sub-chronic toxicity on recognition memory and motor activity of Wistar rat

The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of lead nitrate administered in drinking water during 90 days (sub-chronic toxicity), on body weight gain, motor activity, brain lead accumulation and especially on recognition memory of Wistar rats. Two groups of young female Wistar rats were used. Treated rats received 20 mg L(-1) of lead nitrate diluted in drinking water, while control rats received drinking water only, for 3 months. An evolution of body weight, motor activity, object recognition memory and measure of brain lead levels has been evaluated. The body weight was taken weekly, whereas the memory abilities and the motor activity are measured once every fortnight alternatively, by submitting rats to the Open Field (OF) test and to the Novel Object Recognizing (NOR) memory test. The results have shown a non significant effect in gain of body weight. However, a high significance was shown for horizontal activity (p<0.01), long memory term (p<0.01), at the end of testing period and for brain lead levels (p<0.05) between studied groups.

Impact of aluminum sub-chronic toxicity on body weight and recognition memory of wistar rat

The aims of this study was to investigate the impact of aluminum nitrate administered in drinking water during 90 days (sub-chronic toxicity), on body weight gain, motor activity, brain aluminum accumulation and especially in recognition memory of wistar rats. Two groups of young female wistar rats were used. Treated rats received (80 mg L(-1)) of aluminum nitrate diluted in drinking water, while control rats received a drinking water only, for 3 months. An evolution of body weight, a motor activity, object recognition memory (NOR) and brain aluminum concentration has been evaluated. The body weight was taken weekly, whereas the memory abilities and the motor activity are measured once every fortnight alternatively, by submitting rats to the open field test and to the novel object recognizing memory test. The results have showed a significant decrease in rats' body weight (p < 0.05). Though, no significance was registered for motor activity. Nevertheless, a high significance is showed for recognition memory compared to control rats (p < 0.01), especially at the end of testing period, even the difference between control and aluminium treated rats in brain aluminum levels was not significant.

Risk factors of anaemia among rural school children in Kenitra, Morocco

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of anaemia and factors associated with iron deficiency among school children in rural Kenitra, Morocco.

METHODS

295 students between 6 and 16 years old composed the study group. The level of haemoglobin was measured in a group of 295 school children. The iron status was determined by ferritin level in serum, and anaemia was defined when haemoglobin <11.5 g/dl. Iron deficiency was defined as ferritin level <15 microg/l. A questionnaire was developed to obtain information on the socio-economic and demographic status of the family such as the size of household, the income and possessions as well as educational status of the parents.

RESULTS

The mean haemoglobin concentration was 12.4 g/dl in boys and 12.5 g/dl in girls, whereas the mean ferritin level was 26.7 microg/l in boys and 27.9 microg/l in girls. The overall prevalence of anaemia in the studied population was 12.2% and iron deficiency was 20.4%. There was a significant relationship between education of the mother and anaemia in children (p= 0.01). Serum ferritin (SF), serum iron concentrations and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were significantly correlated with haemoglobin by multiple regression analysis. However, using logistic regression analysis, the results showed that anaemia was not significantly associated with gender, parents' employment and monthly family income.

CONCLUSION

Anaemia remains a common problem in the young children particularly the primary education school boys of the households of low income. The results suggest also, that iron deficiency is an important determinant of anaemia in this population; however, whole anaemia cannot be solely explained by iron deficiency. Further studies are needed to consider micronutrients status and exposure to environmental pollutants.