Neuropsychopharmacology Podcast

Marijuana use for medical purposes is becoming increasingly common in the U.S., and doctors prescribe it for ills ranging from headaches to insomnia. And yet, there is little scientific data supporting its medical use. In this podcast, Drs. Margaret Haney and Eden Evins discuss the relationship between cannabis use and two psychiatric disorders: post-traumatic stress disorder and psychotic illnesses, particularly schizophrenia.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Impact of Stress on the Brain: Pathology, Treatment and Prevention," the 2016 issue of Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews, focuses on advances in our understanding of the impact of stress on the brain: From pathology to circuits, treatment to prevention. Emerging data from genetics, epigenetics, neural circuit and intergenerational models, animal models, and neuroimaging all suggest that stress affects the brain in a variety of dynamic and often long-lasting ways. The effects of these processes on developmental risk for pathology are particularly notable. Produced by Nature Publishing Group and featuring Kerry J. Ressler, MD, PhD and Jordan W. Smoller, MD, ScD, this podcast synthesizes a broad array of neuroscience perspectives and approaches, demonstrating with fascinating clarity how the brain, when homeostasis / allostasis is dysregulated through the process of stress (whether external or internal), can lead to emotional dysregulation and behavioral difficulties. Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews: http://www

Adolescent consumption of caffeine, the most commonly used psychoactive stimulant in the world, has increased strikingly in recent years. Caffeine use has been associated with illicit drug use and risky behaviors, but whether consumption of caffeine during adolescence has effects on the mature brain is controversial. In this podcast, author Ryan Bachtell discusses his recent study, which found that consumption of caffeine by male adolescent rats results in enduring neurobiological effects in a key reward area in the brain and an increased sensitivity to cocaine in adulthood.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this issue of Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews, entitled Neurodevelopment and the Origins of Brain Disorders, subject discipline experts provide both experimental highlights and perspectives on the current understanding of basic mechanisms of neurodevelopment, the influence of developmental disruptions on childhood and adult-onset brain and behavioral disorders, and the emerging promise of translation into treatments. In this podcast, the editors of this year's volume, Pat Levitt (Simms/Mann Chair in Development Neurogenetics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles) and Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele (Mortimer D Sackler Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute), discuss the recent research and its future applications.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The relative value of alcohol may be encoded by discrete regions of the brain, according to a study published in Neuropsychopharmacology. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Dr. James MacKillop and colleagues examined brain activity in 24 male volunteers, who were heavy drinkers, while they were deciding whether or not to drink alcohol priced at various levels. Their findings identify unique motifs of brain activity that may contribute to the pathologically increased value that addicted individuals place on alcohol.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Young adult smokers may experience alterations in brain structure related to cigarette exposure, dependence, and craving. The brain structure of adults has been shown to vary with smoking status, particularly in the insula—a part of the cerebral cortex involved in monitoring internal states and decision-making. In a study published in Neuropsychopharmacology, Dr. Edythe London and colleagues took smoking histories, assessed cigarette craving and dependence, and examined the insula using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 16-22-year-old participants. The results suggest that participants with greater smoking exposure had more severe nicotine dependence, more cigarette craving, and less insular thickness than those with less exposure.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The 2014 issue of Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews is entitled Biomolecular Discovery: Mechanisms, Therapeutics, and Biomarkers in Neural Disorders. The articles in this issue focus on recent advances in the detection, subtyping and monitoring of complex neural disease progression, the definition of new molecular targets for therapeutic intervention and biomarkers, with an emphasis on the use of genome-wide analytical technologies. In this podcast, the editors of this year's volume, Carol Nilsson and Kathryn Cunningham, provide an overview of the topic.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up to 25% of women in the U.S., Denmark and Sweden report smoking during pregnancy, despite associations of prenatal tobacco exposure with negative behavioral and cognitive outcomes. Hanan El Marroun and colleagues assessed brain morphology along with behavioral and emotional functioning of children whose mothers reported smoking in a range from one cigarette a day to more than 9 cigarettes per day during pregnancy. The results suggest that children whose mothers continued smoking have smaller total brain volumes, with smaller cortical gray and white matter volumes in particular, and exhibit more emotional problems, such as depressive symptoms and anxiety.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Although psychostimulant abusers comprise one of the fastest growing populations of HIV-infected patients, relatively little is known about how HIV may impact the rewarding effects of abused drugs. Dr. Jay P. McLaughlin discusses how a protein associated with HIV infection, called HIV-1 Tat, may increase vulnerability for drug addiction. His research shows that mice who express HIV-1 Tat display an enhanced sensitivity to the rewarding properties of cocaine. The results suggest that just as addiction raises the risk of HIV, HIV may raise the risk of addiction.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dr. David Kareken discusses how the urge to drink can be triggered by sensory cues alone. His latest research showed that a dopamine reaction took place in the brain when men were given a small amount of alcohol - enough to taste, but not enough to become intoxicated. The reaction was stronger in those with a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. This suggests that dopamine is involved in the desire to use a drug, even before the effects of the drug are felt, and that drug-seeking behavior can be triggered by a related environment.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Epigenetics is the modification of genetic expression without changing the underlying DNA, or how environment affects genetic potential. It is highly involved in learning and memory, as well as maladaptations caused by stress or drug abuse. Dr. Eric Nestler, one of the editors of this year's Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews, provides an overview of the topic here, including the somewhat controversial theory of epigenetic heritability.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mephedrone and methylone are types of synthetic stimulant drugs that have been sold legally under names such as "bath salts" or "plant food". They can have a number of dangerous side effects, such as agitation, combativeness, and hallucinations. A recent court ruling has made many of these synthetic drugs illegal, but new variations continue to be available. In this latest podcast, Dr. Michael Baumann discusses the mechanism of action of "bath salts", their chemical similarity to MDMA, and the dangers of their use.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The brain is a daunting therapeutic challenge. This year's edition of Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews provides an update on treatments for brain disorders ranging from schizophrenia to neurodegeneration. Join Kerri Smith as she talks to Gwenn Smith, editor of this year's volume, about current therapies such as drugs, electrical stimulation and cognitive therapies, and the future of neurotherapeutics in an era of uncertain funding.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.