Category: From Newswise – Addiction

What: A new study in Psychological Medicine found an association between young men with cannabis use disorder and a higher risk of developing schizophrenia. Furthermore, intense cannabis use may trigger and/or worsen schizophrenia. 

Who: Katharine Sperandio, Ph.D., LPC, ACS, NCC, assistant professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Saint Joseph’s University, actively serves clients in the Philadelphia community so that she can continue to use her clinical experiences to inform her teaching and scholarship. The mission of her research agenda is to increase understanding on how to help those living with addiction promote and sustain their recovery and how to optimally support families who are impacted by addiction.

Dr. Sperandio says this study provides further evidence about some of the potentially deleterious consequences that can come from long-term cannabis use.

“I think the study reinforces the notion that this is an issue that continues to remain relevant and needs further exploration so that mental health professionals can be better prepared to help those who are using cannabis and have a co-occurring mental health disorder,” says Sperandio.

“Cannabis has clearly become more potent over time which seems to be amplifying some of the consequences that we are seeing,” says Sperandio. “As a professional counselor and a counselor educator, it is my ethical responsibility to stay up-to-date on the current research so I can educate both my clients and students appropriately.”

When: Zoom/phone/in-person interview available upon request.

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About Saint Joseph’s University

Founded in 1851 as Philadelphia’s Jesuit university, Saint Joseph’s University prepares students for a rapidly changing world by focusing on academic excellence and courageous exploration. With an intellectual tradition distinguished by a foundational liberal arts core and diversified by strong professional programs in education, business, health and science, Saint Joseph’s students are empowered, challenged and supported by high-quality faculty members to follow their own path. As a comprehensive university, undergraduate and graduate students study in the University’s four schools and colleges — the College of Arts and Sciences, the Erivan K. Haub School of Business, the School of Education and Human Development and the School of Health Professions. With academic offerings in the most sought-after majors, including leading programs in the first-in-the-nation Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, nearly 100% of students are employed, pursuing advanced degrees or volunteering in prestigious service programs upon graduation. The University’s network of nearly 100,000 proud alumni keep alive the rallying cry — The Hawk Will Never Die.

Newswise — Indiana University’s Sina Kianersi, a recent School of Public Health-Bloomington doctoral candidate, has developed the first open-source model to translate transdermal alcohol content – data collected from skin secretions – into information that can be used by researchers.

The monitors can help researchers studying alcohol use and the development of chronic disease. 

Kianersi, now a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University, used machine learning and signal filtering to create a successful model to read the transdermal alcohol content. The results were published in Addiction, the Society for the Study of Addiction. 

The transdermal alcohol content data in the study were collected via BACtrack Skyn, an alcohol biosensor worn on the wrist like a fitness activity tracker. The sensor collects alcohol data secreted through the skin – about one percent of alcohol consumed – every 20 seconds.  Kianersi’s model transcribes the data into information about how much alcohol was consumed and at what time.

“The next step for the algorithm is for other researchers to test the model in different populations,” Kianersi said. “This is the first time an algorithm for transdermal alcohol content has been validated and published publicly for other researchers to use the model in their own research.”

To obtain comparison data to develop the model, study participants manually tracked their alcohol usage, answered daily survey questions about their alcohol use in the past 24 hours and some used keychain breathalyzers tracking their blood alcohol content.

The main use of the model will be a new generation of wearable alcohol monitors. Researchers can better understand the effects of different amount and patterns of alcohol use and the development of chronic diseases, such as diabetes or cancer. Other uses would be a role in social and family monitoring of alcohol use or public health campaigns to promote responsible alcohol use within communities.

Jon Agley, deputy director of research at Prevention Insights, associate professor of Applied Health Sciences and co-author of the study got involved when Kianersi won IU’s Prevention Insights’ Big Idea Challenge in 2020.

“Our center sought out potentially transformative student ideas, and Sina’s proposal quickly rose to the top,” Agley said.

For winning the challenge, Kianersi was awarded a $1,000 prize in direct payment plus an additional $10,000 in funds towards their proposed study.

Other funding came from a National Institutes of Health training grant and the BACtrack Skyn devices were acquired by a university equipment grant awarded to co-authors Molly Rosenberg, dissertation chair and associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics and Christina Ludema, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics 

“This publication makes a significant impact in the field of alcohol research and is the culmination of Sina’s hard work and academic accomplishments,” Rosenberg said. “It is also a good example of the kind of stellar work that can get done at IU with capable student leadership, multidisciplinary faculty mentorship and strategic university investment. We’re so proud of Sina.”

Additional co-authors include: Yong Yeol Ahn, associate professor of informatics and computing; Maria Parker, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics; and Sophie Ideker from the Columbia University School of Public Health. 

BYLINE: Kelly Craine

Newswise — WACO, Texas (May 3, 2023) – Instagram and TikTok are two of the fastest-growing social media outlets in the U.S., offering entertainment and connection to a world-wide community with the ease of a finger swipe. Despite their growing popularity, little research has focused on the association between the specific use of Instagram and TikTok and a person’s psychological well-being.

Noted Baylor University smartphone researchers Meredith E. David, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing, and James A. Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing in the Hankamer School of Business, have investigated the correlation between the “flow states” – or happiness experienced by individuals – while using Instagram and TikTok and psychological well-being.

David and Roberts published their research – Instagram and TikTok Flow States and Their Association with Psychological Well-Being – in Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, the official journal of the International Association of Cyberpsychology, Training and Rehabilitation.

The study surveyed 420 U.S. adults to investigate the flow states experienced when using Instagram and TikTok and whether these flow states differentially impact well-being. A flow state is achieved when people are so engrossed in an activity that little else seems to matter to them and they will often continue the activity despite its negative consequences.

Key findings

There are 5 flow dimensions:

• Focused Attention (immersion while using social media)
• Enjoyment (fun experienced while using social media)
• Curiosity (the desire to keep up with what’s happening on a social media site)
• Telepresence (immersion in a world created by the social media experience
• Time Distortion (losing a sense of time while on social media)

The study determined that telepresence is the key component of flow that drives problematic social media behaviors and addiction. Telepresence for both Instagram and TikTok users was associated with higher levels of addiction, mind wandering, FOMO, anxiety and depression. The study revealed that 28% of Instagram users and 24% of TikTok users in the study would qualify as addicted based upon the diagnostic criteria.

These social media platforms may provide an escape from everyday worries, but if overused, they are a poor coping strategy, David said.

“It is likely that immersion in the world created by the social media experience displaces the more meaningful and close interpersonal relationships on which our psychological well-being depends,” David said.

Differences between Instagram and TikTok users

Typically, the experience of flow is assumed to be similar across social media platforms, but this was not the case with Instagram and TikTok, researchers discovered. TikTok users report higher levels of overall flow, enjoyment and time distortion than Instagram users. A high telepresence was found in 53% of TikTok users but only 38% of Instagram users. This difference in flow composition suggests important differences may exist in how individuals experience flow across different social media platforms.  

For example, Instagram is more personal in nature. Users post photos and comment on posts within a more intimate circle of friends while TikTok videos are shared with a larger network of friends, followers and often strangers with the primary purpose to entertain and garner likes, comments and shares.

TikTok users have fun watching the many short videos on the app, which provides constant reinforcement to continue watching videos. This behavior leads to higher levels of the flow state time distortion. In the study, TikTok users reported they were more prone to lose track of time and spend more time than they had intended. They also reported becoming so engrossed in scrolling through videos that they continued the activity despite its negative consequences.

Overcoming negative impacts

The negative impacts of time distortion and telepresence can be mitigated by spending less time on apps. Roberts recommends:

• Using the screen-time management settings available on most social media apps.
• Designating a parent, spouse or an accountability partner to help monitor the time an individual spends on social media.
• Stopping app use after a predetermined amount of time helps strengthen an individual’s ability to practice restraint the next time they use social media.

Ultimately what determines the positive or negative effects of social media is dictated by the individual user.

“When overused as a replacement for true connections and communications, social media can be addictive and detrimental to well-being,” David said. “In small doses it can fulfill curiosity, entertain and even educate. Used intentionally, social media can be a useful tool for connecting with others and  fostering established relationships.”

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Meredith E. David, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing in the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University, focuses her research on marketing strategies with an emphasis on consumer behavior and well-being. Recently, her research has explored how new media technologies – including smartphones – impact personal and workplace relationships. Dr. David has also published research related to customized pricing tactics, interpersonal attachment styles and the pursuit of health goals. Her research appears in numerous journals, including the Journal of Business Research, Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, Journal of Advertising, European Journal of Marketing and Psychology & Marketing, among others. Dr. David is coauthor of Pearson’s leading Strategic Management textbook (Strategic Management Concepts and Cases – A Competitive Advantage Approach, 18^th edition). Dr. David has been interviewed about her research by national and international news outlets, including ABC News, Fox News, Oprah.com, Redbook Magazine, Consumer Reports and Health Magazine, among others.

James Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing and director of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Service in the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University, is a nationally recognized expert on consumer behavior, human-computer interaction, compulsive buying and effects of consumerism and technology on individual happiness. He has published articles in numerous journals, including Computers in Human Behavior, the Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing and Psychology & Marketing. He also is the author of two books, “Shiny Objects” (Harper Collins) and “Too Much of a Good Thing: Are You Addicted to Your Smartphone?” Roberts has appeared on the CBS Early Show, ABC World News Tonight, ABC Good Morning America and NBC The Today Show and been quoted and/or featured on The O’Reilly Factor, The Doctors, TIME, U.S. News & World Report, The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and National Public Radio, among others. His current research interests include investigating the antecedents and consequences of smartphone addiction and its impact on personal happiness and professional productivity.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. 

ABOUT THE HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business strives to further God’s kingdom through the realm of business, using God-given gifts and academic talents to do so. Faculty and students conduct purposeful research and participate in experiential learning opportunities, all while operating in a Christ-centered mission. Undergraduate students can choose from 13 major areas of study. Graduate students can earn their M.B.A. on their terms, either through the full-time, online or a Dallas-based executive program. The Business School also offers three Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The School’s top-ranked programs make up approximately 25% of the University’s total enrollment. Visit the Hankamer School of Business website for more information.

Newswise — WASHINGTON (May 2, 2023)–A new study found a declining proportion of DATA-waivered clinicians prescribed any buprenorphine between 2017 and 2021. While the number of waivered clinicians increased significantly during the five-year window, only one out of three prescribed any buprenorphine as of May 2021. Furthermore, the majority of prescriptions were written by clinicians who specialize in treating opioid use disorder.

The research letter published in JAMA April 27 notes that the Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) of 2000 created a pathway for clinicians to obtain a “waiver” to prescribe buprenorphine (also known by the brand name Suboxone) outside of an opioid treatment program. While originally intended as a strategy to increase access to treatment, researchers at the George Washington University noted that recent policies are now focused on reducing or removing waiver requirements to prescribe buprenorphine to facilitate provider participation. 

“With the removal of the waiver entirely in the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, this study brings into question the assumption that eliminating the waiver will lead to substantial increases in buprenorphine access,” the authors said. “While removal of this barrier may make it easier for clinicians to begin prescribing, additional investments may be needed to build and support clinicians treating opioid use disorder.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the number of overdose deaths in the US increased by nearly 30% from 2019 to 2020. Most of the drug overdose deaths in 2020 involved an opioid. Buprenorphine is used to treat opioid use disorder and increasing access to this medication is essential in the US strategy to fight the opioid crisis, according to the authors.

The research letter, “Changes in Waivered Clinicians Prescribing Buprenorphine and Prescription Volume by Patient Limit,” was published in JAMA by Clese Erikson and Qian Luo, both at the GW Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity.

-GW-

Newswise — Gambling addiction, also called “pathological gambling” and “gambling disorder (GD),” is known to have severe economic, social, mental, and physical consequences on those affected. One of the major factors contributing to the development and relapse of this disorder is stress. However, studies show that replacing gambling with alternative leisure activities may reduce the likelihood of developing the disorder. In recent years, forest bathing, or “shinrin-yoku,” a form of nature therapy, has emerged as an effective and convenient way to alleviate stress. In addition, numerous scientific studies have indicated that exposure to nature can lower stress levels and help the body relax.

In the wake of proposals to introduce commercial casinos in Japan, a research team led by Yoshifumi Miyazaki, Professor Emeritus at the Centre for Environment, Health, and Field Sciences at Chiba University, Japan, sought to explore the potential of nature therapy, particularly insect sounds, in reducing stress responses among individuals with GD. The team aimed to compare the physiological and psychological effects of nature and city sounds on patients with GD. The research team, which comprised Hiroko Ochiai from the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center; assistant professor Harumi Ikei and research fellow Hyunju Jo from the Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University; and Masayuki Ohishi from Ohishi Clinic, Yokohama, Japan, made their study available online on March 27, 2023, and it is all set to be published in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine.

The study recruited 22 Japanese male participants aged between 25 and 60 years with a diagnosis of pathological gambling based on a total score of 5 or higher on the South Oaks Gambling Screen scale. The participants were randomized into two groups and exposed to either digital nature sounds of insects or traffic sounds at a city intersection, which were presented in a counterbalanced manner. As part of testing the physiological effects of exposure, the autonomic nervous activity of the participants was measured using sensors for heart rate variability, and a near-infrared spectroscopy system was used to measure changes in oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations in their bilateral prefrontal cortex. Participants’ subjective evaluation was done using the modified version of the semantic differential method questionnaire, and the Profiles of Mood States, second edition (POMS2); this formed part of the psychological effects assessment.

The results of the study strongly indicated that nature-based stimulus exposures induced physiological relaxation and other positive responses among individuals with GD. There was a significant decrease in oxy-Hb concentration in the bilateral prefrontal cortex of participants while listening to nature sounds. Put simply; it made them feel more relaxed and positive. This was corroborated by the low POMS2 negative emotions subscale scores and was attested by improvement in participants’ overall mood, a sense of comfort, and relaxation.

Noting the importance of the study, Prof. Miyazaki says, “It has also been reported that people are spending more time at home and are under stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These circumstances strongly point to the need for familiar relaxation methods. The results of this experiment suggest that the auditory stimulation of nature-derived sounds is also beneficial for patients with GD.”

In all fairness, the findings of this study highlight the importance of nature sounds in managing negative emotional states in patients with GD.

“Nature therapy may be useful for stress reduction in various patient groups and the general population, especially as our society becomes more artificialized and stress levels increase. As scientific evidence continues to accumulate, various nature-derived stimuli, including the auditory stimulus used in this study, may contribute to reducing stress in people,” concludes Prof. Miyazaki.

Although further research is needed to explore its long-term implications for individuals with GD, nature-derived sounds could be viable stress-relieving nature therapy for people with serious addictions as well as healthy individuals.

About Professor Yoshifumi Miyazaki

Yoshifumi Miyazaki is a Professor Emeritus from the Centre for Environment, Health and Field Sciences at Chiba University, Japan. He holds a doctorate in medicine from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University. He has published over 200 academic articles and has authored dozens of books on the effects and benefits of nature therapy. In honor of his research efforts, Professor Miyazaki has received awards from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries & the Japan Society of Physiological Anthropology.

Funding

This study was supported by JKA and received promotion funds from KEIRIN RACE (2020P-224 and 2022P-277).

Reference:

Title of original paper: Relaxation Effect of Nature Sound Exposure on Gambling Disorder Patients: A Crossover Study

Authors: Hiroko Ochiai^1*, Harumi Ikei^2*, Hyunju Jo², Masayuki Ohishi³, Yoshifumi Miyazaki²

Affiliations:

1. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Meguro-ku, Japan
2. Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Kashiwa, Japan
3. Ohishi Clinic, Yokohama, Japan

This Mental Health Awareness Month, one researcher explains why “unplugging” from your smartphone could improve your psychological well-being. 

Melissa Huey, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at New York Institute of Technology, studied the impact of smartphones in the college classroom and discovered that the devices were damaging students’ mental health. 

Huey and a colleague conducted a six-week study to see how college students’ mindfulness, anxiety, and course comprehension were affected when smartphones were removed from the classroom vs. when they were physically present.

In two classes, students handed in their smartphones at the beginning of the lecture. In two other classes, which served as a control group, students kept their phones and used them with no limitations. At the end of the six-week study, students self-reported scores on course comprehension, mindfulness, and anxiety levels.

“Students who handed in their smartphones reported much higher comprehension and mindfulness scores. In addition, they reported lower levels of anxiety,” Huey notes. “However, the opposite was true for those who kept their phones. These students reported lower comprehension and mindfulness scores and higher anxiety levels.”

Huey’s findings, which were published in the journal Innovative Higher Education, make a strong case for taking smartphone breaks.

This is not the first time that she has explored how technology affects mental health in younger individuals. In 2021, Huey authored an International Business Times op-ed contending that smartphones and social media were eroding Gen Z’s critical thinking abilities. The following year, she commented on a study that found TikTok’s algorithm offered teens psychologically damaging content that promoted self-harm and eating disorders.  

Newswise — You might not care about the fast-food commercial shots of juicy burgers or creamy milkshakes, but they might change your beliefs about these items, whereas shots of fresh salads and berries might not, according to a new study.

University of Michigan researchers found that in adults who did not already hold strong beliefs about how foods affect their emotions, fast-food TV ads for cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and milkshakes increased their beliefs that they would feel positive emotions while eating those types of food.  

However, there was no evidence that ads for salads and yogurt parfaits changed beliefs about feeling positive emotions while eating fruits and vegetables.

This research is one of the first studies to test the effects of food advertisements on food-related emotional expectations. The study, which involved 718 participants, tested how food ads affect food-related emotional expectations in adults and whether effects differed by individual levels of “food addiction” symptoms.  

Food addiction is marked by strong cravings for highly processed foods, diminished control over their intake, overconsumption despite negative consequences including clinically significant distress and diet-related disease, and stronger food-related emotional expectations, previous research has shown.

Participants were randomly assigned to watch 15-second video advertisements for highly processed foods, minimally processed foods, both food groups, or cell phones (control). They completed questionnaires about their beliefs, feelings and behaviors. 

For participants with fewer symptoms of food addiction, watching video ads for highly processed foods increased expectations that one would feel positive emotions while eating those foods, the study showed. 

“Many people think that eating highly processed foods like cheeseburgers and French fries will make them happier, and these beliefs are especially strong in people struggling to control their intake of highly processed foods,” said Jenna Cummings, lead author and former U-M research fellow. “Regulating fast-food advertisements and changing beliefs about how highly processed foods affect emotions could help people eat more nutritious foods.”

Participants viewed the video for a short duration. Cummings, who is a psychology lecturer at the University of Liverpool, said it will be important for future research to examine how longer exposures to food ads change beliefs about the emotional effects of food, how long any changes in beliefs endure, and how quickly any changes in beliefs affect someone’s typical eating behavior.

The research, which appears in the Journal of Health Psychology, was written by U-M psychology graduate student Lindzey Hoover and Ashley Gearhardt, U-M associate professor of psychology. 

Study: A randomized experiment of the effects of food advertisements on food-related emotional expectancies in adults

Newswise — UCLA Health investigators are leading a new, six-city trial of injectable buprenorphine for treatment of methamphetamine use disorder in adults who also use opioids. This is the first study to investigate the drug’s efficacy in treating the two co-addictions simultaneously.

While buprenorphine has been used to treat opioid use disorder since 2002, there are currently no FDA-approved treatments for methamphetamine use disorder or methamphetamine use disorder together with opioid co-use.

The first-of-its-kind trial, available locally at the UCLA Health Vine Street Clinic, is a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. UCLA hopes to enroll 61 of the 246 participants to be recruited nationwide over the next two years.

The study is designated for those with moderate to severe methamphetamine use disorder coupled with mild opioid use disorder or opioid misuse. It is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Helping to End Addiction Long Term Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative. 

“There is strong rationale for evaluating buprenorphine as a treatment for methamphetamine and opioid co-use, and we are hopeful that the long-acting formulation of the medication will offer a viable recovery option for people living with this condition,” said Shoptaw, who participated in a previous New England Journal of Medicine study that showed a similar combination of medications — the injectable opioid antagonist naltrexone and the oral antidepressant bupropion — was effective in reducing methamphetamine use among adults with moderate to severe methamphetamine use disorder compared to placebo.

To be considered for the study, participants must be seeking treatment for methamphetamine use disorder and opioid co-use, be 18-65 in age, and be able to attend twice-weekly outpatient clinic visits. The trial evaluates patients with twice-weekly urine drug screens as well as self-reported frequency of methamphetamine and opioid co-use.

In addition to the UCLA Vine Street Clinic, participating institutions include: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, CODA, Alameda Health System Highland Hospital, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, and University of Washington Harborview Medical Center.

For more information this UCLA Vine Street Clinic-based study, call (323) 461-3106 or email [email protected]

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Research reported in this press release is supported by the Clinical Trials Network at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, under award UG1DA020024. Additional support was provided by the NIH HEAL Initiative. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

The Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative®, is an aggressive, trans-NIH effort to speed scientific solutions to stem the national opioid public health crisis. Launched in April 2018, the initiative is focused on improving prevention and treatment strategies for opioid misuse and addiction, and enhancing pain management. For more information, visit: https://heal.nih.gov

What: Researcher at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will discuss the study which involved a sleeping aid known as suvorexant that is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for insomnia, hints at the potential of sleep medications to slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

When: April 21st, 2PM EST

Where: Live Events Zoom Room (link will be given once you register)

Who: Dr. Brendan P. Lucey, MD -Associate Professor of Neurology, Section Head, Sleep Medicine

Researcher’s info:

Brendan Lucey is associate professor of neurology and Sleep Medicine Section head. Born and raised in Burlington, Vermont, he received his undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont and his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Following medical school, Lucey completed his neurology residency at Washington University and a clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. From 2008-2012, Lucey was on active duty in the U.S. Air Force and then joined the Department of Neurology at Washington University.

Lucey’s current research interests are in sleep, aging and Alzheimer’s disease. His lab focuses on studying the potential of sleep interventions to prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Using lumbar catheters, he investigates how sleep affects different markers of Alzheimer’s disease changes in the brain such as amyloid-beta and tau. Lucey is also interested in whether or not sleep changes may be non-invasive markers for Alzheimer’s disease progression.

Media Register to Attend Here

Newswise — U.S. middle and high schools with the most students taking prescription stimulants to treat ADHD also had, overall, the highest percentage of students who misused prescription stimulants within the past year.

The University of Michigan-led study highlights a significant association between ADHD stimulant therapy in schools and prescription stimulant misuse, said Sean Esteban McCabe, U-M professor of nursing and principal investigator on the study. 

At some schools, 25% or more of kids reported misusing prescription stimulants in the past year—meaning they used the medication without a doctor’s orders or nonmedically, e.g., for recreation or to stay awake. 

Key takeaway: Wide variation in stimulant misuse among schools

This is the first large study to examine the prevalence of prescription stimulant misuse and correlating factors in U.S middle and high schools, McCabe said. Stimulant misuse among schools ranged from 0% to 25%, with some outliers that were higher. Other findings include:

• Students in schools with the highest rates of stimulant therapy for ADHD had a 36% higher risk of misusing prescription stimulants
• In schools with 12% or more students treated with prescription stimulants for ADHD, 8% of students reported misusing prescription stimulants 
• In schools with 6% or fewer students taking prescription stimulants for ADHD, 0-4% reported misusing prescription stimulants. 
• Other characteristics of schools with higher misuse: higher proportion of highly educated parents; located in non-Northeastern regions and suburbs; more white students; medium levels of binge drinking; and schools surveyed from 2015-2020

“I can tell you that a student’s experience will be different at a school with no peers who misuse stimulants versus a school where 1 in 4 peers misuse stimulants,” said McCabe, director of the U-M Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health. 

McCabe said the wide variation in misuse means individual schools should assess their own students for substance misuse behaviors rather than rely on existing data collected elsewhere. 

Stimulant therapy is highly effective; risk for misuse can be reduced 

Stimulant therapy for ADHD has increased in the last two decades. Prescription stimulants are one of  the most widely shared prescription drugs among teens, and the most misused prescription drug among teens. 

“Prescription stimulant therapy for ADHD does help millions of people, including in my own family, and students, friends and colleagues,” McCabe said. “It’s critical to balance the need for access to these medications while reducing the risk for misuse. This is more important than ever with the increases in prescribing.” 

Medication-sharing among teens is a big reason kids who aren’t on stimulant therapy have access to prescription stimulants, but it’s not the only factor, McCabe said. Some schools in the study with little or no stimulant therapy still had misuse. Parents can take steps to prevent medication sharing: 

• In middle school, start talking to kids about managing their medications
• Role play so kids know how to respond if asked to share medications 
• Always store controlled substances in a lockbox and monitor pill counts 
• Make sure schools have safe storage and dispensing policies, and ask about prevalence of misuse
• Contact prescriber immediately if you detect misuse

Other recent U-M studies show associations between stimulant therapy and misuse 

One paper found that students who had used both stimulant and nonstimulant medications for ADHD were more likely to misuse prescription stimulants, or to use cocaine or methamphetamine, in the past year, compared to students who reported never using stimulant or non-stimulant therapy. 

Another paper found that kids diagnosed early with ADHD, who started stimulant therapy early and were treated longer, had lower odds of later stimulant misuse compared to those who started therapy later and for a shorter duration. 

These two studies and the current study used data collected between 2005 and 2020 by Monitoring the Future, a large survey of trends in legal and illicit drug use among American students in 8th, 10th and 12th grades. Not all studies used the same data sets.

The findings, appearing in JAMA Network Open, were supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Study (available when embargo lifts): Prescription stimulant medical and nonmedical use among US secondary school students (DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.20238707)