Active clinical trials for "Heroin Dependence"

This five-year study examines the effectiveness of buprenorphine treatment provided to previously-addicted inmates(N=320; 160 males, 160 females) initiated in prison and continued in the community. The study also examines the extent to which the setting of post-release buprenorphine is provided.It is expected that participants receiving in-prison buprenorphine will have superior outcomes compared to participants who did not receive in-prison buprenorphine.

The proposed study will evaluate the tolerability, acceptability and potential efficacy of minocycline for the treatment of co-occurring opioid and amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) dependence. In the proposed clinical trial, all patients will first discontinue illicit opioid and ATS and be inducted onto buprenorphine maintenance treatment (BMT) in the inpatient ward at the department of psychiatry before beginning to receive minocycline. Tolerability and acceptability will be evaluated by assessing the rates of patient retention during treatment, patient satisfaction with treatment and adverse effects during treatment. The potential efficacy of minocycline will be evaluated with regard to the primary outcome measure: reductions in ATS use , based on urine toxicology testing and self-report. Secondary outcome measures include retention, reduction in HIV risk behaviors and improvements in functional status.

Heroin addiction is a serious problem and the relapse rate of existing treatment methods is extremely high. Recently, international journals such as Science reported that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can reduce the craving of addicts, alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms, and is expected to become an effective treatment. Our preliminary experiment using rTMS to stimulate the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of heroin addicts also showed similar effects, however, the mechanism is unclear. Previously, the investigators found that the functional connectivity between left executive control network and default mode network was negatively correlated relapse behavior, while the functional connectivity between salience network and default mode network was positively correlated with relapse behavior. Studies have shown that dopamine dysfunction in addicts and brain metabolism is the biological basis of network connectivity. It suggests that elucidating the relationship between the characteristics of large brain network connectivity and the level of dopamine receptor and relapse behavior in addicts is hopeful to further understand the neurological mechanism of rTMS treatment for addiction. In this project, the investigators intend to observe the changes of brain network connectivity, glucose metabolism and dopamine D2 receptor before and after rTMS treatment in addicts from the perspective of large brain network by combining PET/MRI with psychobehavioral approach. The relationship between rTMS and relapse behavior will be deeply analyzed to provide scientific basis for the development of effective treatment programs.

The study is examining the impact of a Virtual Reality Cue Exposure Therapy intervention on heroin cravings compared to Relapse Prevention Drug Education.

The purpose of this study is to explore barriers and determine whether optimizing protocol is effective in the treatment of heroin dependence in community-based MMT clinics.

A case-controlled study is conducted to investigate the effect of adjuvant laser meridian massage in heroin addicts with methadone treatment and establish the model of laser meridian massage treatment for drug addiction.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate tolerability, acceptability and potential efficacy of 4 months of maintenance treatment with Mirtazapine as compared to placebo for patients with co-occurring amphetamine-type stimulant and opioid dependence (COATS) receiving buprenorphine maintenance treatment (BMT) in Kota Bharu.

The proposed study will evaluate the tolerability, acceptability and potential efficacy of paliparidone for the treatment of co-occurring opioid and amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) dependence. In the proposed clinical trial, all patients will first discontinue illicit opioid and ATS and be inducted onto buprenorphine maintenance treatment (BMT) in the inpatient ward at the department of psychiatry before beginning to receive paliparidone. Tolerability and acceptability will be evaluated by assessing the rates of patient retention during treatment, patient satisfaction with treatment and adverse effects during treatment. The potential efficacy of paliparidone will be evaluated with regard to the primary outcome measure: reductions in illicit ATS use, based on urine toxicology testing and self-report. Secondary outcome measures include treatment retention, reduction in HIV risk behaviors and improvements in functional status.

The objective of this study is to determine whether aprepitant blocks the opiate reward system in non-dependent opiate abusers, indicating its potential as a safe, non-addictive first line therapy for early heroin abuse.

The planned research will adapt an intervention of known efficacy to target a new outcome of significant importance to public health. Specifically the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) procedures will be adapted, from reinforcing treatment entry, to reinforcing treatment retention and HIV risk behavior reduction in persons with opioid dependence who receive a Buprenorphine taper detoxification. The research plan includes three phases: 1) development of a manual guided therapy, 2) development of therapist training and fidelity measures and 3) a randomized pilot evaluation with 52 patients receiving either the new CRAFT treatment or treatment as usual.