The role of ascending catecholamine systems in the punishing and reinforcing properties of some opiates and stimulant drugs was investigated. In one series of experiments, the reinforcing properties were evaluated through the use of intravenous self-administration procedures while the punishing properties were evaluated through the conditioned taste aversion procedure. In one experiment fifteen rats were trained to press a lever to receive an intravenous injection of cocaine and after this behaviour had stabilized, each rat received bilateral intracerebral injections of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the n. accumbens. These lesions produced a marked disruption of cocaine self-administration which in most cases returned to baseline rates after 1-3 weeks. This recovery was found to be negatively correlated with the levels of dopamine (DA) remaining in the n. accumbens (r=-.81). The animals with the severest depletion of DA failed to show recovery of cocaine intake. This disruption of cocaine self-administration behaviour was shown not to be due to a non-specific effect on operant responding, because the same animals which failed to self-administer cocaine continued to self-administer apomorphine at pre-lesion rates. To evaluate whether noradrenergic (NA) mechanisms serve a critical role in cocaine self-administration, four rats received two bilateral injections of 6-OHDA aimed at the dorsal and ventral NA bundles. Despite causing near total depletion of forebrain NA, these lesions did not significantly affect the rate or pattern of cocaine self-administration. These data do not support the hypothesis that forebrain NA mechanisms subserve stimulant-based reinforcement, and the evidence in favor of such a view is discussed. In a separate series of experiments, it was observed that depletion of central DA and NA by intraventricular injections of 6-OHDA severely attenuated a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) induced by amphetamine. This attenuation was not the result of a general learning deficit because animals with identical treatments acquired a CTA when LiCl was used as the punishing stimulus. Selective depletion of hippocampal and cortical NA through intracerebral infusions of 6-OHDA, which spare DA systems, has no effect on an amphetamine-induced CTA. It is, therefore, argued that central DA, rather than NA, mechanisms are involved in the punishing property of amphetamine. The possibility that both the punishing and reinforcing effects of psychomotor stimulants may be mediated by the same systems in the brain is discussed. Depletion of forebrain NA was found to attenuate the CTA induced by 10 mg/kg morphine. This effect suggested some intriguing possibilities regarding NA and the reinforcing and punishing properties of opiates. Self-administration of heroin was not affected, however, by depletion of forebrain NA following 6-OHDA lesions, suggesting that forebrain NA does not play a critical role in opiate reinforcement. The DA receptor blocker, pimozide, was found to produce an apparent blockade of cocaine reinforcement, but pimozide had no effect on heroin self-administration. It therefore appears DA mechanisms are not critical to heroin reinforcement, and that there are multiple systems in the brain which can subserve drug reward. / Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies / Graduate

Afrikaans: Substansafhanklikheid is 'n universele verskynsel wat nie diskrimineer tussen ouderdom, geslag, status en beroep nie. Substansafhanklikheid ontsien geen beroepsgroep nie en ook nie die mediese beroep, met spesifieke verwysing na geneeshere nie. In Suid-Afrika is daar nog geen navorsing oor die substansafhanklike geneesheer gedoen nie. Internasionale navorsing oor substansafhanklikheid onder geneeshere is egter beskikbaar. 'n Behoefte aan beter begrip en kennis van die substansafhanklike geneesheer is 'n onderwerp wat aandag behoort te geniet met die oog op meer effektiewe dienslewering aan die teikengroep. Uit die literatuur blyk duidelik dat die substansafhanklike geneesheer unieke problematiek ervaar wat verband hou met sy beroep. Die doelstelling van hierdie navorsing was om die profiel van die substansafhanklike geneesheer saam te stel met die oog op die formulering van behandelings- en voorkomingsriglyne vanuit 'n maatskaplikewerkperspektief. In hierdie ondersoek is nie 'n hipotese geformuleer nie aangesien 'n verkennende ondersoek van 'n relatief onbekende terrein onderneem is. 'n Navorsingsvraag is wel gestel wat rigtinggewend vir die navorsing was. Hierdie ondersoek bestaan uit 'n Iiteratuurstudie en 'n empiriese ondersoek. Die doelwitte vir die ondersoek was om deur middel van 'n literatuurstudie inligting in te samel oor substansafhanklikheid as verskynsel by geneeshere, die profiel, psigososiale implikasies en belewenis van die substansafhanklike geneesheer en ook behandelings- en voorkomingsriglyne. 'n Verder doelwit was om deur middel van empiriese navorsing die profiel van die substansafhanklike geneesheer saam te stel, asook die psigososiale implikasies van substansafhanklikheid by die substansafhanklike geneesheer te ondersoek. Aan die hand van die ingesamelde data is aanbevelings vir behandeling en voorkoming geformuleer. Die literatuurstudie sluit in die etiologie en ontwikkeling van substansafhanklikheid, die omvang en wetgewing betreffende substansafhanklikheid en die substansafhanklike geneesheer. Ten slotte word die dinamika van die substansafhanklike geneesheer, behandelingsfasiliteite, behandelingsbenaderings en die behandelingsproses vir die substansafhanklike geneesheer bespreek. Die Iiteratuurstudie het as raamwerk gedien waarbinne die empiriese ondersoek gedoen is. In die empiriese ondersoek is 'n gekombineerde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe benadering gevolg, naamlik die dominante-minder-dominanteontwerp van Creswell. In die ondersoek is van toegepaste navorsing gebruik gemaak, wat fokus op die verkryging van nuwe kennis en spreek onmiddellike problematiek aan wat in die praktyk ondervind word. In die ondersoek is daar verder van die verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak. Die navorsingsprosedure wat ten opsigte van die kwantitatiewe benadering gevolg is, is die opnameprosedure wat die administrering van vraelyste as data insamelingsmetode behels het. Die navorsingsprosedure ten opsigte van die kwalitatiewe benadering was die voer van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met behulp van 'n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoudskedule. Die vertrouenswaardigheid van die kwalitatiewe deel van die navorsing is aan die hand van Guba se model geevalueer. Daar is by beide benaderings in die ondersoek gebruik gemaak van doelgerigte steekproefneming. Die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe bevindinge van die ondersoek was aanvullend tot mekaar en het wedersyds bevindinge bevestig. Vanuit die bevindinge wat verkry is, is die navorsingsdoelstelling en navorsingsvraag beantwoord en is sekere aanbevelings vir voorkoming- en behandeling van substansafhanklikheid by die substansafhanklike geneesheer geformuleer. Verdere navorsing ten opsigte die ontwikkeling van 'n behandelingsprogram spesifiek vir geneeshere word aanbeveel. English: Substance dependency is a common phenomenon. Substance dependency does not discriminate against age, sex, status or occupation. Substance dependency occurs regardless the occupation of a person, not even the medical profession and the medical doctor are excluded from substance dependency. Research in South Africa about the substance dependant doctor is unknown and unavailable. International research does exist about this specific subject. It is important to gain knowledge and understanding about the phenomenon of the substance dependant doctor to formulate specific guidelines for treatment and preventative services. The substance dependant doctor experiences unique problems regarding their specific occupation. The purpose of this research is the composition of the profile of the substance dependant doctor from a social work perspective. Specific recommendations could be drawn from the conclusions and be implemented in the treatment of and prevention of substance dependency among doctors. The nature of this research was to explore an unknown phenomenon, therefore no hypothesis was formulated. A research question was formulated which gave specific direction to the research. This research comprises two divisions, namely a literature study and an empirical research. The research goals included a literature study to gain information about the phenomenon of substance dependency among doctors, a profile, psychosocial implications, experiences of substance dependant doctors and treatment and preventative guidelines. The empirical research comprised the composition of the profile of the substance dependant doctor, and explored the psychosocial implications of substance dependency among doctors. Based on the profile of the substance dependant doctor that was compiled from the processed data, recommendations were made for the treatment and prevention of substance dependency among doctors. The literature study included the aetiology and development of substance dependency, the extent of and regulations regarding substance dependency and substance dependency among doctors. In conclusion the literature study includes the dynamics of the substance dependant doctor, treatment facility's, treatment perspectives and the treatment process of the substance dependant doctor. The empirical research was conducted within a framework of a literature study. The empirical research included a combination of a quantitative and qualitative approach, namely the dominant-less-dominant model of Creswell. The type of research that was used in this study is applied research, which aimed to utilise new knowledge and to address problems in everyday practice. The explorative and descriptive research designs were used. The procedures that were used regarding the quantitative approach of the research, was the survey procedure. Data gathering with reference to the quantitative approach was conducted by using questionnaires that were administered by the researcher. The procedures that were used regarding the qualitative approach were semi-structured face-to-face-interviews with the aid of a semi-structured interview schedule. The trustworthiness of the qualitative research was assessed according the model of Guba. Purposive sampling was used in both approaches. The quantitative and qualitative data were complementary and mutually confirmed the findings of the data. Based on the findings of the processed data the research goals and research question were answered. Recommendations were made for the treatment and prevention of substance dependence among doctors. Further research on development of a treatment program specifically for doctors is recommended. / Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

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Prevention scientists have called for more research on the factors affecting the implementation of substance use prevention programs. Given the lack of literature in this area, coupled with evidence that children as early as elementary school engage in substance use, the purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence the implementation of substance use prevention programs in elementary schools. This study involved a mixed methods approach comprised of a survey and in-person interviews. Sixty-five guidance counselors and teachers completed the survey, and 9 guidance counselors who completed the survey were interviewed individually. Correlation analyses and hierarchical multiple regression were conducted. Quantitative findings revealed ease of implementation most frequently influenced program implementation, followed by beliefs about the program’s effectiveness. Qualitative findings showed curriculum modification as an important theme, as well as difficulty of program implementation. The in-person interviews also shed light on three interrelated themes influencing program implementation – The Wheel, time, and scheduling. Results indicate the majority of program providers modified the curriculum in some way. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed, and areas for future research are suggested.

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The purpose of this study is to examine more closely those program components which facilitate dissonance, disharmony, and ambiguity among the keygroups of a residential substance abuse treatment program.

This project assesses the feasibility of establishing a substance abuse treatment program that provides services to women and their children in the Morongo Basin area of the California Desert.

This project explores the perceptions of fourth and fifth grade students who participated in a substance abuse prevention program. Risk and protective factors are presented to assist the reader in understanding this project.

This study examined the impact and extent to which drugs and alcohol, consumed by mothers prenatally and perinatally, has affected their capacity to attach to their children. It examined the role the dependent variables measured (i.e. drug(s)/substance(s) abused, demographic information) played in the attachment process. Data was collected from mothers currently participating in the perinatal substance abuse treatment at the San Bernardino County Rialto program.