Thesis--University of Wisconsin--Madison. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 381-399).

Freie Univ., Diss.--Berlin, 1991. / Literaturverz. S. 199 - 215.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 1999. Graduate Programme in Social Anthropology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 259-274). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NQ39295

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 237-252).

Thesis (MPH)--University of Queensland, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

No description available.

University of Macau / Faculty of Health Sciences

Ho Man Choi. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-215). / Abstracts and appendices in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.ii / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / 研究摘要 --- p.vi / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1.1. --- Heroin --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1. --- Manufacture --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2. --- Administration --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.3. --- Physical and Psychological Effects --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.4. --- Heroin Metabolism --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.5. --- Treatments for Heroin Dependence --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2. --- Opioids and Analgesia --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1. --- Pain Transmission --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2. --- Pain Modulation and Endogenous Opioid System --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.3. --- Clinical Application of Opiates in Pain Management --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2.4. --- Narcotics and Pain --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3. --- Biological Basis of Drug Addiction --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.1. --- Mesocorticolimbic Reward System --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.2. --- Molecular Neurobiology of Drug Addiction --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.2.1. --- "Cyclic Adenosine-3',5'-Monophosphate and Protein Kinase A" --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.2.2. --- Transcription Factors: cAMP-Response Element Binding Protein and Delta-Fos B --- p.18 / Chapter 1.3.2.3. --- Neurotrophic Factors --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4. --- Biological Basis of Relapse --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.1. --- Environmental Stimuli --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.2. --- Drug Re-exposure/Priming --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.3. --- Acute Stress Exposure --- p.27 / Chapter 1.5. --- Gene Polymorphisms and Opioid Dependence --- p.30 / Chapter 1.5.1. --- Opioidergic System --- p.31 / Chapter 1.5.2. --- Dopaminergic System --- p.36 / Chapter 1.5.3. --- Serotoninergic System --- p.41 / Chapter 1.5.4. --- Noradrenergic System --- p.43 / Chapter 1.5.5. --- GABAergic System --- p.44 / Chapter 1.6. --- Aim of Research --- p.45 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- METHODS OF STUDY / Chapter 2.1. --- Subject Recruitment and Demographic Data Collection --- p.49 / Chapter 2.1.1. --- Heroin-dependent Subjects --- p.49 / Chapter 2.1.1.1. --- Phenotype Assessment --- p.49 / Chapter 2.1.1.2. --- Socio-demographics Data and Substance Use History --- p.50 / Chapter 2.1.1.3. --- Addiction Severity Index (ASI) --- p.51 / Chapter 2.1.1.4. --- History of Detoxifications and Relapse --- p.51 / Chapter 2.1.2. --- Control Subjects --- p.51 / Chapter 2.2. --- Pain Response Assessment using Cold-Pressor Test (CPT) --- p.52 / Chapter 2.3. --- Personality Trait Assessment --- p.53 / Chapter 2.4. --- Genotype Analysis --- p.55 / Chapter 2.4.1. --- DNA Extraction --- p.55 / Chapter 2.4.2. --- Genotyping --- p.56 / Chapter 2.4.2.1. --- MORA118G --- p.56 / Chapter 2.4.2.2. --- DOR T921C --- p.56 / Chapter 2.4.2.3. --- COMTVal108/158Met --- p.57 / Chapter 2.4.2.4. --- Prodynorphin 68bp-VNTR --- p.58 / Chapter 2.4.2.5. --- DRD2 TaqI A --- p.59 / Chapter 2.4.2.6. --- DRD4 -521C/T --- p.59 / Chapter 2.4.2.7. --- 5HT1B G861C --- p.60 / Chapter 2.5. --- Saliva Collection and Salivary Cortisol Measurement --- p.61 / Chapter 2.6. --- Statistical Analysis --- p.62 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- RESULTS / Chapter 3.1. --- Demographics --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1.1. --- Age --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1.2. --- Ethnicity --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1.3. --- District of Residence and Type of Housing --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1.4. --- "Education, Employment and Income" --- p.68 / Chapter 3.1.5. --- ASI Scores --- p.71 / Chapter 3.1.5.1. --- Family/Social Relationship --- p.71 / Chapter 3.1.5.2. --- Employment and Support Status --- p.73 / Chapter 3.1.5.3. --- Medical Status --- p.73 / Chapter 3.1.5.4. --- Legal Status --- p.75 / Chapter 3.1.5.5. --- Psychiatric Status --- p.75 / Chapter 3.1.5.6. --- Drug Use Status --- p.76 / Chapter 3.1.5.7. --- Alcohol Use Status --- p.79 / Chapter 3.1.6. --- Tranquillizer Use Status --- p.79 / Chapter 3.1.7. --- Smoking Status --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1.8. --- Detoxification and Relapse --- p.83 / Chapter 3.2. --- Cold-Pressor Test (CPT) --- p.88 / Chapter 3.3. --- Personality Traits --- p.90 / Chapter 3.3.1. --- NEO PI-R --- p.90 / Chapter 3.3.2. --- BIS/BAS --- p.93 / Chapter 3.3.3. --- SSS-V --- p.93 / Chapter 3.4. --- Salivary Cortisol Levels --- p.93 / Chapter 3.5. --- Genotype and Allele Frequencies of Gene Polymorphisms --- p.96 / Chapter 3.5.1. --- MOR A118G Polymorphism --- p.96 / Chapter 3.5.2. --- DOR T921C Polymorphism --- p.96 / Chapter 3.5.3. --- COMT Val108/158Met Polymorphism --- p.99 / Chapter 3.5.4. --- Prodynorphin 68bp-VNTR --- p.99 / Chapter 3.5.5. --- DRD2 TαqI A Polymorphism --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5.6. --- DRD4 -521C/T Polymorphism --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5.7. --- 5HT1B G861C Polymorphism --- p.105 / Chapter 3.6. --- "Association of Gene Polymorphisms, Personality Traits and CPT" --- p.105 / Chapter 3.7. --- Association of Gene Polymorphisms and CPT --- p.108 / Chapter 3.7.1. --- COMT Val108/158Met Polymorphism --- p.108 / Chapter 3.7.2. --- DRD4 -521C/T Polymorphism --- p.108 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS / Chapter 4.1. --- Demographics and Potential Environmental Factors of Relapse --- p.111 / Chapter 4.1.1. --- Medical and Psychological Status --- p.114 / Chapter 4.1.2. --- Substance Use Status --- p.116 / Chapter 4.1.3. --- Detoxification and Relapse --- p.118 / Chapter 4.2. --- Cold-Pressor Test (CPT) --- p.121 / Chapter 4.3. --- Personality Traits --- p.123 / Chapter 4.4. --- Salivary Cortisol --- p.125 / Chapter 4.5. --- "Association of Gene Polymorphisms, Personality Traits and Cold-Pressor Test" --- p.127 / Chapter 4.5.1. --- MORA118G Polymorphism --- p.127 / Chapter 4.5.2. --- DOR T921C Polymorphism --- p.129 / Chapter 4.5.3. --- COMT Val108/158Met --- p.130 / Chapter 4.5.4. --- Prodynorphin (ProDYN) 68bp-VNTR --- p.133 / Chapter 4.5.5. --- DRD2 A Polymorphism --- p.134 / Chapter 4.5.6. --- DRD4 -521C/T Polymorphism --- p.138 / Chapter 4.5.7. --- 5HTlB G861C Polymorphism --- p.141 / Chapter 4.5.8. --- Personality Traits --- p.142 / Chapter 4.6. --- Limitations --- p.144 / Chapter 4.7. --- Potential Clinical Application --- p.145 / Chapter 4.8. --- Conclusion --- p.146 / APPENDIXES --- p.148 / APPENDIX 1 Addiction Severity Index (ASI) with Additional Questions for Heroin Users / APPENDIX 2 Detoxification and Relapse History Questionnaire / APPENDIX 3A Questionnaire for Control Subjects (Chinese version) / APPENDIX 3B Questionnaire for Control Subjects (English version) / APPENDIX 4A NEO PI-R (Chinese version) / APPENDIX 4B NEO PI-R (English version) / APPENDIX 5A BIS/BAS (Chinese version) / APPENDIX 5B BIS/BAS (English version) / APPENDIX 6A SSS- V (Chinese version) / APPENDIX 6B SSS- V (English version) / REFERENCES --- p.178

Heroin abuse is devastating to both the individual abusers and society. Owing to its ability to elicit rapid feelings of euphoria and transcendent relaxation, coupled with adverse withdrawal effects, it is one of the most addictive illicit drugs of abuse. The severe and persistent socio-economic detriment caused by heroin abuse signifies an urgent need for understanding how this substance affects abusers. Currently, scientific research into the biopsychosocial functioning of heroin abusers is limited. This thesis presents a series of three studies that sought to contribute to our understanding of how biopsychosocial functioning may be influenced by the abuse of heroin. This thesis contains three studies that drew on a large-scale data collection process, involving the collection of neurobiological, psychosocial, molecular, and neurocognitive measures in both abstinent heroin abusers and matched healthy controls. Study One aimed to identify the neurobiological deficits in relation to heroin abuse. It was revealed that heroin abuse was associated with widespread brain structural atrophy, and such atrophy was more profound with a more severe heroin abuse profile. Study Two aimed to identify the neurobiological substrates of the heroin abusers’ personality traits. It was revealed that the heroin abusers’ pathological sensation seeking trait was underpinned by structural integrity of the midbrain and the functional connectivity between the midbrain and the prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, the dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortices were connected in differential ways with the midbrain in relation to heroin abusers’ sensation seeking tendency. Finally, Study Three aimed to examine an untested hypothesis that the abuse of heroin accelerates the aging process. It was revealed that heroin abusers had a significantly low telomerase activity level, which reflected acceleration of cellular aging. Moreover, heroin use and telomerase activity interacted to impact on brain structures and functional networks that are closely linked with aging. These brain functional networks were found to correlate with behavioural performance in the respective cognitive domains, further supporting the behavioural relevance of these abnormal brain networks. Altogether, these findings have yielded a convergence of understanding of the detrimental effects of heroin use on its abusers. Theoretically, the current findings support the neurobiological models that assign the prefrontal cortex as the core neuropathology of drug addiction, and also recognize the importance of investigating into brain regions that have incidentally but frequently been found to be influenced by the abuse of heroin. Clinically, the current findings suggest new directions for the assessment, conceptualization and interventions for people affected by drug addiction. These implications pave the way for studies that seek to further understand and remediate the biopsychosocial sabotage caused by substance abuse. / published_or_final_version / Psychology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy