humulene and Psychoses--Alcoholic

A minority of alcohol abusers develop severe cerebral dysfunction in the form of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. There is also evidence to suggest that cerebral dysfunction, particularly impaired abstracting ability, occurs in that larger population of heavy drinkers who do not go on to develop the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. There is no consistent evidence that long-term marijuana, hallucinogen, or sedative use causes lasting neuropsychological disturbance. The deficits in abstract thinking reported by some LSD studies are similar to deficits others have reported among alcoholics. Since the LSD studies were not controlled for alcohol use, their interpretation is difficult. It appears that cerebrovascular accidents occur more frequently and at a younger age among amphetamine abusers. There is no reliable information about possible other long-term effects of stimulants on the brain per se (i.e., nonvascular complications). Abuse of intravenous narcotics has been associated with case reports of transverse myelitis and encephalitis. It is not known whether this pathology is a direct or hypersensitivity effect of narcotic drugs, of adulterants, or of infection.

Topics: Alcoholism; Amphetamines; Barbiturates; Brain Diseases; Cannabis; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Cocaine; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; Mescaline; Methylphenidate; Narcotics; Phenmetrazine; Psilocybin; Psychological Tests; Psychoses, Alcoholic; Substance-Related Disorders

The relationship between substance use and psychotic disorder has been complex. Alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines, hallucinogens, and phencyclidine have been implicated as a causative factor for psychotic disorders. It is important to differentiate substance induced psychotic disorders (SIPDs) from primary psychotic disorders as management of the two conditions is different. There is paucity of research in the area of SIPD particularly from Asia. The present study was a retrospective study and it determines retrospectively the incidence rate and clinical characteristics of the SIPDs over a period of 13 years. The incidence of SIPDs was found to be 1.4% and all the subjects were males. In the present study, only alcohol and cannabis were implicated as causative agents for SIPDs. The most common type of psychosis was schizophrenia like psychosis, being more common in the cannabis group. The other forms of psychosis included delusional type, hallucinatory type and affective psychosis. 20% of the subjects had a change in diagnosis to either schizophrenia or affective psychosis on follow-up. The present study showed that the presentation of SIPDs is similar to the primary psychotic disorder and this has management implication.

Topics: Adult; Cannabis; Humans; Incidence; Male; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychoses, Alcoholic; Psychoses, Substance-Induced; Retrospective Studies; Substance-Related Disorders; Time Factors; Young Adult

Topics: Amphetamine; Atropa belladonna; Barbiturates; Cannabis; Cocaine; Emergency Service, Hospital; Hallucinogens; Heroin; Hospitalization; Humans; Narcotic Antagonists; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Poisoning; Psychoses, Alcoholic; Psychoses, Substance-Induced; Substance-Related Disorders; Unconsciousness