Recently, much attention has been paid to the prevention and treatment of drug addiction, which are associated with the use of various substances (opioids, cannobioids, hallucinogens, etc.) causing pathological addiction and having a toxic effect on the brain. One of the pathogenic factors is a violation of the acid-base balance in the nervous tissue. Therefore, we can assume that the SCP analysis will be informative for assessing the severity of the disease.
Cerebral energy metabolism in drug addiction
Under the influence of narcotic substances, brain activity varies significantly. FE Pontieri et al. (1997) showed that the initial use of heroin, a narcotic substance derived from morphine, causes depression of the cerebral energy metabolism. With prolonged use of heroin in sensitive rats there is an activation of metabolism in the basal ganglia.
Addicts who used heroin develop spongiform leukoencephalopathy with a predominant accumulation of lactate in the white matter. In such patients, mitochondrial dysfunction often occurs. SPECT studies have shown that cerebral blood flow and lactate levels are more or less affected by 80% of drug addicts (JD Christensen et al., 1996; AR Kriegstein, 1999). The transition to anaerobic oxidation is associated with insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain. SN Andersen; K. Skullerud (1999) found in patients who used heroin, brain damage, especially the basal ganglia, by type of ischemia. Therefore, it is clear that the intensity of energy metabolism in drug addicts differs significantly from the norm, and this may be accompanied by changes in the brain’s UPP.
Fifteen drug addicts of both sexes aged 17 to 29 years old (average age 23.8 + 2.3 years old), who used heroin for several years, were examined. Studies were conducted by us in conjunction with I.I. Razygraevym and V.I. Klopov.
It can be seen from the fact that the SCP in all monopolar leads, as well as the averaged SCP in patients 2 to 3 times higher than in the control group. Violations occurred in the majority of drug addicts, while the increase in the average SCP in about half of the subjects exceeded the norm by more than two standard deviations. Analysis of abnormalities in individual patients showed that local potentials in the central region in many cases also significantly exceeded the norm. At the same time, local potentials in the left temporal region were often reduced in comparison with healthy subjects. In one third of the patients, the interhemispheric relationships were inverted.
Thus, with addictions, the most typical is the growth of SCP in all monopolar leads. These data indicate a significant violation of energy metabolism and the development of acidosis in the nervous tissue. One-third of patients experienced an inversion of interhemispheric relationships, characteristic of stress or brain damage.