THE WRATH OF KHAN

Unraveling isopods' culinary secrets and why it matters for ecosystems

THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM

 

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ISOPODS EAT SOIL CRUST

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CREDIT: MOSHE ZAGURI

New research on desert isopods' dietary preferences is the revelation of the complex factors influencing their food choices. By understanding how these animals meticulously regulate their nutrient intake and prefer biological soil crusts over plant litter, the study highlights the intricate dynamics of trophic interactions. Understanding the dietary preferences of desert isopods sheds light on the intricate interplay between organisms and their environment, informing ecosystem management and conservation strategies.

New study sheds light on the intricate nutritional and functional dynamics shaping the dietary choices of desert isopods (Hemilepistus reaumuri). The study, published in Ecology Letters unveils the multifaceted considerations that influence food selection among these fascinating creatures. The research was conducted under the guidance of Prof. Dror Hawlena from the Hebrew University by (then PhD. student) Dr. Moshe Zaguri at the Institute of Life Sciences at the Hebrew University and now from the Volcani Institute in collaboration with Prof. David Raubenheimer from the University of Sidney.

 Foods are complex mixtures of chemical compounds provided in various levels of digestibility that humans and animals ingest for nutritional support. Often, animals need to ingest several food types in order to fulfill their multidimensional nutritional needs and may suffer health consequences by not eating the needed nutrients in specific quantities and ratio. Understanding what considerations influence dietary choices is, thus, a very important but extremely challenging question to study. The authors’ addressed this challenge by focusing on the simple but mysterious diet of the desert isopods- an interesting species of pill-bug that eats dry leaves and large quantity of nutritionally poor biological soil crust (the upper lair of desert soils that harbor many microorganisms).

The researcher fed isopods with natural and artificial foods and found that when allowing a choice, isopods can tightly regulate their food consumption to meet a very specific ratio of proteins, sugars and calcium. Isopods received most of their proteins and sugars from dry leaves and eat soil crust to meet their very high calcium needs. The exoskeleton of isopods is made of calcium carbonates that they must consume in large quantities to grow. However, when isopods could supplement leaf litter with artificial sources of calcium, they successfully met their exact calcium needs, but suffered reduced growth. The authors used gamma-radiation to kill the microorganisms of the soil crust while maintaining its nutritional value and measured the isopods’ food assimilation efficiency and growth rate in comparison to isopods that ate untreated crust. The authors found that isopods eat the crust to incorporate live microorganisms to their digestive system. Those microbes assisted to improve digestion of the fibrous plant litter. The authors concluded that isopods eat foods that allow them to meet their nutritional needs by providing the nutrients but also by helping them to digest. These revolutionary findings may shed new light on how different animals and humans choose their diet by considering both the foods nutrients and the existence of digestive assisting agents. Humans do not eat soil crust but may think about the general insights of this interesting study during their next visit to the local grocery shop.

Animals optimize their fitness by assimilating specific quantities and ratios of macronutrients and mineral nutrients. To understand this phenomenon, the team conducted extensive field and laboratory experiments focusing on the dietary preferences of desert isopods. Contrary to expectations, wild isopods exhibited a preference for macronutrient-poor biological soil crust (BSC) over plant litter, consuming three times more of the former.

The research revealed that desert isopods rigorously regulate their intake of macronutrients and calcium, with phosphorus intake remaining unaffected. Moreover, the team observed that despite equivalent calcium ingestion, isopods thrived better when consuming BSC compared to artificial foods. Notably, isopods consuming gamma-radiation-sterilized BSC exhibited increased consumption but slower growth rates compared to those consuming live BSC, suggesting the crucial role of ingested microorganisms in facilitating litter digestion.

Dr. Moshe Zaguri, lead researcher of the study, commented, "Our findings underscore the complexity of dietary decision-making among desert isopods and highlight the importance of considering multifaceted factors in understanding trophic interactions."

Understanding the complex nutritional and functional considerations driving the dietary choices of desert isopods is crucial for advancing our knowledge of ecological dynamics. This research sheds light on how these animals optimize their fitness by regulating nutrient intake and preferring specific food sources. By uncovering the role of ingested microorganisms in facilitating digestion and growth, the study emphasizes the interconnectedness of organisms and their environment. Moreover, it highlights the broader implications for ecosystem management and conservation efforts, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary approaches in ecological research to address the multifaceted factors influencing trophic interactions and ecosystem functioning.

 

Isopod siblings start the day by cleaning the burrow before foraging

CREDIT

Moshe Zaguri

JOURNAL

Ecology Letters

DOI

10.5061/dryad.tdz08kq57 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

“Dust you shall eat”: the complex nutritional and functional considerations underlying a simple diet

 

Insect research is revolutionized by technology

New technologies can revolutionise insect research and environmental monitoring. By using DNA, images, sounds and flight patterns analysed by AI, it's possible to gain new insights into the world of insects

AARHUS UNIVERSITY

 

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AN AUTONOMOUS INSECT CAMERA TRAP IN COSTA RICA.

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CREDIT: JENNA LAWSON

Recent fears of major declines among insects have sent researchers scrambling for data on how they are actually doing.

“So far, such data are only available for a few insect groups and for selected regions. To improve on the status quo, we need urgent assessments of all types of insects in all parts of the world”, says Roel van Klink, senior researcher at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and the lead editor of the special issue.

Given how numerous insects are, and how hard it is to tell them apart, obtaining complete information on insect trends has remained a tall order. Now technological breakthroughs are paving the way for global insect surveys.

Thanks to technological breakthroughs, we can now use all kinds of different properties of insects to track them. For instance, many insects make sounds, which are characteristic for their species. Using cheap devices spread across the environment, we may record these sounds and then assign them to the insects that produced them. As an alternative, we may attract insects to light then photograph them and identify the images. Using radar or even laser beams, we may sense insects remotely, and identify them based on their size and their wingbeats. Finally, we may extract DNA from insects – or from their traces in the environment, including water or air – and use the sequence of their genes to record and identify them. 

“These novel methods have enormous potential to close the vast data gaps we have for insects. They can give us new, more and better data at lower costs in part due to the semi- or fully autonomous data collection. Novel technologies also typically avoids killing insects,” says Toke Thomas Høye, Professor of Ecology at the Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark.

Most importantly, the new methods reduce our dependence on experts, since the people who can tell insects apart are few and overburdened with work. Rather than using their valuable expertise on each individual sample of insects, they can teach computers to do the routine work – then themselves focus on the tasks for which their expertise is truly needed. 

What adds to the need for automated processing of insect species is the fact that for most insects, there is no one who knows them. An estimated four out of five insect species are still unknown to science, and thus even lack names. To characterise them all will take over a thousand years if we continue by traditional methods.

“Now, computer-based methods and artificial intelligence can massively speed up the task of describing life on Earth. By teaching computers how to separate insects, we can make sense of billions of images, millions of sound recordings and trillions of DNA sequences” says Tomas Roslin, Professor of Insect Ecology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

“Together, these technical advances will revolutionise our knowledge about insects. They make surveys of all types of insects feasible. While they have so far been developed in isolation from each other, our special issue is the start of their integration. By combining them, we will gain unprecedented insights into insects across the world.” says Dr Silke Bauer from the Swiss Federal Research Institute (WSL). “However, to allow global insights and equality, we need to make sure that both the technologies themselves and the data generated become accessible to everyone.” 

These advances and principles are showcased in a new issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B [link to issue] – offering a comprehensive entry port for anyone interested in the insect world and how we may study it.

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JOURNAL

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences

DOI

10.1098/rstb.2023.0101 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

6-May-2024

COI STATEMENT

This theme issue was put together by the Guest Editor team under supervision from the journal's Editorial staff, following the Royal Society's ethical codes and best-practice guidelines. The Guest Editor team invited contributions and handled the review process. Individual Guest Editors were not involved in assessing papers where they had a personal, professional or financial conflict of interest with the authors or the research described. Independent reviewers assessed all papers. Invitation to contribute did not guarantee inclusion.

 

Human ‘neural compass’ pinpointed in new study

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

A pattern of brain activity that helps prevent us from getting lost has been identified in a new study, published in Nature Human Behaviour. 

Researchers at the University of Birmingham and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich have for the first time been able to pinpoint the location of an internal neural compass which the human brain uses to orientate itself in space and navigate through the environment.  

The research identifies finely tuned head direction signals within the brain. The results are comparable to neural codes identified in rodents and have implications for understanding diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimers, where navigation and orientation are often impaired.  

Measuring neural activity in humans while they are moving is challenging as most technologies available require participants to remain as still as possible. In this study, the researchers overcame this challenge by using mobile EEG devices and motion capture. 

First author Dr Benjamin J. Griffiths said: “Keeping track of the direction you are heading in is pretty important. Even small errors in estimating where you are and which direction you are heading in can be disastrous. We know that animals such as birds, rats and bats have neural circuitry that keeps them on track, but we know surprisingly little about how the human brain manages this out and about in the real world.” 

A group of 52 healthy participants took part in a series of motion-tracking experiments while their brain activity was recorded via scalp EEG. These enabled the researchers to monitor brain signals from the participants as they moved their heads to orientate themselves to cues on different computer monitors.  

In a separate study, the researchers monitored signals from 10 participants who were already undergoing intercranial electrode monitoring for conditions such as epilepsy. 

All the tasks prompted participants to move their heads, or sometimes just their eyes, and brain signals from these movements were recorded from EEG caps, which measure signals from the scalp, and the intracranial EEG (iEEG), which records data from the hippocampus and neighbouring regions. 

After accounting for ‘confounds’ in the EEG recordings from factors such as muscle movement or position of the participant within the environment, the researchers were able to show a finely tuned directional signal, which could be detected just before physical changes in head direction among participants.  

Dr Griffiths added: “Isolating these signals enables us to really focus on how the brain processes navigational information and how these signals work alongside other cues such as visual landmarks. Our approach has opened up new avenues for exploring these features, with implications for research into neurodegenerative diseases and even for improving navigational technologies in robotics and AI.” 

In future work, the researchers plan to apply their learning to investigate how the brain navigates through time, to find out if similar neuronal activity is responsible for memory. 

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JOURNAL

Nature Human Behaviour

DOI

10.1038/s41562-024-01872-1 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Electrophysiological signatures of veridical head direction in humans

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

6-May-2024

UC3M participates in European research project to reduce aviation's environmental footprint

UNIVERSIDAD CARLOS III DE MADRID

The European Union's (EU) RefMap scientific project, in which the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is participating, proposes solutions to reduce aviation's environmental footprint. For example, they are already investigating the human response to drone noise and a system to predict the wind in urban areas in order to optimise the trajectories of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Can we imagine commercial aircraft that operate in an environmentally neutral way? Is it possible to design smaller electric aerial vehicles (drones) that share the sky with classic aircraft? Can we help airlines make more environmentally friendly choices, such as using optimal flight paths that minimise climate impact, air pollution and the use of sustainable aviation fuels? 

The answer to all these questions is yes, according to the researchers who are part of the RefMap project. In particular, their vision for sustainable aviation is embodied in tangible objectives and concrete proposals. In this three-year project, experts from the general aviation sector come together to marry the two worlds of air traffic management and unmanned aircraft systems traffic management, focusing their research primarily on future aviation business models.
 
The RefMap multidisciplinary consortium is made up of 11 partners, including universities, SMEs and experts from 8 European countries and its aim is to reduce the environmental impact of airline air travel and unmanned aerial systems by creating a digital service that optimises flight paths at both the individual level (micro scale) and the air transport system level (macro scale). 

Using environmental data (such as wind, noise, CO2 and other gas emissions), RefMap's analytical platform will help airlines, airports and regulators to make more environmentally friendly choices. This will lead to stricter, evidence-based environmental policy-making in the aviation sector and the development of new aviation business models in line with the EU Green Agenda.
 
The first results of the technical work

RefMap's UK partner, the University of Salford, has completed the first in a series of experiments aimed at understanding the human response to drone noise. The ultimate goal is to develop a model to predict the disturbance caused by drone noise and to help optimise their trajectory to reduce the impact on communities.

In addition, RefMap is now able to predict the wind around realistic urban areas, which can be used to explore and optimise UAV trajectories using a low-fidelity computational fluid dynamics model. The Delft University of Technology, together with AgentFly Technologies, have been working on it, and their teams are already planning the next experimental campaign in the Czech Republic to measure the noise emitted by a wide range of unmanned aerial vehicle operations.

In addition, RefMap's coordinator, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, has developed an emissions method, adapting existing ones for traditional fuels, to take into account sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in different mixing ratios. 

Within the framework of this project, a comprehensive and detailed analysis will be presented at UC3M that explores the feasibility and potential of using climate-friendly flight planning as an operational measure to mitigate the climate impact of the aviation sector. “The results obtained so far show that the effectiveness of climate-optimised route planning in mitigating climate impact is closely related to daily weather conditions, thus acting as a crucial indicator,” say the project's researchers, María Cerezo and Manuel Soler, from UC3M's Aerospace Engineering Department.

The RefMap project started on the 1st of February 2023 and is scheduled to end on the 31st of January 2026, coordinated by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. In addition to UC3M, the following institutions are part of the project: AgentFly Technologies s.r.o. (AFT), Delft University of Technology (TUD), DronePrep, Future Needs Management Consulting (FN), Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS), Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH), S&T, University of Birmingham, University Institute of Lisbon, and University of Salford. The project has received funding from the European Union's HORIZON Research and Innovation Programme and, more specifically, from CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency) of the European Commission, under grant agreement number 101096698.

More information: 

RefMap project website: https://www.refmap.eu
 

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METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

 

New study finds increase in exposures to synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols among young children, teens, and adults

Experts highlight need for increased awareness, safe storage and improved regulation

NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – A sharp rise in exposures to synthetic cannabis products among youth — some leading to hospitalization — highlights the need for increased education around the dangers of exposure and increased focus on safe storage and packaging, according to pediatricians and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center.

A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center examined trends in calls to poison centers across the country for exposures to different types of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC and THC-O acetate. These products are often referred to as “diet weed” or “hemp products,” which leads to a misperception that they are safer alternatives to the more regulated and more abundant delta-9 THC.

The study, published in Clinical Toxicology, found increases in the number of exposures in multiple age groups, with unintentional ingestions by young children being especially concerning.

“Many people don’t realize how toxic these products can be, especially to young children. One in four children needed to be hospitalized after exposure,” said Hannah Hays, MD, co-author of the study, medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center and faculty of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s. “If someone vapes, smokes, eats edibles or drinks infused beverages with delta-8, delta-10 THC or THC-O, all of those products should be stored up, away, and out of sight and reach of children, preferably in a locked container. These products should never be used in front of kids who might mistake them for food or drinks that they are allowed to have.”

Data Highlights

According to the study:

• U.S. poison centers received 1,746 calls related to delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, and THC-O acetate exposures in 2021. This number increased by 88% to 3,276 in 2022 – an average of one call every 2.6 hours.
• Most cases were single-substance (94%), ingestions (94%) that occurred at a residence (96%) in 20-59-year-olds (40%), <6-year-olds (31%), and 6-19-year-olds (25%). The most common clinical effects were mild central nervous system depression (when signals from the brain and spinal cord decrease) (25%), rapid heartbeat (23%), and agitation (16%). Other clinical effects included moderate central nervous system depression (11%), confusion (7%), hallucinations/delusions (4%) and ataxia (uncoordinated movement) (3%).
• More than one-third (38%) of cases experienced a serious medical outcome and 16% were admitted to a health care facility. Children <6-years-old accounted for roughly half of those admissions (58% of critical care admissions and 49% of non-critical care admissions).

Safe Storage

Pediatricians and other health care providers should continue to counsel patients and their families about the potential dangers of these products and the importance of safe storage practices, experts recommend:

• Talk to children about cannabis-related products. Have age-appropriate conversations with children about cannabis-related products, explaining what these products are and why they can be dangerous.
• If these products are in the home, store them safely. The best way to keep children safe from cannabis-related products is to keep them out of the home. If these products are kept in the home, store them in a safe place away from your children – stored up and out of sight, away from food, and locked if possible.
• Don’t use these products in front of children. It is helpful to never use these products in front of your children, especially if packaged to look like treats.
• Talk to friends, family, and other caregivers. Talk with caregivers around your child about cannabis-related products and how to keep these products away from your children. Save the national Poison Help Line number (1-800-222-1222) in your phone and post it in a visible place in your home. The Poison Help Line provides free, confidential advice from experts, 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Safe packaging

Study investigators also highlight inconsistent regulations of these products from state to state. Because the United States Food and Drug Administration currently does not regulate manufacturing of these products, contaminants such as heavy metals, solvents or pesticides may be found in them and may not be listed on product packaging. In addition, in many states, these products may not have the packaging or labeling requirements that delta-9 THC products have.

While at least 14 states have banned or regulated the sale of these products, they are still available to the public online and in locations like gas stations and small convenience stores. In many places, there may be little to no regulation, with retailers often setting their own minimum purchasing age.

“The current patchwork of state regulations has led to an environment that allows for easily available products that may have unlisted contaminants, inaccurate labels and packaging that can be appealing to children” said Christopher Gaw, MD, co-author of the study, pediatric emergency medicine physician and faculty member of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s. “We need clearer regulation of these products with better oversight and enforcement.”

Data for this study were obtained from the National Poison Data System (NPDS), which is maintained by America’s Poison Centers, formerly the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). Poison centers receive phone calls through the national Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222) and document information about the product, route of exposure, individual exposed, exposure scenario, and other data, which are reported to the NPDS.

The Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital works globally to reduce injury-related pediatric death and disabilities. With innovative research at its core, CIRP works to continually improve the scientific understanding of the epidemiology, biomechanics, prevention, acute treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries. CIRP serves as a pioneer by translating cutting edge injury research into education, policy, and advances in clinical care. For related injury prevention materials or to learn more about CIRP, visit www.injurycenter.org. Follow CIRP on X @CIRPatNCH.

The Central Ohio Poison Center (COPC) provides state-of-the-art poison prevention, assessment and treatment to residents in 64 of Ohio’s 88 counties. The center’s services are available to the public, medical professionals, industry, and human service agencies. COPC handles more than 42,000 poison exposure calls annually, and confidential, free emergency poisoning treatment advice is available 24/7. To learn more about COPC, visit www.bepoisonsmart.org. Follow COPC on X @OHPoisonControl and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CentralOhioPoisonCenter.

About The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child.  Integrated clinical and research programs are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s faculty train the next generation of pediatricians, scientists and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities in the U.S., supporting basic, clinical, translational, behavioral and population health research. The AWRI is comprised of multidisciplinary Centers of Emphasis paired with advanced infrastructure supporting capabilities such as technology commercialization for discoveries; gene- and cell-based therapies; and genome sequencing and analysis. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org/Research.

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JOURNAL

Clinical Toxicology

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, delta-10 tetrahydrocannabinol, and tetrahydrocannabinol-O acetate exposures reported to America’s Poison Centers

Study highlights key predictors of adolescent substance use; special issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry focuses on substance use disorders

AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION

 

NEW YORK, May 6, 2024 – New research, published online today in the American Journal of Psychiatry, examined a broad range of potential predictors of substance use among adolescents and found sociodemographic variables were the most robust predictors of substance use initiation.

The study is part of a special issue of the journal highlighting advances in understanding the neurobiology and sociodemographic underpinnings of substance use disorders and how this understanding has advanced recognition and treatment. Several authors discussed this work today at a special briefing during the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

The study of substance use initiation predictors was led by ReJoyce Green, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Green and colleagues examined a multitude of factors using sociodemographic, hormonal, neurocognitive, and neuroimaging data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. They looked at data on 420 variables for more than 6,800 youths (ages 9-10), following them over three years. The analysis used a statistical approach that accounts for the complexity of the data (a penalized logistic regression with elastic net).

By age 12, approximately 14.4% of the youths had initiated substance use and the most commonly reported substances were alcohol, cannabis and nicotine, similar to previous research findings. Among the sociodemographic factors predicting substance use initiation were religion, race and income. Religion was a strong protective factor for Mormon youths, while Jewish youths were more likely than those from other religions to initiate substance use. Black youths were less likely to initiate substance use than white youths, and those from a lower-income background were more likely than others to initiate substance use. Prenatal exposure to substance use was among the top predictors, with prenatal exposure associated with a greater likelihood of initiation. In addition, youth with a history of school detention and suspension were more likely than others to initiate substance use. Several modifiable risk factors also predicted greater likelihood of substance use initiation, including substance availability, peer use of alcohol and nicotine, and sensation seeking (need for varied, novel, and complex sensations and experiences).

The findings suggest that for this age group, resource-intensive data-collection methods (such as collecting hormonal, neurocognitive, and neuroimaging data) do not improve the ability to predict substance use beyond using data obtainable through self-report. Data related to self-, peer-, and familial-related factors was more informative than resource-intensive methods in predicting substance use initiation during late childhood and early adolescence. Children and teens who begin substance use early are at greater risk of developing a substance use disorder and psychosocial problems in adulthood, and results of this study provide data that can be useful in streamlining and tailoring prevention and early intervention efforts. 

Other papers from the special issues featured at the APA Annual Meeting include commentaries highlighting cannabis risks and reflecting on 50 years of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The full issue, guest edited by Kathleen T. Brady, M.D., Ph.D., is available online.

Cannabis Use Among Adolescents

A commentary from Jesse D. Hinckley, M.D., Ph.D., Jacqueline-Marie N. Ferland, Ph.D., and Yasmin L. Hurd, Ph.D., examines the changing cannabis use landscape for adolescents, focusing on the increased risks for developing cannabis use disorder and other psychiatric illnesses due to the higher potency and availability of cannabis. They highlight the current research and understanding, such as the key risk factors for cannabis use disorders: early use and frequent use. Adolescents who start using cannabis before age 16 years are at the highest risk of developing the disorder.

“The plasticity of the developing brain offers windows of opportunity for prevention and early intervention to change that trajectory,” the authors write. “Clearly new treatment strategies are needed to address the mounting challenge of [cannabis use disorder] risk in teens and young adults.”

50 Years of the National Institute of Drug Abuse

NIDA Director Nora Volkow, M.D., highlights the agency’s contributions to scientific advancements in the field over the past 50 years. These include the innovation of powerful research tools that have allowed researchers to better understand and investigate the circuitry underpinning drug reward and addiction, the development and testing of evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies, the development of new treatments and products to address the overdose crisis, and more.  

“A half-century of NIDA research has shown clearly that SUDs are chronic but treatable brain disorders that emerge from the complex interplay of biological, social, and developmental factors,” writes Volkow. “The continued losses from overdoses are forefront in our minds as we vigilantly seek novel scientific and policy solutions to end the current crisis and support people’s recovery from addictive disorders that we know — because the science shows it — is achievable.”

The special issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry coincided with APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A.’s theme for the year and the meeting: Confronting Addiction: From Prevention to Recovery.

American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 38,900 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit www.psychiatry.org.

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JOURNAL

American Journal of Psychiatry

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

6-May-2024

Parents’ watchful eye may keep young teens from trying alcohol, drugs: Study

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JOURNAL OF STUDIES ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

 

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"NO USE OF SUBSTANCES" SIGN

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CREDIT: JOURNAL OF STUDIES ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

PISCATAWAY, NJ – Teenagers are less likely to drink, smoke or use drugs when their parents keep tabs on their activities--but not necessarily because kids are more likely to be punished for substance use, suggests a new study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Researchers found that, contrary to common belief, parents’ “monitoring” does not seem to boost the odds of catching their kids using substances. However, when kids simply are aware that their parents are monitoring behavior, they avoid trying alcohol or drugs in the first place. 

It is the fear of being caught, rather than actually being punished.

Many studies have found that adolescents are less likely to use substances when they have parents who monitor--meaning that parents are aware of their kids’ activities, know their friends and know their whereabouts when they are not at home.

The assumption has been that monitoring works because parents are more likely to catch substance use and make sure there are consequences--grounding their kids or taking away their smartphones, for example, said William Pelham, the lead researcher on the new study. That, in turn, might keep kids from making the same mistake twice.

But it appears that assumption is wrong, said Pelham, an assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego.

Instead, he explained, the new findings suggest that monitoring teenagers can reduce their chances of using alcohol or drugs simply by making them think twice, whether or not parents succeed in catching them.

The results are based on survey responses from over 4,500 11- to 15-year-olds from 21 communities across the United States. Participants were asked about their substance use in the past month, including whether their parents found out about it. They also completed a standard questionnaire on parental monitoring (how often their parents knew their whereabouts or asked about their plans for the day, for instance).

Overall, 3.6% of kids said they had used alcohol or drugs in the past month, and there was no evidence that parents’ monitoring increased their likelihood of finding out about those instances.

In contrast, some kids said there were times in the past month that they planned or had the chance to drink or use drugs, but they chose not to out of fear that their parents would find out. If not for those second thoughts, Pelham’s team found, substance use would have been 40% higher in the study group as a whole.

Understanding why monitoring works is important, Pelham said, in order to give parents more specific advice on how to do it. These findings suggest that it might not be necessary to catch kids in the act of substance use: If they know their parents are keeping track of them, that might be enough.

However, that may not always apply, Pelham pointed out. This study focused on younger adolescents who were not heavy substance users, he said. When kids have more serious substance use issues, negative consequences might become a more important tool.

More broadly, the findings underscore the point that parents’ actions matter when it comes to kids’ substance use.

“Some parents think drinking or using drugs is something that kids are just going to do, no matter what,” Pelham said. “But that’s not true. Parents can make a difference.”
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Pelham III, W. E., Tapert, S. F., Gonzalez, M. R., Ahiarakwe, U., Patel, H., Davis, I. S., Meruelo, A., van Rinsveld, A. M., Marshall, A. T., Dick, A. S., Guillaume, M., Dowling, G. J., Baskin-Sommers, A., & Brown, S. A. (2024). How does parental monitoring reduce adolescent substance use? Preliminary tests of two potential mechanisms. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 85(3), 389–394. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.23-00297
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To arrange an interview with William E. Pelham III, please contact Annie Pierce, Senior Communications and Media Relations Manager, at arpierce@health.ucsd.edu or 858-249-0423.
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The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs considers this press release to be in the public domain. Editors may publish this press release in print or electronic form without legal restriction. Please include a byline and citation.
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JOURNAL

Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

DOI

10.15288/jsad.23-00297 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

How does parental monitoring reduce adolescent substance use? Preliminary tests of two potential mechanisms

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

7-May-2024

Clinical trial shows that cytisinicline can help people quit vaping

MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL

BOSTON–Eleven million U.S. adults use e-cigarettes to vape nicotine, and about half of them say that they want to stop, but many have trouble doing so because nicotine is an addictive drug.

A plant-based medication called cytisinicline may be an effective therapy to help them stop vaping, according to the results of a new clinical trial co-led by an investigator from Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. The trial’s findings are published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

In the double-blind randomized clinical trial, 160 adults who vaped nicotine but did not currently smoke cigarettes were assigned to take either oral cytisinicline or placebo tablets for 12 weeks. All participants had weekly behavioral support to stop vaping.

At the end of treatment, participants receiving cytisinicline were more than twice as likely as those receiving placebo to have successfully abstained from vaping for weeks 9 to 12 (31.8% vs 15.1%, p=.04). The drug was well tolerated, with comparable rates of side effects between the groups. The study was conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and 4 other sites.

 “No medication has been approved by the FDA for vaping cessation in the United States,” said lead author Nancy A. Rigotti, MD, director of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Tobacco Research and Treatment Center and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Our study indicates that cytisinicline might be an option to fill this gap and help adult vapers to stop using e-cigarettes.”

The team tested cytisinicline for vaping because the drug binds to nicotine receptors on brain cells. In their previous clinical trial, the research team found that cytisinicline helped people to quit smoking traditional cigarettes.  They hypothesized that it might also help people to stop vaping nicotine. “The results of our study need to be confirmed in a larger trial with longer follow-up,” said Rigotti, “but they are promising.”
 

Authorship: Nancy A. Rigotti, MD; Neal L. Benowitz, MD; Judith J. Prochaska, PhD, MPH; Daniel F. Cain, BSc; Juli Ball, MS; Anthony Clarke, PhD; Brent A. Blumenstein, PhD; and Cindy Jacobs, PhD, MD.

Disclosures: Dr. Rigotti has consulted with Achieve Life Sciences and MGH has received research grants for clinical trials of cytisinicline for smoking cessation. Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at JAMA Internal Medicine.

Funding: The trial was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse and by Achieve Life Sciences, a pharmaceutical company that is developing cytisinicline as a treatment for nicotine dependence.

Paper cited: Rigotti NA et al. “Cytisinicline for Vaping Cessation in Adults Using Nicotine E-Cigarettes—The ORCA-V1 Randomized Clinical Trial.” JAMA Internal Medicine
DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.1313 

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About Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The Mass General Research Institute conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the nation, with annual research operations of more than $1 billion and comprises more than 9,500 researchers working across more than 30 institutes, centers and departments. MGH is a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system.

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JOURNAL

JAMA Internal Medicine

DOI

10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.1313 

ARTICLE TITLE

Clinical trial shows that cytisinicline can help people quit vaping

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

6-May-2024

Contract treatment reduces recidivism and substance-related adverse health events

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND

Substance use disorder treatment in the community is a superior alternative to incarceration for offenders with a substance misuse background, according to a recent study evaluating the effectiveness of the contract treatment sanction in Sweden.

Contract treatment refers to a criminal penalty in which the offender voluntarily consents to treatment in accordance with a specific implementation plan.

“Contract treatment is an alternative to incarceration. It is mainly used when the offence is deemed to have occurred as a result of substance misuse or some other condition requiring treatment,” says Suvi Virtanen, a University Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Eastern Finland.

A rehabilitation period is always planned based on individual needs. In addition to psychosocial treatment, it may include opioid substitution therapy.

In addition to Sweden, a sanction similar to contract treatment is in use in, e.g., Norway and many EU countries; however, not in Finland. The United States, in turn, has adopted a model of specialised drug courts.

Contract treatment carries a smaller risk of recidivism

Although contract treatment has been in use in Sweden since the late 1980s, its effectiveness has not been studied until now. The present study combined data from the Swedish Prison and Probation Service’s client register with other national registries, including data on visits to specialised health care. The study cohort included 11,893 individuals who were serving a contract treatment sanction between 1999 and 2012, and they were followed up for at least two years.

“With the introduction of contract treatment, criminal behaviour and substance-related adverse health events, such as overdoses and hospitalizations due to psychiatric and somatic reasons, decreased significantly compared to the period before contract treatment,” Virtanen says.

A significant proportion of those sentenced to contract treatment had also served community sanctions and prison sentences. In the within-individual research design, an individual’s risk of recidivism and adverse health events during contract treatment was examined compared to periods when the individual was serving a community sanction or was on parole after a prison sentence.

“The risk of recidivism and adverse health events was lower during contract treatment than during a community sanction or probation,” Virtanen notes.

Providing treatment yields better results than punishment

Substance misuse problems and criminality often go hand in hand. The most effective way to prevent recidivism is to address its root causes, which often are, in one way or another, linked to the use of substances.

“Substance use disorders are increasingly understood as a health issue that should primarily be addressed by means of health care. Usually, prison is not the best place for an individual who needs appropriate treatment and support for recovery,” Virtanen says.

The results of the study provide support for the notion that, from the viewpoint of societal security and public health, providing treatment can lead to better outcomes than penalties that emphasise punishment.

In the future, the researchers intend to study the effectiveness of contract treatment in more recent data.

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JOURNAL

BMC Psychiatry

DOI

10.1186/s12888-024-05734-y 

ARTICLE TITLE

Effectiveness of substance use disorder treatment as an alternative to imprisonment.