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A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats

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Affective temperaments in heroin addiction.

Icro Maremmani¹, Matteo Pacini, Dina Popovic

¹Vincent P. Dole Dual Diagnosis Unit, Santa Chiara University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, NPB, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa Italy. maremman@med.unipi.it

Journal of Affective Disorders

|February 10, 2009

Summary

Heroin addicts exhibit distinct affective temperaments, specifically higher cyclothymic and irritable traits, irrespective of psychiatric comorbidity. These traits may characterize the personality profile associated with heroin addiction.

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Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Addiction Research
Personality Psychology

Background:

Previous literature focused on personality disorders in heroin addicts.
This study investigates affective temperament measures in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the relevance of affective temperament measures in stabilized methadone-treated heroin addicts.
To compare affective temperaments between heroin addicts (with and without psychiatric comorbidity) and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

A cross-sectional study involving 59 stabilized methadone-treated heroin addicts and 58 healthy volunteers.
Affective temperaments were assessed using the Akiskal and Mallya formulation.
Participants were categorized based on the presence or absence of psychiatric comorbidity.

Main Results:

No significant differences were found in depressive or hyperthymic scales between heroin addicts and controls.
Heroin addicts scored significantly higher on cyclothymic and irritability scales compared to controls, regardless of comorbidity.
Multivariate analysis indicated cyclothymic and irritable traits distinguished heroin addicts from controls.

Conclusions:

Cyclothymic and irritable traits may represent a core temperamental profile in heroin addicts.
This profile appears largely independent of psychiatric comorbidity.
Findings align with previous hypotheses linking addiction to sensation-seeking and novelty-seeking behaviors.