Involvement of the dopaminergic system in the reward-related behavior of pregabalin.

There has been an increase in cases of drug addiction and prescription drug abuse worldwide. Recently, pregabalin abuse has been a focus for many healthcare agencies, as highlighted by epidemiological studies. We previously evaluated the possibility of pregabalin abuse using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. We observed that a 60 mg/kg dose could induce CPP in mice and that pregabalin-rewarding properties were mediated through glutamate neurotransmission. Notably, the dopaminergic reward circuitry is also known to play a crucial role in medication-seeking behavior. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the possible involvement of dopaminergic receptor-1 in pregabalin-induced CPP. Mice were randomly allocated to receive saline or the dopamine-1 receptor antagonist SKF-83566 (0.03 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). After 30 min, the mice received either saline or pregabalin (60 mg/kg) during the conditioning phase. Among the control groups that received saline or SKF-83566, the time spent in the two conditioning chambers was not significantly altered. However, among the pregabalin-treated group, there was a marked increase in the time spent in the drug-paired chamber compared to the time spent in the vehicle-paired chamber. Notably, blocking dopamine-1 receptors with SKF-83566 completely prevented pregabalin-induced place preference, thus demonstrating the engagement of the dopaminergic system in pregabalin-induced reward-related behavior.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Insights into the recent trends and the role of the primary care in diabetic patients.

Diseases with viral etiology continue to emerge in the last years and may represent serious problems that affect various aspects of life. Coronaviruses are a large family of RNA viruses that cause illness affecting the respiratory tract ranging from common cold to severe respiratory distress syndrome. In the last weeks of 2019, enormous cases of unexplained pneumonia were reported in China. Few days later, a novel type of coronavirus was identified as the causative agent of these cases and the disease was named as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization. The disease was rapidly spreading in China and all over the world and now it is considered as pandemic catastrophe. It can be transmitted from animals to human and from human to human. Diabetes mellitus may represent a potential risk factor for the development of COVID-19, possibly due to the relative state of immunosuppression frequently encountered in diabetic patients. This review sheds light on COVID-19 based on the currently available data with reference to the role of the primary care in diabetic patients.

Gastric carcinoma: Insights into risk factors, methods of diagnosis, possible lines of management, and the role of primary care.

Gastric carcinoma represents the second most common type of malignancy that contributes to cancer-related mortality worldwide. However, the geographic incidence of gastric carcinoma had changed over the last few decades, possibly due to increased hygiene, increased awareness of the importance of healthy nutrition, and increased rates of eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection. Gastric carcinoma consists of two pathological variants, intestinal and diffuse. Early cases of gastric carcinoma may be asymptomatic. However, advanced cases may present with significant weight loss, dysphagia, abdominal pain, vomiting, and even severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients at high risk of developing gastric carcinoma should be adequately screened at primary healthcare centers for early detection and effective management. Lines of treatment vary according to the stage of the disease but surgical resection of the tumor with regional lymphadenectomy remains the gold standard of therapy. This review sheds light on gastric carcinoma given the recent trends regarding its prevalence, risk factors, types, clinical picture, methods of diagnosis, possible lines of management, and the role of primary care.