Relationship between levels of mindfulness and substance use pattern / Relação entre níveis de mindfulness e padrão do uso de substâncias

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the association between levels of mindfulness and sociodemographic characteristics and pattern of drug use of individuals seeking treatment in a University Service Specialized in Substance Use Disorders. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with 164 individuals over 18 years of age seeking treatment for the use of psychoactive substances in the June 2018-December 2019 period, using a questionnaire for sociodemographic data, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) self- -reporting instrument, and the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test. RESULTS: An association was found between low levels of mindfulness mainly with the individual risk of being a medium/high-risk user of sedative-hypnotic drugs (p = 0.020). A borderline association was also found between MAAS and the risk of the individual being a medium/high risk of alcohol (p = 0.053) and with a more severe pattern of substance use (p = 0.065). CONCLUSION: Individuals seeking treatment for substance use presented impairments in the attentional aspect of mindfulness and levels of mindfulness seem to protect against behaviors related to substance use, especially against the use of high/ moderate risk of sedative-hypnotics.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação entre níveis de mindfulness e características sociodemográficas e padrão do uso de drogas de indivíduos que buscam tratamento em Serviço Universitário Especializado em Transtorno por Uso de Substâncias. MÉTODOS: Estudo de corte transversal de 164 indivíduos acima de 18 anos que buscavam tratamento para uso de substâncias psicoativas no período de junho de 2018 a dezembro de 2019, utilizando questionário para dados sociodemográficos, o instrumento de autorrelato Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) e o Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test. RESULTADOS: Foi encontrada associação entre baixos níveis de mindfulness principalmente com o risco de o indivíduo ser usuário de médio/alto risco de sedativos-hipnóticos (p = 0,020). Também foi encontrada associação limítrofe entre MAAS com risco de o indivíduo ser usuário de médio/alto risco de álcool (p = 0,053) e com padrão mais grave de uso de substâncias (p = 0,065). CONCLUSÃO: Indivíduos que buscavam tratamento para uso de substâncias apresentaram prejuízos no aspecto atencional de mindfulness, e níveis de mindfulness parecem proteger contra comportamentos relacionados ao uso de substâncias, principalmente contra o uso de alto/moderado risco de sedativos-hipnóticos.

The perceptions of medical researchers on qualitative methodologies / Percepción de los investigadores médicos en metodologías cualitativas / Percepção de pesquisadores médicos sobre metodologias qualitativas

We aimed to verify doctor's perception of the qualitative research method, via a qualitative study of interviews with questions on the academic profile of doctors and on the methodology. We interviewed 42 professionals, of which 18 had experience with the qualitative method and 24 with the quantitative method. The results showed that knowledge on the qualitative method was virtually nil among "quantitative researchers", who did not value qualitative research, although some of those realized that it would be important to be more accepting in clinical practice. Others only considered the method as subsidiary to quantitative. The majority considered qualitative methods as lacking academic structure, taking too long to conduct empirical studies, and being difficult to publish. All of them criticized the misuse of the method, and the "quantitatives" pointed out the problem of being unable to reproduce. We concluded that widening the use of the qualitative method by doctors requires investment from the beginning of the academic career and participation in qualitative research projects.

El objetivo es verificar la percepción de médicos sobre el método de investigación cualitativa. Se trata de un estudio cualitativo por medio de entrevistas con preguntas sobre el perfil de los médicos y sobre el método. Entrevistamos a 42 profesionales, 18 con experiencia en el método cualitativo y 24 con el cuantitativo. Los resultados mostraron que el conocimiento sobre lo cualitativo es casi nulo entre los "cuantitativistas", que no valoran la investigación cualitativa, aunque algunos se dan cuenta de que sería importante tener un enfoque más amplio en la práctica clínica. Otros la ven como subsidiaria a lo cuantitativo. Sus dificultades para utilizar ese abordaje son: falta de formación, cantidad de tiempo que exigen y problemas de publicación. Todos han criticado el mal uso del método. Los "cuantitativistas" han destacado como fragilidad, la no reproductibilidad. Llegamos a la conclusión de que para ampliar el uso de los abordajes cualitativos entre los médicos es importante invertir en su formación desde el inicio del curso y la participación en proyectos de investigación cualitativa.

Objetivamos verificar a percepção de médicos sobre o método qualitativo de pesquisa. Estudo qualitativo por meio de entrevistas com questões sobre o perfil acadêmico do médico e perguntas abertas a respeito do método. Entrevistamos 42 profissionais, sendo 18 com experiência no método qualitativo e 24 com o quantitativo. Os resultados evidenciaram que o conhecimento sobre o qualitativo é quase nulo entre os pesquisadores "quantitativistas", os quais não valorizam a pesquisa qualitativa, embora alguns percebam que seria importante ter uma postura mais compreensiva na prática clínica. Outros só a veem como subsidiária ao quantitativo. As principais dificuldades da maioria são: falta de formação, tempo longo despendido nos estudos empíricos e dificuldade de publicação. Todos os entrevistados criticaram o mau uso do método, e os "quantitativistas" ressaltaram, como problema, sua não reprodutibilidade. Concluímos que ampliar o uso do método qualitativo por médicos exige investimento na formação desde o início da graduação e participação em projetos de pesquisa qualitativa.

Inhibitory effects of Diazepam in rat Vas Deferens: role of Calcium

Diazepam and Ro5-4864 effects on noradrenaline-induced rat vas deferend contractions were studied. We investigated whether central or peripheral type benzodiazepine receptors were involved, by studying the effects of the selective central or peripheral benzodiazepine receptor antagonists, flumazenil (Ro 151788) or PK 11195 respectively. Diazepam interactions with GABA, adenosine, theophylline, and hypercalcic medium (3.5mM) were studied. Also, we investigate diazepam effect on KC1 depolarized vas deferens. Results showed that diazepam (10(-4) to 1.7x10(-4) M)) and Ro 5-4864 (10(-5) to 5.5x10(-5)M) inhibited NA-induced vas deferens contractions and that neither flumazenil nor PK 11195 antagonized diazepam or Ro 5-4864 inhibitory effects respectively. GABA, adenosine and theophylline did not modify neither NA vas deferens response nor diazepam inhibitory action. Diazepam effect was significantly reduced in an 3.5 mM calcium medium and KC1 vas deferense was inhibited by diazepam 1.3x10(-5) and 1.3 x 10(-4) M. It is concluded that in rat vas deferens diazepam effect seems to be related with calcium mobilization.

Memory modulation by brain benzodiazepines

1. Recent evidence indicates that post-training memory processes are down-regulated by benzodiazepine/GABA-A systems inthe amygdala, septum and hippocampus. Havituation and avoidance learning are accompanied by a decrease of benzodiazepine-like immunoreactivity in the three structures, explainable by a release of benzodiazepines. Immediate post-training microinjection of the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil into the hippocampus enhances retention of habituation. The post-training administration of glumazenil into any of the three structures enhances relation of avoidance learning. 2. The mode of operation of these systems was studied in detail in the amygdala using avoidance paradigms. The release of endogenous benzodiazepines during and particularly after training enhances sensitivity of local GABA-A receptors to muscimol, activation of the GABA-A receptors opens chloride channels that can be selectively blocked by picrotoxin and by Ro-4864. Training enhances, and fluazenil reduces, sensitivity of the amygdala to the amnestic effect of locally injected muscimol by a factor of 100. Post-training intra-amygdala administration of picrotoxin or Ro5-4864 enhances retention. 3. These findings suggest that the endogenous benzoidiazepine/GABA-A mechanisms that down-regulate memory int he amygdala, septum and hippocampus are activated in response to the anxiety and/or stress associated with each task. Memory lability which occurs in the psot-training period and characterizes consolidation would thus be a consequence of the brain's response to anxiety or stress