ABSTRACT
Background: Psychological distress (i.e., incipient symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression) may promote substance use through increased emission of cognitive distortions. These are automatic irrational thoughts that can promote distress, which in turn increases substance use. Aim: This study analyzed, in a sample of Uruguayan citizens, the unique contribution of cognitive distortions on the frequency and quantity of alcohol or marijuana use, over and above the contribution of psychological distress or the use of emotion regulation strategies. We also assessed whether these variables were associated with having initiated or resumed the use of a substance. Methods: A survey asked about alcohol and marijuana use, psychological distress, emotion regulation strategies, and cognitive distortions. The study comprised a convenience sample of 1132 participants (Mean age = 29.07 ± 8.19 years, 72.26% women). Separate hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted on the frequency and quantity of alcohol or marijuana use, whereas a logistic regression was applied on having initiated or resumed the use of a substance. Results: Several cognitive distortions were significant predictors of frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption or frequency of marijuana use, over and above psychological distress. Differential emission of automatic thoughts was also associated, along with higher scores of psychological distress, with a significantly higher probability of having initiated the use of a new substance or having resumed the use of a substance. Conclusions: Cognitive distortions may promote alcohol and marijuana use. Interventions aimed at modifying these distortions should be considered to reduce the emission of these behaviors.
Subject(s)
Marijuana Smoking , Marijuana Use , Substance-Related Disorders , Humans , Female , Young Adult , Adult , Male , Marijuana Use/epidemiology , Marijuana Use/psychology , Marijuana Smoking/epidemiology , Marijuana Smoking/psychology , Substance-Related Disorders/psychology , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , CognitionABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Solanum bonariense is a perennial poisonous shrub that induces cerebellar cortical degeneration when eaten by cattle. The aim of this research was to outline a protocol to induce a conditioned aversion to this plant. During the pre-conditioning period ten calves (126±12kg BW) were maintained at half of their normal energy intake with lucerne hay and water ad libitum, to stimulate consumption of S. bonariense. Every two days they were offered 100g ofS. bonariense leaves for 5 minutes. Calves began eating the target plant on day 10 and consumed all the plant material on day 12. The conditioning period began after each calf consumed the entire amount of S. bonariense for three consecutive sessions. Five animals were randomly selected for conditioning, and after ingestion ofS. bonariense they were dosed by oral gavage with lithium chloride (LiCl) at 200mg kg-1 BW (treated group), while the other five received a similar volume of water by oral gavage (control group). After 2 doses of LiCl the treated group ate no S. bonariense while the control group consumed the entire 100g. We confirmed that LiCl is a powerful tool to induce conditioned aversions against S. bonariense in calves, which persists for at least 3 months.
RESUMO: Solanum bonariense é uma planta tóxica, arbustiva e perene que induz a degeneração cortical cerebelar quando ingerida por bovinos. O presente trabalho objetiva criar um protocolo para induzir aversão condicionada para essa planta em bovinos. Durante o período de adaptação às condições experimentais, dez bezerros (126±12kg) foram mantidos com metade de seu fornecimento alimentar energético normal que incluiu feno de alfafa e água ad libitum, para estimular o consumo de S. bonariense. A cada dois dias, foram fornecidas oralmente 100g de folhas de S. bonariense por cinco minutos. Os bezerros começaram a ingerir a planta no 10o dia de experimento e consumiram toda a planta no 12o dia. O período condicionado começou após cada bezerro ter consumido a quantidade total de S. bonariense por três sessões consecutivas. Cinco animais foram aleatoriamente selecionados para aversão condicionada e, após ingestão da planta, receberam solução oral de 200mg kg-1 de peso vivo de cloreto de lítio (LiCl) (grupo tratado), enquanto que os outros cinco bovinos receberam dosagem oral com volume similar de solução fisiológica (grupo controle). Após duas doses of LiCl, o grupo tratado não comeu folhas de S. bonariense, enquanto que o grupo controle consumiu toda a quantidade fornecida. Os resultados do presente trabalho demonstram que LiCl é uma ferramenta útil para induzir aversão condicionada contra S. bonariense em bezerros, que persiste por pelo menos 3 meses.
