21 Aug Codeine-Containing Cough Syrups Abuse Associated With Abnormal Brain White Matter
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Ying-wei Qiu, MD
Department of Medical imaging
Guangdong No. 2 Provincial People’s Hospital
Guangzhou, China;
Medical Research: What are the main findings of this study?
Dr. Ying-wei Qiu: The main findings include:
- White matter (WM) integrity is abnormal in the IFO of bilateral temporal-occipital regions and right frontal region, and in the right corona radiata white matter in chronic Codeine-Containing Cough Syrups users.
- The abnormal white matter integrity related to the higher impulsivity in codeine-containing cough syrups users.
- The abnormal white matter integrity related to duration of Codeine-Containing Cough Syrups abuse in codeine-containing cough syrups users.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from this report?
Dr. Ying-wei Qiu: Clinicians and patients should take away:
- Chronic Codeine-Containing Cough Syrups abuse may cause brain white matter integrity impairment progressively. Hence, early intervention may be particularly important for the treatment of Codeine-Containing Cough Syrups addiction.
- White matter integrity may serve as a predictor of abstinence or a potential new treatment target for Codeine-Containing Cough Syrups users.
Medical Research: What suggestions for future research do you have a result of this study?
Dr. Ying-wei Qiu:
- A long-term longitudinal follow up is needed in future study to assert the causation of Codeine-Containing Cough Syrups dependent and abnormalities of white matter integrity.
- Whether the abnormalities of white matter integrity is reversible after treatment is a interesting topic in future study.
Citation:
Last Updated on August 21, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD