title: Multiple substance use among young males.
abstract: Neurobiological studies hypothesize a common final pathway of addictive behavior in the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. Nicotine has been shown to sensitize the reward pathway, thereby causing increased drug-seeking behavior. Since there is evidence to suggest that nicotine, alcohol and other psychoactive substances act on the same final pathway and seem to augment their effects in animal subjects, drug intake behavior of humans would likely be reflected in increased substance use of nicotine-dependent persons. We used biological markers of substance use as well as questionnaires to assess the levels of psychoactive substance use among 18-year-old males in a naturalistic cross-sectional setting. We found that increasing levels of nicotine dependence were related to higher levels of alcohol abuse and dependence. Furthermore, higher levels of nicotine dependence were associated with elevated levels of recent cannabinoid use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. nestor.kapusta@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Nestor D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Kapusta
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Plener
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thau
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Otto M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Lesch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D015415:Biomarkers; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000097:blood; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D002248:Carbon Monoxide