Overview of the University-Based Addiction Studies Programs in the United States

Background: The field of addiction studies (AS) has grown in the last several decades. However, little is known about the structure and conditions of current academic programs. Only two studies have examined AS programs in the U.S., and both were conducted almost 15 years ago. The current study was designed to identify AS programs existing in the U.S. universities. Methods: We conducted an Internet search to identify university-based programs according to defined key words. The university program websites were then subjected to content analysis. Results: A total of 333 U.S. universities were identified that offered 392 different academic programs in AS of which 302 were degree programs. Out of these, 161 (53%) programs were offered at the associate degree level, 48 (15,9%) at the bachelor’s level, 55 (18.2%) at the master’s level, and 5 (1.6%) at the doctorate level. The largest number of programs was in California. Two states in the U.S. had no identifiable programs. Only one university located in the state of New York offered comprehensive academic programs across the educational spectrum. Many of the academic programs offered certificates. The most common phrases used in program titles were “substance abuse”, “addiction studies/counseling”, and “chemical dependency”. Conclusions: There is a wide range of academic AS programs in the U.S., although their focus is mostly on clinical training rather than on research or drug policy. Future surveys such as this one would benefit from greater attention to issues related to certification, licensing, and academic curricula

Methanol Poisoning as an Acute Toxicological Basal Ganglia Lesion Model: Evidence from Brain Volumetry and Cognition.

Acute methanol poisoning leads to optic neuropathy and necrotic lesions of basal ganglia (BG) and subcortical white matter. Survivors of methanol poisoning exhibit long-term executive and memory deficits. Associations between brain volumetry parameters and cognitive sequelae of methanol poisoning are not known. The aim of our study was to identify long-term associations between the cognitive performance of survivors of methanol poisoning and the volume of the brain structures that are selectively vulnerable to methanol. We conducted a cross-sectional follow-up study on a sample of patients (n = 33, age 50 ± 14 years, 82% males) who survived acute methanol poisoning during methanol mass poisoning outbreak from September 2012 till January 2013 in the Czech Republic. A battery of neuropsychological tests and brain magnetic resonance imaging were included in the clinical examination protocol. Specific brain structures (putamen, globus pallidus, nucleus caudatus, and frontal white matter) were selected as regions of interest, and their volumes were estimated using the MorphoBox prototype software. In robust multiple regression models, sustained visual attention performance (as assessed by Trail Making Test and Prague Stroop Test) was positively associated with BG structures and frontal white matter volumes (Wald = 9.03 to 85.50, p < 0.01), sensitivity to interference (as assessed by Frontal Battery Assessment) was negatively associated with frontal white matter volume (Wald = 35.44 to 42.25, p < 0.001), and motor performance (as assessed by Finger Tapping Test) was positively associated with globus pallidus and frontal white matter volumes (Wald = 9.66 to 13.29, p < 0.01). Our results demonstrate that smaller volumes of elements of BG-thalamocortical circuitry, namely the BG and frontal white matter, relate to attention and motor performance in methanol poisoning from a long-term perspective. Disruption of those functional circuits may underlie specific cognitive deficits observed in methanol poisoning