Louisiana Addiction Research Center at LSU Health Shreveport

09/01/2024

International Overdose Awareness Day is held every year on August 31. This day is the the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died, and acknowledge the grief of family and friends left behind. Dr. Shawn McNeil, Director of Clinical Research for the Louisiana Addiction Research Center, recently shared more about LARC's efforts to help tackle the ongoing substance use issues plaguing our community in an article for 318 Forum:

Overdose Deaths: The opioid settlement and hope for the future, The increased incidence of drug overdose deaths has garnered the attention of the American public due in large part to media coverage surrounding the opioid epidemic, which has reached record levels in recent years.

08/07/2024

https://theforumnews.com/article-5760-overdose-deaths-the-opioid-settlement-and-hope-for-the-future.html

Overdose Deaths: The opioid settlement and hope for the future, The increased incidence of drug overdose deaths has garnered the attention of the American public due in large part to media coverage surrounding the opioid epidemic, which has reached record levels in recent years.

06/18/2024

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/over-12900-pounds-m**hamphetamine-seized-and-22-traffickers-charged

Twenty-two participants in a drug-trafficking ring have been charged with conspiring to distribute large quantities of m**hamphetamine, co***ne, and fentanyl imported from Mexico into the United States.

06/11/2024

Did you know that excessive drinking is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States? Alcohol use disorder (AUD) involves frequent or heavy alcohol drinking that becomes difficult to control and leads to problems such as in relationships, work, school, family, or other areas - and it often goes untreated. Armando Salinas, PhD, Health Shreveport Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience Assistant Professor, and his lab are hopeful they will uncover safe and effective ways to treat alcohol use disorder through the brain chemical—acetylcholine—in the future. Hear more from Dr. Salinas in his recent interview with KTBS Health Reporter Courtney Hammons Butts:

SHREVEPORT, La - Excessive drinking is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. In 2020 to 2021, excessive alcohol use was responsible for 178,000 deaths, which equals

06/01/2024

People with a substance use disorder (SUD) may also have other mental health disorders, and people with mental health disorders may also struggle with substance use. These other mental health disorders can include anxiety disorders, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, personality disorders, and schizophrenia, among others. Though people might have both a SUD and a mental disorder, that does not mean that one caused the other.

To learn more, visit: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/substance-use-and-mental-health

Learn about substance use and mental health, including risk factors, diagnosis and treatment, how to find help, and resources for more information.

05/31/2024

The Louisiana Addiction Research Center is pleased to announce Shawn McNeil, MD, FADA, as Director of Clinical Research. Dr. McNeil is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Program Director of the Psychiatry Residency Program, and Director of Neuroinformatics Research at LSUHS. He is Board Certified in Addiction Medicine and also a Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Dr. McNeil is well qualified for this position and will be an excellent addition to the leadership of LARC!

05/16/2024

Dr. Nicholas Goeders, Executive Director of the Louisiana Addiction Research Center and Chair and Professor of the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neuroscience at LSU Health Shreveport, recently shared personal reflection on the impact of substance abuse disorder in 318 Forum Magazine:

Alcohol Awareness Month, A personal reflection on the impact of substance abuse disorder

04/01/2024

M**hamphetamine use has several risks and associated health complications, including an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, like cardiomyopathy. Researchers at LSU Health Shreveport recently published their findings from a study to determine the trends and prevalence of cardiomyopathy-associated hospital admissions among m**hamphetamine users (CAHMA) by age, s*x, race, and geographical region. Using data from the National Inpatient Sample database from a 13-year time period, they discovered
that CAHMA have increased significantly in the United States. Men, Hispanics, non-Hispanic Asian, age groups 41 to 64. and western regions showed a higher proportional increase highlighting gender-based, racial/ethnic, and regional disparities over the study period. These findings support the need for additional research to identify populations at high risk of m**hamphetamine use and develop better strategies to prevent and mitigate cardiovascular disease associated with m**h use.

Dr. Nicholas Goeders, Execuitve Director of the Louisiana Addiction Research Center, was a co-author on the paper.

Read more from the paper published in JACC: Advances:

AbstractBackgroundM**hamphetamine is an emerging drug threat. The disparity in cardiomyopathy-associated hospital admissions among m**hamphetamine users (CAHMA) over the decade remains unknown.Obje...

02/29/2024

The Medical Students Against Addiction's annual Arm Wrestling Tournament is always a fun event and one that is special to the Louisiana Addiction Research Center at LSUHS. Thank you to MSAA and everyone who participated for supporting LARC and our mission to advance addiction research and awareness! 💪

02/22/2024

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-02-21/fourth-wave-of-opioid-epidemic-crashes-ashore-propelled-by-fentanyl-and-m**h

A report based on millions of urine drug tests found the United States is facing a rise in the use of multiple drugs at once, which not only is often more deadly but complicates treatment efforts.

02/01/2024

Like many other cities around the country, Shreveport is facing a m**hamphetamine crisis - a crisis that the Louisiana Addiction Research Center is passionately pursuing a solution for.

“We have a solution that is one of the most promising treatments that I have seen in my 20 years of addiction research,” said Kevin Murnane, PhD, Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neuroscience and LARC's Director of Basic Science Research.

Murnane says the answer may be psychedelic therapy. Read more about this possible solution and the latest clinical trial that LARC is leading:

Psychedelic therapy clinical trials are set to begin at the Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC) at LSU Health Shreveport.