About this Research Topic
There has been a significant and rapid increase in the co-use of stimulants and opioids in the US in the past year, being referred to as the 4th wave of the opioid epidemic. Co-use is leading to increased rates of drug poisonings and is made more challenging by the lack of treatment available for stimulant use disorder. There are compelling preclinical data suggesting that sensitivity to dopaminergic drugs, such as stimulants, is increased after chronic exposure to opioid medications. This may be contributing to the escalating rates of abuse being observed. However these data have not yet been cohesively organized.
Our aim with this Research Topic is to curate a translational collection that covers preclinical and human clinical evidence of stimulant-opioid interactions, summarizes known challenges regarding treatment, and outlines morbidity and mortality. The goal would be to bring this issue to the forefront early in this epidemic to help mobilize researchers and clinicians around this collection.
Potential topics could include:
• Electrophysiological evidence
• Preclinical animal behavioral evidence
• Evidence of human co-use patterns
• Commentary outlining challenges for treatment
• Examples of co-treatments
• Epidemiological discussion of morbidity and mortality
• Epidemiological presentation of co-use patterns and changes over time
Our aim with this Research Topic is to curate a translational collection that covers preclinical and human clinical evidence of stimulant-opioid interactions, summarizes known challenges regarding treatment, and outlines morbidity and mortality. The goal would be to bring this issue to the forefront early in this epidemic to help mobilize researchers and clinicians around this collection.
Potential topics could include:
• Electrophysiological evidence
• Preclinical animal behavioral evidence
• Evidence of human co-use patterns
• Commentary outlining challenges for treatment
• Examples of co-treatments
• Epidemiological discussion of morbidity and mortality
• Epidemiological presentation of co-use patterns and changes over time
Keywords: Epidemic, Opioid, Stimulant, Epidemiology, Preclinical
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
