Search

Subjects maintained on methadone evidence a high level of interest in quitting cigarette smoking. Readiness to quit may result, at least partially, from direct pharmacological interactions between methadone and brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The aim of the present study was to assess: (1) self-reported changes in smoking habits after admission to a methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program; (2) acute effects of methadone administration on smoking behavior in MMT patients. The study was conducted between May and December 2001, in two public outpatient MMT clinics located in Warsaw, Poland. The patients (41 men, 30 women) reported smoking fewer cigarettes after admission to the program. Most subjects (67.6%) changed their favorite brand of cigarettes after admission. Mean nicotine content (mg/cigarette) significantly decreased. On the other hand, the subjects did not report any effects of methadone administration on smoking parameters. The above findings suggest that initiation of MMT is associated with positive changes in smoking behavior. However, these changes may not be related to direct pharmacological interactions between methadone and nicotine.

It has been shown repeatedly that opioid dependence is associated with increased consumption of refined sugars. It is possible that this association results from altered taste reactivity in opioid-dependent subjects. Thus, in the present study, we compared taste responses to sweet, bitter, sour and salty solutions in methadone-maintained opioid-dependent men and healthy control subjects. The two groups did not differ in terms of rated intensity or pleasantness of sucrose (1-30%), quinine (0.001-0.005%), citric acid (0.02-0.1%) and sodium chloride (0.18-0.9%) solutions. Proportions of 'sweet-likers', i.e. subjects rating a 30% sucrose (0.88 M) solution as the most pleasant, were also similar in both groups. In line with the previous findings, the methadone-maintained subjects reported adding more table sugar to caffeinated beverages. The results of the present study suggest that changes in taste reactivity may not be responsible for altered dietary choices in opioid addicts.