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Drug exchanges are often embedded in non-commercially oriented, informal arrangements among social networks. Such exchanges a're based on a social supply paradigm where recipTocity and sharing are integral to obtaining and consuming drugs. This raises questions as to how the justice system responds to this type of engagement with the market. While some countnes have accommodated to the Tealities of social supply (with a comparatively lenient approach, others have taken a different route. We examine Hong Kong's legal response to the emergence of social supply in the context of its common law system and prohibitionist d™g policies. We draw on 96 legal cases involving social traffcking. In keeping with the common law system, Hong Kong courts clmw on UK ~ases in considering social trafficking, but diverge in its mtionale, finding that trap ficking is traficking". As such, the courts have not viewed social trafficking as a mitigating factoras elsewhere, butit hasalso not beenseenas anaggravating factor. Our analysis suggests that the mitigating effect of self-consumption is being offset by the consideration of latent risk. This legal response leads us to conclude that the emergence of social supply has not challenged but reinforced Hong Kong's prohibitionist policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newborn infants preferentially orient to familiar over unfamiliar speech sounds. They are also better at remembering unfamiliar speech sounds for short periods of time if learning and retention occur after a feed than before. It is unknown whether short-term memory for speech is enhanced when the sound is familiar (versus unfamiliar) and, if so, whether the effect is further enhanced by feeding. We used a two-factorial design and randomized infants to one of four groups: prefeed-unfamiliar, prefeed-familiar, postfeed-unfamiliar, and postfeed-familiar. Memory for either familiar or unfamiliar speech (the infant's mother saying "baby" versus a female stranger saying "beagle") was assessed using head turning to sound in an habituation--recovery paradigm and a retention delay of 85 sec either before or after a typical milk feed. Memory for the familiar speech-voice was enhanced relative to the unfamiliar speech-voice, expressed by significantly less head turning toward the habituated sound stimulus when it was re-presented after the delay. Memory for familiar or unfamiliar speech was not significantly enhanced from pre- to postfeeding, nor was there a significant interaction. This is the first demonstration in newborns that familiarity enhances short-term memory for speech-voice sound. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)

Increasing serotonin decreases quarrelsome behaviours and enhances agreeable behaviours in humans. Antidepressants, even those whose primary action is not on serotonin, seem to increase serotonin function. We suggest that antidepressants act in part by effects on social behaviour, which leads to a gradual improvement in mood. We review the evidence supporting the idea that antidepressants may be moving behaviour from quarrelsome to agreeable. The more positive social responses of interaction partners would initiate a cycle of more positive social behaviour, and this iterative process would result in a clinically significant improvement in mood., Introduction Two important characteristics of antidepressant drugs are that they are not as effective as an ideal antidepressant would be, and there is a delay in their maximal effect. A [...]

Administration of the Derogatis Stress Profile to 509 medical students, 380 law students, and 215 graduate students at McGill University (Ontario) revealed that medical students are not greatly stressed relative to other groups, so other explanations must be sought for elevated levels of depression in some. One clear stressor found is the transition from basic science to clinical training. (Author/MSE)

Recent research indicates that suicide rates are elevated in those living at higher altitudes in both the United States and South Korea. A possible mechanism that was proposed is metabolic stress associated with hypoxia. This commentary discusses these results, and also the association between elevated suicide rates and other conditions associated with hypoxia (smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma). Tryptophan hydroxylase may not normally be saturated with oxygen, so mild hypoxia would decrease serotonin synthesis. Low brain serotonin is known to be associated with suicide. Thus, the commentary proposes and discusses the hypothesis that decreased brain serotonin synthesis associated with hypoxia is a mechanism that may contribute to suicide in conditions causing hypoxia. Finally the commentary proposes various studies that could test aspects of this hypothesis., Introduction Thirty years ago Katz (1) discussed the possible clinical implications of the fact that tryptophan hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase are not normally fully saturated with one of their substrates, [...]

Background: Despite evidence that bright light can improve mood, the neurobiology remains poorly understood. Some evidence implicates the catecholamines. In the present study, we measured the effects of transiently decreasing dopamine (DA) synthesis on mood and motivational states in healthy women with mild seasonal mood changes who were tested in either bright or dim light. Methods: On 2 test days, participants slept overnight in a light-controlled room. On the morning of each session, half of the participants awoke to gradual increases of bright light, up to 3000 lux, and half to dim light (10 lux). For all participants, DA was reduced on 1 of the test days using the acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion (APTD) method; on the other day, they ingested a nutritionally balanced control mixture (BAL). Beginning 4 hours postingestion, participants completed subjective mood questionnaires, psychological tests and a progressive ratio breakpoint task during which they worked for successive units of $5. Results: Thirty-two women participated in our study. The APTD lowered mood, agreeableness, energy and the willingness to work for monetary reward. The effects on energy and motivation were independent of light, while the effects on mood and agreeableness were seen in the dim condition only, being prevented by bright light. Limitations: Acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion might affect systems other than DA. The sample size was small. Conclusion: These results suggest that increased DA function may be responsible for some of the beneficial effects of light, while adding to the evidence that the neurobiology of mood and motivational states can be dissociated., Introduction Bright light can alleviate low mood in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), (1) nonseasonal major depressive disorder, (2,3) antepartum depression, (4) eating disorders (5,6) and those with subsyndromal [...]

4 rights are interpreted puTposively, what is the purpose of the Tight to vote in Hong Kong.7 It means more than casting a ballot or being a candidate in elections. The Tight to vote serves to enable peTmanent residents to participate meaningfully in the electoral process and public affairs more generally. Meaningful participation implies that voters are informed of the relevant issues. Hong Kong underwent major reforms in its electoral systems in 2021. In the eyes of the public, the reforms had the effect of rendering the Tight to vote less meaningful, if not meaningless. In the future, the central and regional governments need to restore people's confidence in the elections and bring back vibrancy to the right to vote in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) technique has been used extensively to study the effect of low serotonin in the human brain. This review assesses the validity of a number of published criticisms of the technique and a number of previously unpublished potential criticisms. The conclusion is that ATD can provide useful information when results are assessed in conjunction with results obtained using other techniques. The best-established conclusion is that low serotonin function after tryptophan depletion lowers mood in some people. However, this does not mean that other variables, altered after tryptophan depletion, are necessarily related to low serotonin. Each aspect of brain function has to be assessed separately. Furthermore, a negative tryptophan depletion study does not mean that low serotonin cannot influence the variable studied. This review suggests gaps in knowledge that need to be filled and guidelines for carrying out ATD studies., Introduction The acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) technique has been in use for more than a quarter-century now, and it continues to be a popular method to study the effects of [...]

Recent clinical trials suggest that 3 single biological treatments have effects that persist. Based on research showing that the muscles involved in facial expressions can feed back to influence mood, a single trial diminishing glabella frown lines with botulinum toxin demonstrated a significant antidepressant effect for 16 weeks. Based primarily on research with animal models of depression suggesting that glutamate may be involved in depression, the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist ketamine has been tested in several trials. A single dose decreased depression for up to a week. The reported effects of the use of mushrooms containing psilocybin by a number of cultures around the world has stimulated several trials showing beneficial effects of a single dose of psilocybin for over a year in healthy people, and for up to 3 months in patients with anxiety disorders who have advanced cancer. This article discusses these studies, their rationale, their possible mechanisms of action, the future clinical research required to establish these therapies and the basic research required to optimize single treatments that have lasting effects., Introduction Many treatments in psychiatry are not particularly effective and take a while to act. Furthermore, some psychological treatments may have more lasting effects than drug treatments. For example, relapse [...]