The Therapeutic Effects Of Nerve Growth Factor Combined With Citalopram For Depressive And Psychological Desire Of Heroin Dependent Patients

It is reported around the world each year about10million people died from drugabuse, there are around one million registered addicts in our country. Physicaldependence and psychological dependence is induced by repeatedly abusing morphine,heroin and other drugs. The main symptoms of physical dependence is withdrawalsymptoms, while the main symptoms of psychological dependence is a special kind ofrewarding effects, manifested as craving and continued mental anxiety, depressivedisorder. Spiritual dependence is the main reason that lead to relapse, while continuingcraving and depressive disorder severely impact the addicts’ mental health andpersonality.Depression induced by heroin dependence are secondary depression, but the maintreatment is using antidepressants. There are another treatment including psychologicalcognitive therapy, Chinese medicine, which to a certain extent release heroin dependentpatients’ symptoms of depression and craving, but the effects are uncertain, the clinicalcure rate is low.To explore the effective method, the etiology and pathogenesis for heroin addicts’ depression during detoxification, nerve growth factor (nerve growth factor, NGF) pluscitalopram was applied in this study. Our research could provide a reference for thetreatment of heroin addicts’ depression after detoxification in the future.Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effects of nerve growth factor plus citalopram fordepressive and psychological desire of heroin.Methods:93male patients were randomly divided into two groups：citalopram treatmentgroup（n=41）and nerve growth factor (NGF) plus citalopram treatment group（n=42）.Before treatment, there was no significant difference in age, length of sentence and theBeck Depression self-assessment questionnaire (BDI-13) score between two groups.Besides methadone and buprenorphine, two groups were respectively applied citalopramand nerve growth factor plus citalopram for six weeks. Beck Depression Inventoryself-assessment questionnaire (BDI-13), craving self-rating scale and clinical efficacyImpression (CGI) were utilized for evaluating the efficacy.Results:After treatment, there are significant differences in BDI-13score and the reductionrate between two group on1,2,4,6weekend (P <0.05). Compared with citalopram group,craving scores in nerve growth factor plus citalopram group was significantly reduced atthe end of14,21,28,35,42days (P <0.05). Compared with the citalopram group, thescores of CGI in nerve growth factor plus citalopram group was significantly decreased (P <0.05).Conclusion:Nerve growth factor plus citalopram can effectively ameliorate symptoms of heroinaddicts’ depression and craving during detoxification.