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Substance-Induced Mood Disorders: A Scoping Review

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Abstract

Purpose of the Review

Substance-induced mood disorders (SIMDs) are an understudied area with a limited published literature. This scoping review evaluated published evidence to determine differences between SIMDs and independent mood disorders with comorbid SUD.

Recent Findings

Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, English language articles were searched through October, 2023. Thirty-one studies were identified which explored the relationship between alcohol, cocaine, opioids, methamphetamine, cannabis, and multiple substance use and the induction of mood disorders. Varying symptoms and risk factors were identified for SIMD, specifically for alcohol and opioids. However, confounding factors and heterogeneity in the majority of studies make it difficult to establish clear differences between these groups.

Summary

Although our findings suggest risk factors and symptoms that may be implicated in SIMD, results are inconsistent. Further research using well-controlled, experimental, and longitudinal designs are needed to parse differences between SIMDs and comorbid mood disorders with SUDs.

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Funding

The review was funded by the CAMH Foundation, NIDA grant R21-DA-043949 and a CIHR Project Grant (PJT-190053) to Dr. George.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Sciences Program, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada

    Ashley E. Kivlichan

  2. Department of Neuroscience, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Angela Praecht

  3. Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 60 White Squirrel Way, Room 312, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada

    Cindy Wang & Tony P. George

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Tony P. George

Authors
  1. Ashley E. Kivlichan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tony P. George.

Ethics declarations

 The Section Editors for the topical collection Dual Diagnosis are Tony George and Victor Tang. Please note that Section Editor Tony George was not involved in the editorial process of this article as he is a co-author.

Conflict of Interest

Dr. George reports consulting work with Roche, Frutarom and Sanford Burnham Prebys in the past three years. He serves as Co-Principal Editor of Neuropsychopharmacology (NPP) and as Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee for the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).

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There were no human or animal study protocols used in the preparation of this review article.

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Kivlichan, A.E., Praecht, A., Wang, C. et al. Substance-Induced Mood Disorders: A Scoping Review. Curr Addict Rep 11, 1–18 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-023-00533-z

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