Drug addiction prevention by physical exercise.

Abstract

Esta revisão tem como objetivo descrever o conhecimento atual sobre o exercício físico no tratamento da adicção a drogas de abuso, principalmente na prevenção. Foram utilizados os seguintes termos de pesquisa no PubMed: [“drug addiction” AND “physical exercise” AND “prevention”] ou [“drug addiction prevention” AND “physical exercise]. Referências relevantes de publicações importantes e literatura cinzenta também foram procuradas para identificar citações adicionais para inclusão. Além disso, as referências dos artigos também foram revistas. Foram pesquisada evidências clínicas e pré-clínicas. De um modo geral pode-se afirmar que os utilizadores frequentes de drogas de abuso demonstraram melhorar a sua capacidade ou fitness, incluindo melhor aptidão e medidas emocionais, menores taxas de recaída e abstinência sustentada quando comparados com indivíduos que não fazem exercício. No que diz respeito à prevenção, o número de estudos é escasso e geralmente de má qualidade, nomeadamente ao nível clínico. Em geral, pode-se dizer que o exercício pode ajudar a prevenir a adicção com estimulantes, como as anfetaminas, ou depressivos, como os opióides. Os mecanismos neurobiológicos do exercício físico no tratamento da adicção parecem refletir uma interação de vários agentes, incluindo mediadores neuroquímicos, estresse oxidativo, neurogénese, gliogénese e disfunção da barreira hematoencefálica, conforme se deduz dos dados pré-clínicos e de alguns resultados clínicos. As intervenções baseadas no exercício, isoladamente ou como terapia adicional, podem ser uma ferramenta útil para tratar a dependência ou adicção a drogas de abuso.

This review aims to describe the current knowledge about physical exercise use on drug addiction management, principally in prevention. The following searching terms in PubMed were used: [“drug addiction” AND “physical exercise” AND “prevention”] or [“drug addiction prevention” AND “physical exercise]. Relevant references from key publications and gray literature were also reviewed to identify additional citations for inclusion. Also the references of articles were also reviewed. Preclinical and clinical evidence were searched. Overall, drug abusers demonstrated improvements, including better fitness and emotional measures, lower relapse rates, and sustained abstinence when compared to non-exercised individuals. Regarding prevention, the number of studies is scarce and generally of bad quality, namely at the clinical level. In general it could be said that exercise may help to prevent drug addiction with stimulants, like amphetamines, or depressants, like opioids. The neurobiological mechanisms of physical exercise in drug abusers management seem to reflect an interplay of several agents, including neurochemical mediators, oxidative stress, neurogenesis, gliogenesis, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction as disclosed by preclinical data and some clinical results. Exercise-based interventions alone or as an additional therapy may be a useful tool for managing drug addiction.This review aims to describe the current knowledge about physical exercise use on drug addiction management, principally in prevention. The following searching terms in PubMed were used: [“drug addiction” AND “physical exercise” AND “prevention”] or [“drug addiction prevention” AND “physical exercise]. Relevant references from key publications and gray literature were also reviewed to identify additional citations for inclusion. Also the references of articles were also reviewed. Preclinical and clinical evidence were searched. Overall, drug abusers demonstrated improvements, including better fitness and emotional measures, lower relapse rates, and sustained abstinence when compared to non-exercised individuals. Regarding prevention, the number of studies is scarce and generally of bad quality, namely at the clinical level. In general it could be said that exercise may help to prevent drug addiction with stimulants, like amphetamines, or depressants, like opioids. The neurobiological mechanisms of physical exercise in drug abusers management seem to reflect an interplay of several agents, including neurochemical mediators, oxidative stress, neurogenesis, gliogenesis, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction as disclosed by preclinical data and some clinical results. Exercise-based interventions alone or as an additional therapy may be a useful tool for managing drug addiction.