Inflammatory, oxidative stress and cognitive functions in patients under maintenance treatment with methadone or buprenorphine and healthy subjects

• Published in: Journal of clinical neuroscience Vol. 101; pp. 57 - 62
• Main Authors: Arezoomandan, Mohammad, Zhiani, Rahele, Mehrzad, Jamshid, Motavalizadehkakhky, Alireza, Eshrati, Sahar, Arezoomandan, Reza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scotland Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2022
• Subjects: Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Antioxidants; Buprenorphine; Buprenorphine - pharmacology; Buprenorphine - therapeutic use; C-Reactive Protein; Cognition; Cognitive function; Ferritins; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Maintenance treatment; Methadone; Methadone - therapeutic use; Opioids; Oxidative Stress; Oxidative stress; Methadone; Buprenorphine; Cognitive function; Maintenance treatment; Opioids
• ISSN: 0967-5868; 1532-2653; 1532-2653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2022.04.018

•MMP and BMP showed cognitive impairment compared to healthy participants.•MMP and BMP had severe oxidative stress and inflammation compared to healthy participants.•BMP showed higher oxidative stress compared to the MMP.•The level of inflammation was higher in MMP compared to the BMP.•Executive function was significantly correlated with oxidative-antioxidant status. Methadone and buprenorphine which are widely used for opioid maintenance treatment can affect redox status and also brain functions. The present study aimed to compare inflammation, oxidative stress, and cognitive function in methadone maintenance patients (MMP), buprenorphine maintenance patients (BMP), and healthy participants. Oxidative- antioxidant markers, inflammatory factors were investigated in MMP (n = 30), BMP (n = 30), and healthy participants (n = 30) by evaluating the ferritin, malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and also High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Also, executive function was evaluated using Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). MMP and BMP showed impairment in executive function compared to the healthy participants. Both buprenorphine and methadone treatments induced oxidative stress. The ferritin level in BMP was significantly lower compared to MMP and healthy participants (P = 0.01). There was a significant difference between control and MMP and BMP (P > 0.0001) in terms of hs-CRP level. BMP had the highest and healthy participant’s lowest MDA level (P < 0.001). The TAC levels in BMP were lower than in MMP (p = 0.002) and healthy participants (p = 0.001). Finally, executive function was significantly correlated with oxidative-antioxidant status. Both methadone and buprenorphine induced severe oxidative activity (especially buprenorphine) and cognitive deficits compared to healthy participants. Stress oxidative can affect normal brain activity and consequently cognitive functions. It’s suggested that concomitant antioxidant administration with buprenorphine or methadone can potentially enhance their beneficial action by regulating blood redox status.