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"To nitrous oxide, chloroform gives way": Was Dr. W.J.A. DeLancey's poetic license in advertising…inspired? Elshazly Tarek B,Bause George S Journal of anesthesia history Born in New Hampshire but raised in Massachusetts, 14-year-old William J.A. DeLancey became "the man of the house" after the accidental death of his father. Amiable and good humored, young DeLancey supported his widowed mother and his three sisters until the girls all reached maturity. After he married, DeLancey moved to Illinois and took up dentistry, eventually settling in Centralia. Following anesthesia training back east at Manhattan's Colton Dental Association, DeLancey returned to Centralia. There he practiced the Coltonian method of testing freshly made nitrous oxide upon himself before using the gas upon patients. Before his training at Colton Dental, DeLancey had advertised in Centralia newspapers only in prose. After he began administering laughing gas to his patients and to himself, DeLancey waxed poetic and began advertising in heroic couplets in local newspapers. 10.1016/j.janh.2020.07.008
Associations of socio-demographic characteristics, well-being, school absenteeism, and substance use with recreational nitrous oxide use among adolescents: A cross-sectional study. van den Toren Suzanne J,van Grieken Amy,Raat Hein PloS one PURPOSE:A rapid increase of recreational nitrous oxide use (i.e. laughing gas, N2O) has been reported in several countries, while it has received limited attention in scientific research. We aimed to study the association of socio-demographic characteristics, mental well-being, sickness absence, truancy, and substance use with the frequency of lifetime nitrous oxide use among adolescents. METHODS:We used self-reported questionnaire data of adolescents (N = 555) attending secondary schools to cross-sectionally assess the frequency of nitrous oxide use and potential factors associated with nitrous oxide use, such as gender, mental well-being, and binge drinking. Ordinal logistic regression models were applied with lifetime nitrous oxide use (never, once, ≥ two times) as the outcome variable. RESULTS:Adolescents were on average 15.6 years old (SD = 0.83, range 14-18), 47.0% were female. In total, 86 (15.6%) adolescents had used nitrous oxide at least once in their life. In the multivariable ordinal regression model, the risk of having a higher category of lifetime nitrous oxide use was associated with a non-Dutch ethnic background (OR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.22; 3.61), attending pre-vocational education (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.06; 3.34), a higher score on the scale of externalizing problems (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.01; 1.20), binge drinking twice or more in the past four weeks (OR = 2.49, 95% CI 1.25; 4.94), and cannabis use (OR = 1.98, 95% CI 1.03; 3.79). CONCLUSIONS:Youth Health Care professionals should be aware of nitrous oxide use in adolescents, especially among adolescents with a non-Dutch ethnic background, lower education levels, externalizing problems, frequent binge drinking, and cannabis use. 10.1371/journal.pone.0247230
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) inhalation as an alternative to electroconvulsive therapy. Milne Brian Medical hypotheses Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used widely in the treatment of psychiatric conditions; however, its use is not without controversy with some recommending a moratorium on its clinical use. Complications and side effects of ECT include memory loss, injury, problems originating from sympathetic stimulation such as arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia and the risk of general anesthesia. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) could potentially substitute for ECT as it shares some similar effects, has potential beneficial properties for these psychiatric patients and is relatively safe and easy to administer. Nitrous oxide induces laughter which has been described as nature's epileptoid catharsis which one might surmise would be beneficial for depression. It also produces a central sympathetic stimulation similar to ECT and causes release of endogenous opioid peptides, which are potential candidates for the development of antidepressant drugs. Nitrous oxide is also associated with seizure like activity itself. Administration of nitrous oxide as a substitute for ECT is eminently feasible and could be given in a series of treatments similar to ECT therapy. 10.1016/j.mehy.2009.11.021
Problematic Use of Nitrous Oxide by Young Moroccan-Dutch Adults. Nabben Ton,Weijs Jelmer,van Amsterdam Jan International journal of environmental research and public health The recreational use of nitrous oxide (N2O; laughing gas) has largely expanded in recent years. Although incidental use of nitrous oxide hardly causes any health damage, problematic or heavy use of nitrous oxide can lead to serious adverse effects. Amsterdam care centres noticed that Moroccan-Dutch young adults reported neurological symptoms, including severe paralysis, as a result of problematic nitrous oxide use. In this qualitative exploratory study, thirteen young adult Moroccan-Dutch excessive nitrous oxide users were interviewed. The determinants of problematic nitrous oxide use in this ethnic group are discussed, including their low treatment demand with respect to nitrous oxide abuse related medical-psychological problems. Motives for using nitrous oxide are to relieve boredom, to seek out relaxation with friends and to suppress psychosocial stress and negative thoughts. Other motives are depression, discrimination and conflict with friends or parents. The taboo culture surrounding substance use-mistrust, shame and macho culture-frustrates timely medical/psychological treatment of Moroccan-Dutch problematic nitrous oxide users. It is recommended to use influencers in media campaigns with the aim to decrease the risks of heavy nitrous oxide use and improve treatment access. Outreach youth workers can also play an important role in motivating socially isolated users to seek medical and or psychological help. 10.3390/ijerph18115574
Rewarding Subjective Effects of the NMDAR Antagonist Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas) Are Moderated by Impulsivity and Depressive Symptoms in Healthy Volunteers. Kamboj Sunjeev K,Zhao Hannah,Troebinger Luzia,Piazza Giulia,Cawley Emma,Hennessy Vanessa,Iskandar Georges,Das Ravi K The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology BACKGROUND:Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an anesthetic gas with both therapeutic and abuse potential. Because N2O is an NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, its effects are expected to resemble those of the prototypical NMDAR antagonist, ketamine. In this study, we examined the subjective rewarding effects of N2O using measures previously employed in studies of ketamine. We also tested for moderation of these effects by bipolar phenotype, depressive symptoms, and impulsivity. METHODS:Healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to either 50% N2O (n = 40) or medical air (n = 40). Self-reported rewarding (liking and wanting), and alcohol-like effects were assessed pre-, peri- and post inhalation. RESULTS:Effect sizes for the various rewarding/alcohol-like effects of N2O were generally similar to those reported in studies of moderate-dose ketamine. Impulsivity moderated the subjective reinforcing (liking) effects of inhaled gas, while depressive symptoms moderated motivational (wanting [more]) effects. However, depression and impulsivity had opposite directional influences, such that higher impulsivity was associated with higher N2O liking, and higher depression, with lower N2O wanting. CONCLUSION:To the extent that static (versus longitudinal) subjective rewarding effects are a reliable indicator of future problematic drug use, our findings suggests that impulsivity and depression may predispose and protect, respectively, against N2O abuse. Future studies should examine if these moderators are relevant for other NMDAR antagonists, including ketamine, and novel ketamine-like therapeutic and recreational drugs. Similarities between moderate-dose N2O and moderate-dose ketamine in the intensity of certain subjective effects suggest that N2O may, at least to some extent, serve as substitute for ketamine as a safe and easily implemented experimental tool for probing reward-related NMDAR function and dysfunction in humans. 10.1093/ijnp/pyab009
Nitrous Oxide-Induced Neuropathy among Recreational Users in Vietnam. Dang Xuan Thi,Nguyen Thanh Xuan,Nguyen Thu Thi Hoai,Ha Hung Tran International journal of environmental research and public health Nitrous oxide (NO) commonly referred to as laughing gas, has significant medical uses. This study aims to describe the neurological disorders associated with NO. We conducted across-sectional study that enrolled patients with nitrous oxide toxicity admitted to Vietnam Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam from June 2018 to July 2019. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics, characteristics of using NO, signs and clinical symptoms, neuroimaging findings, injury on electromyography (EMG) and the Total Neuropathy Score clinical version (TNSc) criteria. A total of 47 participants were included with mean age: 24.38 ± 6.20 years. The number of balloons used per week was 130.59 ± 117.43. The mean duration of NO exposure was 8.79 ± 7.1 months. Multivariate linear logistic regression revealed that the number of NO balloons used per week was significantly associated with TNSc point (Beta: 0.315; 95% CI: 0.001-0.022). We found that myeloneuropathy and peripheral neuropathy were the main neurological disorders related to NO abuse, which should improve the awareness of the appearance of neurological disorders associated with NO abuse. 10.3390/ijerph18126230