The third collection consisted of 197 subjects obtained from the ‘Manhattan HIV Brain Bank’ longitudinal clinical cohort. DSM-IV diagnoses of opiate dependence were obtained by administration of the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders.22 This semi-structured interview allows thorough elucidation of alcohol and substance consumption patterns from initial use. Additionally, urine toxicology for illicit substances were performed at 6-month intervals; subjects who did not self-report dependence, but chronically displayed positive urine toxicology for illicit opiates were considered dependent. Controls were individuals with no DSM-IV opiate dependency and negative toxicology for illicit opiates. For opiate dependents, other substances included cocaine (72%), cannabis (32%) and alcohol (60%); for controls, alcohol (21%). We studied 88 controls (52 males, 36 females; average age 44.4±9.5) and 109 opiate addicts (61 males, 48 females; average age 44.3±6.8). Race and ethnicity were determined by self-report; for the purposes of this study, Hispanics self-identifying as Black were characterized as African American, and those identifying as White were characterized as Caucasian. Racially, 48% percent of the population was African American and 45% Caucasian. See Supplemental Table 2 for full population information.
