Dr. Darshan Singh Mahinder Singh
DR. DARSHAN SINGH MAHINDER SINGH Contact Information: |
Research
My key research area is on the abuse of psychotropic substances, addiction treatment and harm-reduction prevention. My research interests include studying the long-term effects of ketum (Mitragyna speciosa) use in ketum users, identifying methadone treatment barriers, assessing risky injection and sexual behaviours of amphetamine-type-stimulants (amphetamine/methamphetamine) users, determining treatment needs of female-drug users, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of evidence-based harm reduction programs such as methadone therapy and needle-exchange program. I also conduct research to monitor the current trends and health and social issues related to the drug abuse situation in the country. My research basically involves out-of-treatment heroin, ATS, ketamine, poly-drug users and people who used New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). I am also proactively involved in University-Community engagement programs targeting communities plagued with substance abuse problems. My research aims to determine the social, health and economic impact of drug use on the quality-of-life of drug users.
Current Research Project:
- Risky sexual and criminal behaviours of amphetamine type stimulant (ATS) users in Penang
- Barriers to treatment compliance among patients in Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) Program in Malaysia
- Opiate treatment barriers and risky sexual behaviours of female drug users (FDUs) in Malaysia
- Risky behaviours and psychological problems in pil kuda (ATS) users in Kelantan
- Behavioural characteristics and cognitive evaluation in ketum (Mitragyna speciosa) users in Malaysia
People
Current PhD student (as main supervisor)
- Nadiah Mohd Saref
- Norazlin Mohd Saref
Current Masters students (as main supervisor)
- Charles George Gajim
- Harinderan A/L Krishnan
- Normazaini Mohd Noor
- Ruzmayuddin Mamat
Publications
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (FROM 2010)
- Leong Bin Abdullah M.F.I, Singh, D., Vicknasingam, B.K. 2018. Case report of recreational Lysergic-Aciddiethylamide (LSD) use In Malaysia. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 19(1), 21-23.
- Singh, D., Narayanan, S., Müller, C.P., Swogger, M.T., Rahim, A.A., Leong Bin Abdullah M.F.I., Vicknasingam, B.K. (2018) Severity of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) psychological withdrawal symptoms. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2018 Aug 28:1-6. doi: 10.1080/02791072.2018.1511879. [Epub ahead of print]
- Vicknasingam, B., Narayanan, S., Singh, D., Chawarski, M. (2018) Decriminalization of drug use. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2018 May 8. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000429. [Epub ahead of print]
- Singh, D., Murugaiyah, V., Hamid, S.B.S., Kasinather, V., Chan, M.S.A., Ho, E.T.W., Grundmann, O., Chear, N.J.Y., Mansor, S.M. (2018) Assessment of gonadotropins and testosterone hormone levels in regular Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) users. J Ethnopharmacol., 221, 30-36
- Singh, D., Narayanan, S., Vicknasingam, B.K., Prozialeck, W.C., Ramanathan, S., Zainal, H., Harun, S.N. (2018) Severity of Pain and Sleep Problems during Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) Cessation among regular kratom users. J Psychoactive Drugs., 20, 1.
- Singh, D., Müller, C.P., Murugaiyah, V., Hamid, S.B.S., Vicknasingam, B.K., Avery, B., Chear, N.J.Y., Mansor, S.M. (2018) Evaluating the hematological and clinical-chemistry parameters of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) users in Malaysia. J Ethnopharmacol., 214, 197.
- Hassan, Z., Bosch, O.G., Singh, D., Narayanan, S., Kasinather, B.V., Seifritz, E., Kornhuber, J., Quednow, B.B., Müller, C.P. (2017) Novel Psychoactive Substances-Recent Progress on Neuropharmacological Mechanisms of Action for Selected Drugs. Front Psychiatry, 8, 152.
- Singh, D., Narayanan, S., Vicknasingam, B., Corazza, O., Santacroce, R., Roman-Urrestarazu, A. (2017) Changing trends in the use of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) in Southeast Asia. Hum Psychopharmacol., doi: 10.1002/hup.2582.
- Singh, D., Narayanan, S., Vicknasingam, B. (2016) Traditional and non-traditional uses of Mitragynine (Kratom): A survey of the literature. Brain Res Bull., 126 (Pt 1), 41-46.
- Suppiah, B., Vicknasingam, B., Singh, D., Narayanan, S. (2016) Erectile dysfunction among people who use ketamine and poly-drugs. J Psychoactive Drugs, 48 (2), 86-92.
- Cinosi, E., Martinotti, G., Singh, D., Demetrovics, Z., Roman-Urrestarazu, A., Bersani, F.S., Vicknasingam, B., Piazzon, G., Li, J.H., Yu, W.J., Kapitány-Fövény, M., Farkas, J., Di Giannantonio, M., Corazza, O. (2015) Following “the roots” of Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa): The evolution of an enhancer from a traditional use to increase work and productivity in South-East Asia to a recreational psychoactive drug in Western Countries. BioMed Res Int., Article ID 968786.
- Vicknasingam, B., Narayanan, S., Singh, D. (2015) The rise of groin injection among opiate drug users in Malaysia. International Journal of Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders, 1 (3), 142-152.
- Vicknasingam, B., Dazali., M.N., Singh, D., Schottenfeld, R.S., Chawarski, M.C. (2015) Buprenorphine/naloxone treatment practices in Malaysia: Results of national survey of physician and patients. Drug Alcohol Depend., 152, 164-169.
- Singh, D., Müller, C.P., Vicknasingam B.K., Mansor, S.M. (2015) Social-functioning of Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) users in Malaysia. J Psychoactive Drugs, 47 (2), 125-131.
- Singh, D., Müller C.P., Vicknasingam B.K. (2014) Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) dependence, withdrawal symptoms and craving in regular users. Drug Alcohol Depend., 139, 132-137.
- Singh, D., Chawarski, M.C., Schottenfeld, R., Vicknasingam, B. (2013) Substance abuse and HIV situation in Malaysia. J Food Drug Anal., 21 (4), S46-51.
Selected Reports (from 2010)
- Most-at-risk children in central Kuala Lumpur; What do they think and know about risk? Report for UNICEF Malaysia (2013) Assisted principal investigator in data collection and data analysis.
- A study of most-at-risk women in urban Kuala Lumpur. Report for UNICEF Malaysia (2013) Assisted principal investigator in data collection and data analysis.
- Prepared report for ‘Kertas Cadangan Bagi Membangunkan Model Holistik Terbaik Program Pendidikan Inklusif Untuk Malaysia’. Report prepared for Ministry of Education (2013).
- The informal use of Kratom among the local masses in the northern states of Malaysia (2010) Assisted principal investigator in data collection and drafting manuscript for publication.
Published Abstract
- Cinosi, E., Simonato, P., Singh, D., Bersani, F.S., Piazzon, G., Lupi, M., Marini, S., Kapitány-Fövény, M., Farkas, J., Demetrovics, Z., Roman-Urrestarazu, A., Vicknasingam, B., Li, J.H., Yu, W.J., Santacroce, R., Acciavatti, T., Martinotti, G., Di Giannantonio, M., Corazza, O. (2016) A comprehensive overview on Kratom. European Psychiatry, 33, S354-S355.
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