This study will aim to investigate the gut microbiota in Egyptian patients with opioid use disorders and correlate microbiota bacterial abundance with clinical data.

Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences. Pathological substance use disorders represent a major public health crisis with limited effective treatment options. Although the gut and brain are separate organs, they communicate with each other via trillions of intestinal bacteria that collectively make up one's gut microbiome. Findings from both humans and animals support a critical role of gut microbes in regulating brain function, mood, and behavior. Gut bacteria influence neural circuits that are notably affected in addiction-related behaviors. These include circuits involved in stress, reward, and motivation, with substance use influencing gut microbial abnormalities, suggesting significant gut-brain interactions in drug addiction.

The investigator will discuss this role of gut microbiome in Assuit university hospital to see how the pathogenesis can be altered of drug addiction.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Clinical and laboratory diagnosis of substance missuse.
2. Must be encountering withdrawal symptoms for the first time.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. An intelligence quotient (IQ) below 70.
2. Gastrointestinal diseases.

biological sex

Patients in the intoxication stage of addiction will be initially included and undergo a comprehensive psychiatric and medical assessment. This assessment will be repeated one month later when patients transition into the withdrawal stage, and finally, a follow-up assessment will occur three months later. On the other hand, healthy control group will be matched in age and gender will be recruited.