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Activating brain region could revive the urge to socialize among opioid addicts

One of the many painful and challenging aspects of the US opioid crisis is that people abusing opioids often isolate themselves from family and friends, making it difficult for loved ones to help people on a path towards recovery.

10 Dec 2018

Neuronal activity in the brain allows prediction of risky or safe decisions

Full risk or preferably the safe option? Based on the neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, it is possible to predict what action will be chosen next: If the activity of specific neurons remains low, a risk will be taken again at the next opportunity.

9 Dec 2018

Study reveals why some children are susceptible to the effects of maltreatment

People who experience childhood maltreatment frequently have perturbations in their brain architecture, regardless of whether they develop psychiatric symptoms, but a study in Biological Psychiatry found additional alterations in people who don't develop symptoms.

6 Dec 2018

Brown researchers awarded $12 million NIH grant renewal to explore fundamentals of brain function

Brown University's Center for Central Nervous System Function, part of the Carney Institute for Brain Science, has been awarded a $12 million grant renewal from the National Institutes of Health's Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence program.

3 Dec 2018

Increasing mental health problems related to drug use in over 55's

Reports have shown that individuals aged over 45 years are increasingly being admitted to hospitals with mental health problems related to drug use. The number of admissions due to mental health problems and behavioural problems associated with drug use, were 638 in 2007/8 and have now come to 1,182 says the report.

3 Dec 2018

Researchers identify inconspicuous protein as key to aggressive blood cancer

Five percent of acute leukemia cases are diagnosed as mixed lineage leukemia. MLL is an aggressive blood cancer that predominantly occurs in infants and has been difficult to treat.

29 Nov 2018

First-of-its-kind undertaking to study genetic, biological factors that contribute to development of opioid use disorder

The Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Cooper University Health Care and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) are launching the Camden Opioid Research Initiative (CORI), a first-of-its-kind undertaking to investigate the genetic and biological factors that contribute to the development of opioid use disorder (also referred to as opioid dependence or addiction).

29 Nov 2018

Study estimates economic impact of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a common condition with a high economic impact in both children and adults, concludes an updated review in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

29 Nov 2018

Scientists identify clues to brain changes in depression

In new pre-clinical research, scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, led by Scott Thompson, PhD, Professor of Physiology, have identified changes in brain activity linked to the pleasure and reward system.

28 Nov 2018

Surgery and addictions counseling associated with reduced mortality in injection drug users with endocarditis

Cases of endocarditis - infection of the heart valves - have risen dramatically in recent years as a result of the opioid crisis. In London, Ontario 55 per cent of people who experience heart valve infections are injection drug users. They are particularly vulnerable to the disease and a third die as a result.

27 Nov 2018

Cannabis use among teens does not appear to lead to greater conduct problems, study finds

More youth use cannabis than smoke cigarettes in the United States. In other parts of the world, cannabis use has become almost as regular as tobacco use among adolescents and young adults.

27 Nov 2018

Recently diagnosed cancer patients more likely to drink alcohol and use tobacco, finds study

Recently diagnosed cancer survivors are more likely to drink alcohol, use tobacco, and frequent tanning beds than people in later stages of recovery, according to a research team from the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

27 Nov 2018

Study finds genetic links between alcohol dependence and psychiatric disorders

In the largest study of genetic factors linked to alcohol dependence, an international team of researchers identified a gene known to affect risk, and they determined that many other genes also contribute to risk for alcohol dependence to a lesser degree.

26 Nov 2018

Nonprofit bets Asian-American students can learn to avoid unhealthy gambling

The students listened attentively as Ryan Wong explained how casinos keep customers chasing that elusive jackpot.

26 Nov 2018

Brain imaging study reveals 'hot spot' for cue-reactivity in substance users

When patients with dependence on alcohol, cocaine or nicotine are shown drug cues, or images related to the substance, an area of their brain known as the medial prefrontal cortex shows increased activity, report investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina in an article published online September 7, 2018 in Translational Psychiatry.

21 Nov 2018

Sugary drinks may be addictive and are harmful to health, study suggests

Just as we might have guessed, those tasty, sugar-sweetened beverages that increase risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases may actually be addictive.

21 Nov 2018

Survey: Misconceptions about opioid use undermine pain control among Asian cancer patients

Misconceptions about the use of strong opioids showed to undermine optimal pain control among Asian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy according to a cross-sectional survey conducted at the Sarawak General Hospital in Malaysia.

21 Nov 2018

Individuals identified as lesbian, gay more likely to misuse opioids than heterosexual

Men and women who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are more likely to misuse opioids when compared with those who identify as heterosexual, a new study shows.

19 Nov 2018

Surprising discovery about BH4 may rekindle interest in once-promising pathway

In 2013, renowned Boston Children's Hospital pain researcher Clifford Woolf, MB, BCh, PhD, and chemist Kai Johnsson, PhD, his fellow co-founder at Quartet Medicine, believed they held the key to non-narcotic pain relief.

19 Nov 2018

Artificial intelligence could be valuable tool to help young victims disclose traumatic testimony

When children are victims of crimes, the legal testimony they provide is known as forensic interviews. However, since victims are often traumatized and potentially abused by their caregivers they can be reluctant to come forward with accusations or disclose relevant information.

16 Nov 2018

Addiction News and Research

Activating brain region could revive the urge to socialize among opioid addicts

Neuronal activity in the brain allows prediction of risky or safe decisions

Study reveals why some children are susceptible to the effects of maltreatment

Brown researchers awarded $12 million NIH grant renewal to explore fundamentals of brain function

Increasing mental health problems related to drug use in over 55's

Researchers identify inconspicuous protein as key to aggressive blood cancer

First-of-its-kind undertaking to study genetic, biological factors that contribute to development of opioid use disorder

Study estimates economic impact of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Scientists identify clues to brain changes in depression

Surgery and addictions counseling associated with reduced mortality in injection drug users with endocarditis

Cannabis use among teens does not appear to lead to greater conduct problems, study finds

Recently diagnosed cancer patients more likely to drink alcohol and use tobacco, finds study

Study finds genetic links between alcohol dependence and psychiatric disorders

Nonprofit bets Asian-American students can learn to avoid unhealthy gambling

Brain imaging study reveals 'hot spot' for cue-reactivity in substance users

Sugary drinks may be addictive and are harmful to health, study suggests

Survey: Misconceptions about opioid use undermine pain control among Asian cancer patients

Individuals identified as lesbian, gay more likely to misuse opioids than heterosexual

Surprising discovery about BH4 may rekindle interest in once-promising pathway

Artificial intelligence could be valuable tool to help young victims disclose traumatic testimony

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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