Feature Channels: Addiction

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25-Jan-2016 9:05 AM EST
Incidence of Psychiatric Disorders Has Increased in a Shrinking Population of Smokers
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and New York State Psychiatric Institute have found that while cigarette smoking rates have declined among younger people in the United States, those who do smoke are more likely to have a psychiatric or substance use disorder compared with those who began smoking in earlier decades.

Released: 22-Jan-2016 1:05 PM EST
Discrimination, Alcohol and Tobacco Linked to Panic Attacks in Minorities
University of Alabama at Birmingham

A UAB study found that minority Americans who encounter discriminatory sentiments and actions are more likely to experience panic attacks, and smoking or consuming excessive amounts of alcohol were also identified as factors.

Released: 20-Jan-2016 1:05 PM EST
Study Finds Opioid Prescriptions Down at Temple University Hospital
Temple University

The implementation of a voluntary prescribing guideline aims to reduce addiction to and overdose from addictive painkillers.

14-Jan-2016 6:00 AM EST
New Evidence in Mice That Cocaine Makes Brain Cells Cannibalize Themselves
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Working with mice, researchers have contributed significant new evidence to support the idea that high doses of cocaine kill brain cells by triggering overactive autophagy, a process in which cells literally digest their own insides. Their results, moreover, bring with them a possible antidote.

Released: 15-Jan-2016 12:05 PM EST
Drug Curbs Marijuana Use, but with Tough Side Effects
Brown University

Combining the drug topiramate with psychological counseling curbed marijuana use among young smokers significantly more than did counseling alone, according to newly published results of a small randomized, controlled trial at Brown University. The results come with a caveat, however: many study volunteers couldn't tolerate the medicine's side effects.

Released: 13-Jan-2016 2:05 PM EST
Flipping Molecular ‘Switch’ May Reduce Nicotine’s Effects in the Brain
Scripps Research Institute

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered that a lipid (fat molecule) in brain cells may act as a “switch” to increase or decrease the motivation to consume nicotine.

Released: 12-Jan-2016 4:05 PM EST
Cocaine Addiction: Scientists Discover 'Back Door' Into the Brain
University of Cambridge

Individuals addicted to cocaine may have difficulty in controlling their addiction because of a previously-unknown 'back door' into the brain, circumventing their self-control, suggests a new study led by the University of Cambridge.

Released: 12-Jan-2016 10:05 AM EST
Long-Term Opioid Use Associated with Increased Risk of Depression
Saint Louis University Medical Center

Opioids may cause short-term improvement in mood, but long-term use imposes risk of new-onset depression, a Saint Louis University study shows.

Released: 11-Jan-2016 9:55 AM EST
Study: Adolescents Who Find E-Cigarette Ads Effective Are More Likely to Try Them
RTI International

Adolescents are more likely to say they will try electronic cigarettes if they perceive TV ads for these products as effective, according to a new study by RTI International researchers.

23-Dec-2015 11:05 AM EST
Liver Hormone Works Through Brain’s Reward Pathway to Reduce Preference for Sweets, Alcohol
UT Southwestern Medical Center

A liver hormone works via the brain’s reward pathway to reduce cravings for sweets and alcohol in mammals, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

   
Released: 21-Dec-2015 2:05 PM EST
Wired for Gaming: Brain Differences in Compulsive Video Game Players
University of Utah Health

Brain scans from nearly 200 adolescent boys provide evidence that the brains of compulsive video game players are wired differently. Chronic video game play is associated with hyperconnectivity between several pairs of brain networks. Some of the changes are predicted to help game players respond to new information. Other changes are associated with distractibility and poor impulse control. The new findings, a collaborative effort between the University of Utah School of Medicine, and Chung-Ang University in South Korea, were published online in Addiction Biology on Dec. 21, 2015.

Released: 18-Dec-2015 2:05 PM EST
Teens with Fewer Mental Health Issues Turn to e-Cigarettes
University of Southern California (USC)

Adolescents with moderate emotional health problems do not smoke, but they may vape, USC study finds.

Released: 18-Dec-2015 1:05 PM EST
An App to Digitally Detox From Smartphone Addiction: Lock n' LOL
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

KAIST researchers have developed an application that helps people restrain themselves from using smartphones during meetings or social gatherings.

7-Dec-2015 7:00 PM EST
Genes Influence Choice Between Small Rewards Now or Bigger Ones Later
Washington University in St. Louis

Opting for smaller rewards immediately instead of waiting for bigger payoffs later is associated with problems such as impulsive behavior and addiction to food, drugs and alcohol. Washington University School of Medicine researchers are reporting that such decision-making tendencies have a genetic link to brain pathways that underlie those disorders.

Released: 7-Dec-2015 3:00 PM EST
Fighting Prescription Painkiller Abuse Among Baby Boomers
University at Buffalo

Prescription opioid abuse has reached epidemic proportions, but new research led by UB psychiatric nursing researcher Yu-Ping Chang found motivational interviewing, a form of behavioral counseling, is an effective tool at curbing misuse.

Released: 3-Dec-2015 9:05 AM EST
From Popping Pills to Using Heroin: NYU Study Finds Three-Quarters of High School Heroin Users Started with Prescription Opioids
New York University

The study is among the first nationally representative studies in the US to examine the linkages between nonmedical use of opioids and heroin in high school seniors. The researchers examined associations between frequency and recency of nonmedical use of opioids and heroin. Sociodemographic correlates of use of each drug were also examined.

25-Nov-2015 11:05 AM EST
Higher Cigarette Taxes Linked to Fewer Infant Deaths
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Higher taxes and prices for cigarettes are strongly associated with lower infant mortality rates in the United States, according to a new study from Vanderbilt University and the University of Michigan released Dec. 1 in the journal Pediatrics.

Released: 19-Nov-2015 11:05 AM EST
TSRI Scientists Awarded $1.6 Million Grant to Bring Heroin Vaccine Closer to the Clinic
Scripps Research Institute

The two-year, $1.6 million grant, which comes with the possibility of an additional three years of funding, will support preclinical studies of a potential heroin vaccine.

   
Released: 17-Nov-2015 7:05 PM EST
Research Explores How ‘Deviant’ Messages Flood Social Media
University of Arkansas at Little Rock

From terrorist propaganda distributed by organizations such as ISIS, to political activism, diverse voices now use social media as their major public platform. Organizations deploy bots — virtual, automated posters — as well as enormous paid “armies” of human posters or trolls, and hacking schemes to overwhelmingly infiltrate the public platform with their message. A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor of information science has been awarded a grant to continue his research that will provide an in-depth understanding of the major propagators of viral, insidious content and the methods that make them successful.

Released: 17-Nov-2015 10:05 AM EST
URI Pharmacy Researcher Developing Nicotine Vaccine, Novel Drug Delivery System
University of Rhode Island

A URI researcher is developing a nicotine vaccine and accompanying drug delivery system that he believes could lead to one of the most effective methods of combating cigarette smoking and other tobacco use.

12-Nov-2015 1:05 PM EST
Public Health Leaders Urge Far-Reaching Reforms to Curb Prescription Opioid Epidemic
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

A group of experts, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, today issued recommendations aimed at stemming the prescription opioid epidemic, a crisis that kills an average of 44 people a day in the U.S.

Released: 12-Nov-2015 5:05 PM EST
Kicking an Addiction? Replace It with Joy, UCLA Expert Advises in New Book
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A new workbook by a UCLA expert in recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction lays out an array of approaches, including one that emphasizes looking for enjoyment in all the right places.

6-Nov-2015 9:05 AM EST
Prescription Painkillers Source of Addiction for Most Women
McMaster University

More than half (52%) of women and a third (38%) of men reported doctor-prescribed painkillers as their first contact with opioid drugs, a family of drugs which include prescription medicines such OxyContin and codeine, as well as illicit drugs such as heroin.

Released: 9-Nov-2015 11:05 AM EST
New Enzyme Therapy Shows Proof of Concept as Treatment for Cocaine Overdose
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)

A long-acting enzyme that rapidly and safely metabolizes cocaine in the blood stream is currently being investigated in animal models as a possible treatment for cocaine overdose. This research is being presented Oct. 29 at the 2015 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exposition, the world’s largest pharmaceutical sciences meeting in Orlando, Fla. Oct. 25–29.

Released: 3-Nov-2015 3:05 PM EST
Kicking Substance Addiction in Teens: Tobacco Dependence Should Be Treated with Same Urgency as Other Drugs, Study Says
University of Georgia

Substance abuse treatments that target main issues such as serious drug and alcohol addiction are not frequently being used to also wean adolescents from tobacco, a University of Georgia study finds.

26-Oct-2015 6:30 PM EDT
On the Rise: Painkiller Abusers Who Also Use Heroin​
Washington University in St. Louis

Drug abusers are not completely abandoning prescription opioids for heroin, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Instead, many use the two concurrently based on their availability. The findings also reveal regional variations in the use of heroin and prescription painkillers.

Released: 27-Oct-2015 2:05 PM EDT
New Finding Helps Explain Why Many Alcohol Drinkers Also Are Smokers
University of Missouri Health

Alcohol and nicotine use have long been known to go hand in hand. Previous research shows that more than 85 percent of U.S. adults who are alcohol-dependent also are nicotine-dependent. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found that nicotine cancels out the sleep-inducing effects of alcohol. It’s a finding that sheds light on the reason alcohol and nicotine usage are so closely linked.

Released: 22-Oct-2015 9:05 AM EDT
Researcher Finds Key Clues About “Betel Nut” Addiction That Plagues Millions Worldwide
University of Florida

For hundreds of millions of people around the world, chewing betel nut produces a cheap, quick high but also raises the risk of addiction and oral cancer. Now, new findings by a University of Florida Health researcher reveal how the nut’s psychoactive chemical works in the brain and suggest that an addiction treatment may already exist.

15-Oct-2015 5:05 PM EDT
Brief Interventions in Primary Care Clinics Could Curb Patients’ Drug Use
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A few minutes of counseling in a primary care setting could help steer people away from risky drug use, and possibly full-fledged addiction. In a clinical trial called Project QUIT, researchers found that this sort of intervention helped patients reduce their risky drug use by one-third.

Released: 14-Oct-2015 5:05 PM EDT
Washu Expert: Time for Tobacco-State Politicians to Make ‘Adult Choice’ on Pacific Trade Agreement
Washington University in St. Louis

If Republican senators from tobacco-growing southern states believe in social responsibility, they would fully explore the TransPacific (TPP) trade agreement’s potential impact on countries around the world — including provisions that influence the ability of American tobacco corporations to flood the globe with cheap, cancer-causing cigarettes — suggests the author of a book on the history, social costs and global politics of the tobacco industry.

9-Oct-2015 11:05 AM EDT
Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use Disorders, Deaths Increase in the U.S.
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

From 2003 to 2013, the percentage of nonmedical use of prescription opioids decreased among adults in the U.S., while the prevalence of prescription opioid use disorders, frequency of use, and related deaths increased, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA.

9-Oct-2015 11:05 AM EDT
Substance Abuse Treatment Remains Low for Opioid Use Disorders
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

During the decade from 2004 to 2013, use of treatment remained low for individuals with opioid use disorders, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA.

Released: 7-Oct-2015 10:00 AM EDT
Many Use Prescription Painkillers, Most See Abuse as Major Health Concern
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

More than one in four Americans has taken prescription painkillers in the past year, even as a majority say that abuse of these medications is a very serious public health concern, according to new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research.

Released: 6-Oct-2015 8:05 AM EDT
Warning Labels Should Be Introduced to Prevent Digital Addiction
Bournemouth University

Labels and messages could encourage responsible use of digital devices and raise awareness of potential side effects.

2-Oct-2015 5:00 PM EDT
Compulsive Texting Associated with Poorer School Performance Among Adolescent Girls, Study Finds
American Psychological Association (APA)

Teenage girls who compulsively text are more likely than their male counterparts to do worse academically, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

Released: 5-Oct-2015 8:00 AM EDT
New Directory Features Sources of Help for Psychiatric and Addiction Treatment
National Association for Behavioral Healthcare

The NAPHS Membership Directory is a comprehensive referral resource providing information on the nation’s behavioral healthcare systems.

Released: 2-Oct-2015 3:05 PM EDT
Online E-Cigarette Vendors Engage Customers Using Popular Internet Tools
UC San Diego Health

First introduced in the United States in 2007, electronic cigarettes have risen dramatically in part because they are popularly considered safer and more socially acceptable than combustible cigarettes and because there are fewer restrictions on their purchase and use. A study by University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, points to aggressive online marketing tactics that make purchasing e-cigarettes easy for all ages.

29-Sep-2015 7:05 PM EDT
Cutting Nicotine Key to Helping Smokers Quit
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Two decades after a UCSF researcher proposed that reducing nicotine in cigarettes as a national regulatory policy might facilitate quitting, a new study he co-authored has added to a body of evidence that indicates that doing just that may accomplish this goal.

Released: 23-Sep-2015 3:05 PM EDT
Wayne State to Train Social Workers and Nurses New Approaches in Substance Abuse Screening
Wayne State University Division of Research

Wayne State University has been awarded a three-year, $945,000 grant from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to train 100 undergraduate and graduate students each year in Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT).

18-Sep-2015 6:05 PM EDT
Around the World, Those Treated for Addiction Far More Likely to Smoke
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Review of studies from 20 countries indicates that tobacco use is not addressed in substance abuse treatment programs, says UCSF professor

Released: 22-Sep-2015 11:05 AM EDT
Scripps Florida Scientists Identify a Key Morphine Regulator that May Reduce Risk of Pain-Killer Abuse and Addiction
Scripps Research Institute

A new study from The Scripps Research Institute has shown that a specific molecule controls morphine receptor signaling in a small group of brain cells. The findings could lead to a new drug target for developing less-addictive pain medications.

Released: 21-Sep-2015 3:05 PM EDT
Substance Abuse Recovery Odds Increase in a Community Setting
DePaul University

Following substance abuse treatment, individuals who live in a collaborative housing setting with community rules and responsibilities have their substance abuse treated more effectively than those not provided supportive housing, according to research led by Leonard Jason, a community psychologist at DePaul University.

Released: 16-Sep-2015 5:30 PM EDT
Psychology Research Links Distress to Perceived Internet Pornography Addiction
Case Western Reserve University

A study of Internet pornography users suggests a person’s own feeling of being addicted to online pornography drives mental health distress, not the pornography itself. Researcher Joshua Grubbs, a doctoral candidate at Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Psychological Sciences, said the finding adds a fresh perspective to commonly held concerns that Internet pornography can be a threat to mental health. The research, funded by the John Templeton Foundation, suggests that feeling addicted to Internet pornography is associated with depression, anger, and anxiety, but that actual use of pornography is not.

Released: 3-Sep-2015 3:05 PM EDT
Expert: Nine Tips To Help You Break Away From Your Smartphone
Baylor University

You’ve tried to escape it. You really have. But, the constant stream of dings and buzzes from incoming texts and emails are just too much to take. And, before you know it, you’re scanning your smartphone. Again. Can the cycle be broken? Can people really put down their smartphones?

Released: 2-Sep-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Reward, Aversion Behaviors Activated Through Same Brain Pathways
Washington University in St. Louis

New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may help explain why drug treatments for addiction and depression don’t work for some patients. The conditions are linked to reward and aversion responses in the brain. And the research suggests that some treatments simultaneously stimulate reward and aversion responses, resulting in a net zero effect.

Released: 27-Aug-2015 8:45 AM EDT
Expert: In Wake of Obama’s Heroin Initiative, New Treatment Options Are Needed
BioDelivery Sciences International Inc.

Expert can discuss the need to address the issue of heroin and prescription opioid abuse by developing innovative medical treatments. Specifically, he can describe the features and benefits of an inside-the-cheek format of buprenorphine for the maintenance treatment of opioid addiction.

Released: 18-Aug-2015 11:05 AM EDT
Surge in Heroin Use Tied to Prescription Opioid Abuse, According to CDC
Texas A&M University

Heroin use has increased 63 percent over the last 10 years according to (CDC). That increase, according to the agency, is closely tied to the growing abuse of prescription opioids such as oxycodone (Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin) and codeine. An alarming 45 percent of Americans addicted to heroin are also addicted to prescription opioids.

Released: 17-Aug-2015 2:05 PM EDT
Smoking Cessation Drug Not Boosting Number of Smokers Who Quit
UC San Diego Health

The introduction of a new prescription smoking-cessation aid, varenicline, in 2006 has had no significant impact on the rate at which Americans age 18 and older successfully quit smoking, according to a study led by researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.



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