Feature Channels: Drugs and Drug Abuse

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Newswise: Dysregulation of the Brain’s Reward Learning System Is Identified by Scientists as a Potential Driver and Treatment Target for Cocaine Addiction
24-Oct-2023 11:40 AM EDT
Dysregulation of the Brain’s Reward Learning System Is Identified by Scientists as a Potential Driver and Treatment Target for Cocaine Addiction
Mount Sinai Health System

A Mount Sinai-led team of researchers has shed new light on the ways in which cocaine addiction dysregulates the normal function of dopamine neurons and thus the brain’s ability to process and respond to reward-related information, making it more difficult for individuals to change their addictive behaviors.

Not for public release

This news release is embargoed until 23-Oct-2023 5:00 PM EDT Released to reporters: 17-Oct-2023 2:00 PM EDT

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Released: 19-Oct-2023 2:05 PM EDT
UC Irvine study reveals surge in use of weight loss-linked drugs in California health system
University of California, Irvine

In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers from the University of California, Irvine have discovered an extraordinary surge in the utilization of weight loss-associated GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of medications commonly used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and obesity, that is poised to accelerate, based on emerging clinical evidence.

Newswise: URI, UMass Chan Medical School researchers developing high-tech armband to help people with opioid-use disorder
Released: 19-Oct-2023 12:05 PM EDT
URI, UMass Chan Medical School researchers developing high-tech armband to help people with opioid-use disorder
University of Rhode Island

The opioid epidemic has continued unabated since its start in the 1990s. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 280,000 people in the U.S, died from overdoses involving prescription opioids from 1999 to 2021.

Newswise: 25 years of Herceptin: A groundbreaking advancement in breast cancer treatment
Released: 19-Oct-2023 11:05 AM EDT
25 years of Herceptin: A groundbreaking advancement in breast cancer treatment
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Herceptin has saved millions of women’s lives by targeting cancer at its genetic roots. In this interview, Dr. Slamon talks about the paradigm-shifting approach to cancer treatment and how the discovery has opened up an entirely new area of research.

Released: 17-Oct-2023 1:05 PM EDT
Rockland Launches Novel Analytical Tools to Assess Drug Delivery: Revolutionizing Oligonucleotide Therapeutic Development
Rockland Immunochemicals, Inc

The first and only panel of specialty reagents designed to detect PS modifications independent of sequence, format, or location, streamlining candidate triage for unparalleled cost and time savings in non-clinical/pre-clinical discovery assessment of oligonucleotide drug candidates, clinical trials for immunogenicity studies, and other applications.

Released: 17-Oct-2023 11:05 AM EDT
MDMA increases feelings of connection during conversation, showing promise for therapy
University of Chicago Medical Center

New research shows that both MDMA and methamphetamine deepened personal connections after guided conversations, suggesting different mechanisms for how these drugs produce feelings of closeness.

13-Oct-2023 11:55 PM EDT
Recovery Checkups in Primary Care Settings Linked to Increased Substance Use Treatment and Reduced Alcohol and Cannabis Use in Patients with Complex Needs
Research Society on Alcoholism

Highly vulnerable patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) or substance use disorder (SUD) who received regular assessments after their initial intervention had substantially better outcomes a year later than those who did not receive the same follow-up, according to a new study. Fewer than one in ten people with SUD receive any form of treatment in a given year; among those who do, relapse and treatment reentry are common. A Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) protocol is intended to facilitate treatment referrals, especially among patients with more severe SUDs, but research has shown it to be relatively ineffective in that regard. Adding a Recovery Management Checkup (RMC) intervention can improve treatment rates; RMC conceptualizes AUD and SUD as chronic conditions requiring longer-term monitoring via regular check-ins, early re-intervention in cases of relapse, and treatment retention strategies. For the study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Resear

     

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This news release is embargoed until 16-Oct-2023 5:00 PM EDT Released to reporters: 10-Oct-2023 2:00 PM EDT

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9-Oct-2023 4:10 PM EDT
Opioid use disorder treatment associated with decreased risk of overdose after surgery, suggests first-of-its-kind study of over 4 million surgeries
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)

Although people with opioid use disorder (OUD) are significantly more likely to overdose or have a complication after major surgery than those without the disorder, using medications for the treatment of OUD before surgery may eliminate that extra risk, suggests a large, first-of-its-kind study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2023 annual meeting.

Released: 13-Oct-2023 6:05 PM EDT
Targeting a coronavirus ion channel could yield new Covid-19 drugs
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Chemists discover the structures of open and closed states of the channel, which could help the development of antiviral drugs to reduce inflammation

11-Oct-2023 1:05 PM EDT
Opioid limits didn’t change surgery patients’ experience, study shows
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Worries that surgery patients would have a tougher recovery if their doctors had to abide by a five-day limit on opioid pain medication prescriptions didn’t play out as expected, a new study finds. Instead, patient-reported pain levels and satisfaction didn’t change at all for Michigan adults who had their appendix or gallbladder removed, a hernia repaired, a hysterectomy or other common operations after the state’s largest insurer put the limit in place, the study shows.

Newswise: UK awarded $3.4 million to lead equity initiative in drug abuse research
Released: 13-Oct-2023 9:10 AM EDT
UK awarded $3.4 million to lead equity initiative in drug abuse research
University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky has been selected as the nationwide coordination center for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative. Danelle Stevens-Watkins, Ph.D., will lead the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Racial Equity Initiative as principal investigator.

Released: 11-Oct-2023 8:05 AM EDT
Five years of legal cannabis in Canada: mixed success
Canadian Medical Association (CMA)

Five years after cannabis legalization in Canada, it appears to be a mixed success, with social justice benefits outweighing health benefits, write authors in a commentary published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.230808.

Not for public release

This news release is embargoed until 9-Oct-2023 5:00 PM EDT Released to reporters: 3-Oct-2023 2:00 PM EDT

A reporter's PressPass is required to access this story until the embargo expires on 9-Oct-2023 5:00 PM EDT The Newswise PressPass gives verified journalists access to embargoed stories. Please log in to complete a presspass application. If you have not yet registered, please Register. When you fill out the registration form, please identify yourself as a reporter in order to advance to the presspass application form.

Released: 9-Oct-2023 1:05 PM EDT
Prescription opioid companies increased marketing after Purdue Pharma lawsuit, UW study shows
University of Washington

Public scrutiny of Purdue Pharma’s role in the opioid crisis increased sharply in the years after the state of Kentucky filed a lawsuit against the company. New research from David Tan, University of Washington associate professor of management, examines the ensuing behavior of competing prescription opioid companies.

Released: 9-Oct-2023 6:50 AM EDT
Factors associated with marijuana use among high-risk college students
Texas A&M University

The past decade has seen a significant increase in marijuana use among U.S. college students. This increase has coincided with notable changes in national and local cannabis laws and policies, and perceptions of the associated drug’s risk over the same period.

Newswise: Cellular Atlas of Amygdala Reveals New Treatment Target for Cocaine Addiction
Released: 5-Oct-2023 11:50 AM EDT
Cellular Atlas of Amygdala Reveals New Treatment Target for Cocaine Addiction
University of California San Diego

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have used single-cell sequencing to identify a potential new treatment for cocaine addiction and shed new light on the molecular underpinnings of addiction.

Released: 5-Oct-2023 10:40 AM EDT
NIH Awards Wake Forest University School of Medicine $10 Million to Study Long-term Opioid Use, Chronic Pain
Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have received a five-year $10 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to create a broad research program that will work to reduce opioid-related harms and improve quality of life in patients on long-term opioid therapy.

Released: 5-Oct-2023 10:30 AM EDT
Rutgers Helps Document How Surge of Cheap, Flavored Cigars Targets Young Consumers
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

A report from the university’s Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids shows how companies have flooded the market with products that appeal to young people.

   
Released: 5-Oct-2023 8:00 AM EDT
Psychedelics improve mental health, cognition in special ops veterans
Ohio State University

One treatment each of two psychedelic drugs lowered depression and anxiety and improved cognitive functioning in a sample of U.S. special operations forces veterans who sought care at a clinic in Mexico, according to a new analysis of the participants’ charts.

Released: 2-Oct-2023 11:00 AM EDT
New research indicates some people may be physically unable to use police breathalysers
University of Sheffield

Some people may be physically unable to use the current evidential breath analysis machines, relied upon by police to gather proof of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, new research from the University of Sheffield indicates.

   
Released: 29-Sep-2023 4:05 AM EDT
Cannabis use disorder may be linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Society for the Study of Addiction

A new study has found that Canadian adults with cannabis use disorder appear to have an approximately 60% higher risk of experiencing their first heart attack, stroke, or other major cardiovascular event than those without cannabis use disorder.

Released: 27-Sep-2023 12:50 PM EDT
Stay informed on women's health issues in the Women's Health channel
Newswise

Below are some of the latest headlines in the Women's Health channel on Newswise.

Released: 26-Sep-2023 3:05 PM EDT
Elevated temperatures and climate change may contribute to rising drug and alcohol disorders
Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health

Hospital visits from alcohol- and substance-related disorders are driven by elevated temperatures and could be further affected by rising temperatures due to climate change, according to new research by environmental health scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Released: 20-Sep-2023 10:05 AM EDT
Safer Neighborhoods May Mitigate Risk of Child Abuse
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Improving the built environment and expanding housing services in low-incoming communities are protective factors against child abuse, Rutgers study finds.

Newswise: The Medical Minute: Stay positive when talking with people with substance use disorders
Released: 20-Sep-2023 10:05 AM EDT
The Medical Minute: Stay positive when talking with people with substance use disorders
Penn State Health

A conversation can be the catalyst for someone struggling with addiction to get the care they need. But tread carefully. Two Penn State Health experts discuss a difficult conversation.

Newswise: Sylvester study shows how thoracic surgeons who treat lung cancer are helping to reduce patients’ risk of opioid dependence
Released: 18-Sep-2023 2:05 PM EDT
Sylvester study shows how thoracic surgeons who treat lung cancer are helping to reduce patients’ risk of opioid dependence
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center found that robot-assisted surgeries and new patient-care protocols are enabling lung cancer surgery patients to go home earlier, with less pain and almost always without a need for potentially addictive opioids.

Newswise: Substance Abuse in Pregnancy Doubles Cardiovascular Risk
Released: 18-Sep-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Substance Abuse in Pregnancy Doubles Cardiovascular Risk
Cedars-Sinai

Pregnant women with a history of substance abuse face a dramatically increased risk of death from heart attack and stroke during childbirth when compared with women without history of substance abuse, a new Smidt Heart Institute study shows.

Newswise:  ‘Substance abuse’ therapy could boost wellbeing for aged care workers
Released: 15-Sep-2023 12:05 AM EDT
‘Substance abuse’ therapy could boost wellbeing for aged care workers
University of South Australia

It’s a therapy that’s commonly used to help overcome addiction or substance abuse, but motivational interviewing could improve the health and wellbeing of frontline aged care workers, according to new research by the University of South Australia.

   
Newswise: Overdose deaths from fentanyl laced stimulants have risen 50-fold since 2010
11-Sep-2023 7:05 PM EDT
Overdose deaths from fentanyl laced stimulants have risen 50-fold since 2010
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

New UCLA-led research has found that the proportion of US overdose deaths involving both fentanyl and stimulants has increased more than 50-fold since 2010, from 0.6% (235 deaths) in 2010 to 32.3% (34,429 deaths) in 2021. This rise in constitutes the ‘fourth wave’ in the US’s long-running opioid overdose crisis

Newswise: The Medical Minute: Talk to your health care provider about any use of cannabinoid products
Released: 13-Sep-2023 8:05 AM EDT
The Medical Minute: Talk to your health care provider about any use of cannabinoid products
Penn State Health

That CBD product might be legal, but is it safe to use with other medicine? Two Penn State Health experts agree ― talk it over with your provider.

Newswise: U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths More Than Quadrupled from 1999 to 2020
Released: 12-Sep-2023 8:30 AM EDT
U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths More Than Quadrupled from 1999 to 2020
Florida Atlantic University

Regardless of race, age, geography or urbanization, drug overdose deaths in the U.S. more than quadrupled from 1999 to 2020, causing 1,013,852 deaths. The rates increased 4.4 times from 6.9 per 100,000 in 1999 to 30 per 100,000 in 2020.

Newswise: Distance from clinic influences abortion pill access
Released: 7-Sep-2023 4:05 PM EDT
Distance from clinic influences abortion pill access
University of Washington School of Medicine and UW Medicine

“One of the main takeaways,” said lead author Anna Fiastro, a family medicine research scientist at UW Medicine, “is that the further patients are from a brick-and-mortar clinic, the more likely they are to use telehealth to access medication abortion.”

Released: 7-Sep-2023 12:30 PM EDT
Psilocybin – a promising therapy for treatment-resistant depression?
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

A growing body of evidence suggests that psychedelic drugs may be useful in treating various mental health conditions. However, many challenges remain in defining their clinical benefits and overcoming the complex regulatory obstacles to their use.

Newswise: Gene Discovery Nets FAU Researchers U.S. Patent for Molecular Approach to Treat Addiction
Released: 7-Sep-2023 8:30 AM EDT
Gene Discovery Nets FAU Researchers U.S. Patent for Molecular Approach to Treat Addiction
Florida Atlantic University

Researchers have received a U.S. patent for a novel method to identify therapeutic agents to treat addiction. The invention, related to the fields of pharmacology, medicine, neurology and psychiatry, targets the protein MBLAC1, which the Blakely lab identified as the mammalian form of a gene the group first identified in worms as a modifier of signaling by the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Newswise: Medical cannabis use in Australian patients with chronic health issues linked to significant improvements in overall health-related quality of life and fatigue levels
31-Aug-2023 11:15 AM EDT
Medical cannabis use in Australian patients with chronic health issues linked to significant improvements in overall health-related quality of life and fatigue levels
PLOS

Cannabis therapy also linked to improvements in anxiety, depression, and pain levels—though no changes in sleep disturbance levels reported.

Newswise: HEAL expands naloxone access to turn the tide on overdose deaths
Released: 30-Aug-2023 1:50 PM EDT
HEAL expands naloxone access to turn the tide on overdose deaths
University of Kentucky

Aug. 31 marks International Overdose Awareness Day, a time when attention is directed toward raising awareness about opioid overdose and ways to reverse the deadly effects.

25-Aug-2023 8:00 AM EDT
Adapting Ritalin® to tackle cocaine abuse
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Research suggests that an ADHD drug could serve as a cocaine-replacement therapy, but clinical results have been mixed. Although labs have produced MPH derivatives for testing, parts of the molecule remained inaccessible. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have cleared that hurdle.

   
Released: 25-Aug-2023 4:20 PM EDT
New Mental Health Partnership Looks to Explain Biological Factors Behind Substance Use in Adolescents Experiencing Anxiety
University of North Carolina School of Medicine

Anxiety remains one of the most diagnosed clinical symptoms in adolescence and is a potent precursor to and exacerbator of substance use disorder. Through this NIH-funded study, UNC Chapel Hill researchers will examine the neural and physiological mechanisms associated with emergence of substance use in adolescence who experience anxiety.

Released: 25-Aug-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Understanding the Surge in Cannabis Use among Pregnant and Postpartum Women in the US
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Rutgers researcher leads effort to map associations between mental health disorders, cannabis use and cannabis use disorder during pregnancy and postpartum in the United States

Released: 23-Aug-2023 6:05 PM EDT
Researcher debunks milk misinformation surrounding opioid use disorder, pregnancy and nursing during Breastfeeding Awareness Month
Virginia Tech

One Virginia Tech researcher wants to spread awareness about the science of breastfeeding, particularly for pregnant women with opioid use disorder and their advocates.

Released: 22-Aug-2023 8:05 AM EDT
Police Involvement May Hamstring Overdose Outreach Efforts
North Carolina State University

A new study finds law enforcement plays a critical role in launching programs designed to reduce the risk of repeat overdoses in people who use drugs.

Newswise: Can Better Data Predict Opioid Overdoses and Slow Infectious Disease Rates?
Released: 10-Aug-2023 2:50 PM EDT
Can Better Data Predict Opioid Overdoses and Slow Infectious Disease Rates?
Tufts University

Tufts University School of Medicine teams and collaborators are running multiple projects that seek to reduce overdoses and the spread of infections, such as HIV and hepatitis C, in people who use drugs

Not for public release

This news release is embargoed until 7-Aug-2023 5:00 PM EDT Released to reporters: 1-Aug-2023 2:00 PM EDT

A reporter's PressPass is required to access this story until the embargo expires on 7-Aug-2023 5:00 PM EDT The Newswise PressPass gives verified journalists access to embargoed stories. Please log in to complete a presspass application. If you have not yet registered, please Register. When you fill out the registration form, please identify yourself as a reporter in order to advance to the presspass application form.

Newswise: Changes in Gut Microbiome Alters Rewarding Effects of Cocaine and Cravings
Released: 3-Aug-2023 10:30 AM EDT
Changes in Gut Microbiome Alters Rewarding Effects of Cocaine and Cravings
Wake Forest University School of Medicine

In a new preclinical study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, scientists provide the first evidence that changes in the gut microbiome have significant effects on cocaine use and cravings after withdrawal.

19-Jul-2023 10:00 AM EDT
Breaking Research on Advances in Drug Testing for Marijuana and Fentanyl
Association for Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine (ADLM (formerly AACC))

Two studies featured today at the 2023 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo highlight advances that could boost the accuracy of marijuana tests and provide vital information for addressing the opioid epidemic.

Newswise: Researchers Discover Group of Genes That Influence Pain and Brain Communication Can Also Influence Alcohol Use Disorder Risk
Released: 17-Jul-2023 3:25 PM EDT
Researchers Discover Group of Genes That Influence Pain and Brain Communication Can Also Influence Alcohol Use Disorder Risk
Indiana University

Indiana University researchers have made a substantial discovery in the role genes play in the development of AUDs, finding that alteration of a group of genes known to influence neuronal plasticity and pain perceptions, rather than single gene defect, is linked to AUDs.



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