addiction

The actor on missing his late mother, Maggie Smith, being mistaken for Damian Lewis, and looking ‘like a fridge’ Born in London, Toby Stephens, 57, is the son of actors Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens. He trained at Lamda and, in 1992, made his film debut in Orlando. In 2002 he played the Bond villain in Die Another Day. His television work includes One Day, The Split and Black Sails. On stage h…

Researchers identified a strong association between GLP-1 medications and reduced rates of multiple substance use disorders, raising new questions about how these drugs may affect the brain’s reward system. What if some of the world’s most popular weight loss drugs are affecting more than appetite? A new study suggests that GLP-1 medications, a class of [...]

A new study reveals that people using illicit fentanyl consume doses equivalent to nearly 9,000 milligrams of morphine daily. This extreme tolerance explains why standard addiction treatments often fail to manage severe withdrawal symptoms.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have completed a massive genetic study that identifies key biological drivers of cocaine addiction, uncovering a potential new target for treatment that resides in the liver rather than the brain.

People in Los Angeles who use illicit fentanyl regularly consume quantities of the drug equivalent to morphine doses hundreds of times higher than fentanyl doses used in hospitals. This use is far beyond what addiction treatment protocols were designed to address.

A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso found that use of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and other GLP-1s is associated with a lower risk of developing alcohol, opioid, nicotine and cocaine use disorders.

Brain activity relating to how young adults value reward appears to be linked to longer-term drinking patterns, according to a study of college students with family histories of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The findings raise the possibility of precision medicine--individualized interventions to modify risk--for young people vulnerable to addiction.

In a study published in the Liver Transplantation journal by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Mayo Clinic researchers found that a new proactive treatment protocol for alcohol use disorder after liver transplant resulted in a 0% heavy alcohol relapse rate among patients who followed the protocol, compared with a historical relapse rate of approximately 25%.

In a study published in the Liver Transplantation journal by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Mayo Clinic researchers found that a new proactive treatment protocol for alcohol use disorder after liver transplant resulted in a 0% heavy alcohol relapse rate among patients who followed the protocol, compared with a historical relapse rate of approximately 25%.

A new study found that two minor cannabis compounds, CBN and THCV, were more effective at reducing voluntary alcohol drinking in rats than CBD, offering a potential new avenue for treating alcohol use disorder.

A team of researchers at the University of Kentucky has discovered early evidence that a drug developed for Alzheimer’s disease may also help reduce harmful brain inflammation caused by alcohol withdrawal. The findings were recently published in the scientific journal Alcohol. Although the research is still in the early stages, scientists believe the work could […] The post Could a dementia drug …

IntroductionDrug addiction is a major global health problem marked by compulsive drug-seeking and profound neuropsychiatric disturbances. This systematic review and network meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of various acupuncture-related therapies for managing drug addiction.MethodsOverall, 10 databases were searched for acupuncture-related therapies for drug addiction from incept…

Addiction to illicit drugs remains a major global health challenge that requires integrative efforts across neuroscience, psychiatry, and pharmacology. A deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying addictive behavior is essential for developing effective and targeted interventions. It is increasingly recognized that addiction cannot be fully explained by dysfunction within dopaminerg…

Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, even as rates of cigarette smoking have fallen to an all-time low of approximately 10% in 2024.

The Trump administration has a surprising new agenda item: It’s all-in on legalizing a psychedelic drug called ibogaine.  Ibogaine is classified as a Schedule I drug, which means it’s illegal on the federal level. But some studies show it may be able to treat opioid addiction, and researchers are also hopeful that it can help […]

Teens may turn to marijuana use for many reasons: curiosity, stress relief, peer pressure, help with mental health, or for the positive feelings of being "high." However, there is a difference between casual use and reliance on cannabis to function.

Participants who got single dose of psilocybin were more likely to abstain from cocaine than those who got placebo Results from a new clinical trial show that a single dose of psilocybin could be an effective treatment for cocaine addiction. The study, published in Jama Network Open this month, showed that 19 participants who received a single dose of psilocybin were more likely to abstain from c…

The World Health Organization (WHO) today issues a strong warning over the rapid global expansion of nicotine pouch products, which are being aggressively marketed to adolescents and young people.

Addiction and obsessive behaviors are commonly interpreted as disorders of the brain’s reward system. However, many dominant models in neuroscience overlook the role of the search for meaning, identity, and existential peace in intensifying these cycles. This article presents an interdisciplinary conceptual framework at the intersection of neuroscience, philosophy of consciousness, and spirituali…

A national study of kratom use in the U.S. found rising popularity among young adults, and it is linked to addiction and mental health issues, according to new research from the University of Michigan and Texas State University.