Addiction

While opioids are among the most powerful painkillers, they're also highly addictive, which makes them hard to get. A new finding may offer hope to pain patients in the form of powerful drugs that lack the most severe side effects of current options.

Scientists have discovered how a specific brain circuit functions during fentanyl withdrawal, potentially leading to relapse. Suppression of this could lead to better, targeted medical treatments for opioid use disorders.

A recent study out of Japan has found that when exposed to pictures of stores and their merchandise, people with kleptomania exhibit similar brain activity to that of people with substance addictions exposed to images of drugs.

If you've ever tried quitting caffeinated coffee, you may have encountered side effects such as headaches, irritability and fatigue. A new study suggests that drinking decaffeinated coffee can reduce those effects … even if you know it's just decaf.

Even when someone is determined to beat their fentanyl addiction, there's still a good chance they will relapse at some point, and start taking the opioid again. A new vaccine is designed to help get them back on track, by blocking fentanyl's effect on the brain.

Like many highly addictive drugs, ketamine causes a rush of dopamine in the brain. But new research in mice from the University of Geneva shows ketamine also blocks the brain process that leads to neuroplasticity, habit formation and compulsion.

A study has found some compelling associations between gut bacteria and alcohol consumption. Not only is heavy drinking linked to a distinct microbiome profile but the study suggests certain bacteria may be responsible for increased alcohol consumption.

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have identified a previously unknown mechanism of cocaine’s activity in the brain, which could open new types of treatment for addiction to the drug. Intriguingly, it seems to work differently in male and female mice.

A large study has found high rates of mental health problems in COVID-19 patients up to a year after acute infection. The research found mild or severe COVID-19 increased a person's risk of developing anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders.

A first-of-its-kind clinical trial has shown that ketamine infusions, combined with psychotherapy, is more effective in helping people suffering from severe alcoholism avoid relapse than any other current treatment.

A new molecule may help reduce side effects in a drug that could treat alcohol use disorder. Essentially, the molecule disarms the drug in most of the body, but can’t cross the blood-brain barrier, letting the drug get to work in the brain only.

Fascinating new research has found a link between opioid addiction and vitamin D deficiency. The research indicates subjects with low vitamin D levels may experience heightened euphoric effects from opioids, making them more susceptible to addiction.