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States opting out of a federal program that tracks teen behavior as youth mental health worsens

As the covid-19 pandemic worsened a mental health crisis among America's young people, a small group of states quietly withdrew from the nation's largest public effort to track concerning behaviors in high school students.

26 Oct 2022

New genetically based score could help identify young children at high risk of impulsive behavior

While not all impulsive behavior speaks of mental illness, a wide range of mental health disorders which often emerge in adolescence, including depression and substance abuse, have been linked to impulsivity. So, finding a way to identify and treat those who may be particularly vulnerable to impulsivity early in life is especially important.

7 Oct 2022

Gut microbiome could contribute to a person's risk for HIV infection, research suggests

New UCLA-led research suggests certain gut bacteria -- including one that is essential for a healthy gut microbiome – differ between people who go on to acquire HIV infection compared to those who have not become infected.

30 Sep 2022

Gut microbiome likely to contribute to HIV infection

30 Sep 2022

New compound triggers the same anti-depressant action as rapidly acting psychedelic drugs

While illegal for recreational use, psychedelic drugs are showing great promise as treatments for severe depression and anxiety, as well as alcohol addiction and other conditions.

28 Sep 2022

Frequent binge drinking in young women heightens their risk of contracting COVID-19

Women in their mid 20s who reported frequent binge drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to become infected with COVID-19, according to Rutgers researchers who said physicians need to develop pandemic-related prevention methods to tackle substance use issues.

27 Sep 2022

Women experiencing food insecurity may be at greater risk for highly processed food addiction

A new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, published by Elsevier, finds that women experiencing food insecurity more frequently report symptoms of food addiction, such as compulsive eating of certain types of food, unsuccessful attempts to cut down and withdrawal symptoms.

20 Sep 2022

Reward improves connectivity between the brain's ventral striatum and default mode network

Researchers have reported findings that add to our knowledge of how human behavior may be shaped by the default mode network, a specific network of brain regions with both resting and task-related states.

16 Sep 2022

WVU's new prevention program aims to support at-risk youth through critical development years

Research shows prevention programs are effective at reducing risk of substance use and addiction, and the prevalence of drug use increases rapidly during adolescence and the transition to young adulthood. To support this population through these critical development years, West Virginia University has launched Regional Transition Navigator services.

15 Sep 2022

SARS-CoV-2 viral infection is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Older people who were infected with COVID-19 show a substantially higher risk-;as much as 50% to 80% higher than a control group-;of developing Alzheimer's disease within a year, according to a study of more than 6 million patients 65 and older.

14 Sep 2022

Expansion of telehealth during the pandemic for opioid use disorder-related care associated with beneficial outcomes

The expansion of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with individuals staying in treatment longer and reducing their risk of medically treated overdose, according to a new study.

13 Sep 2022

Study shows link between childhood bullying and violent offenses in future

Children who bullied others at the age of 8-9 have higher hazard for committing violent offenses by the age of 31. This was shown in a Finnish Nationwide Birth Cohort Study conducted at the Research Centre for Child Psychiatry at the University of Turku, Finland.

9 Sep 2022

A needle exchange project modeled on urban efforts aims to save lives in rural Nevada

Richard Cusolito believes he's saving lives by distributing clean syringes and needles to people who use drugs in this rural area of northeastern Nevada — but he knows some residents disagree.

24 Aug 2022

From book stacks to psychosis and food stamps, librarians confront a new workplace

For nearly two decades, Lisa Dunseth loved her job at San Francisco's main public library, particularly her final seven years in the rare books department.

23 Aug 2022

What is the impact of cannabis use in adolescence?

A new study summarized the use of cannabis among adolescents, its negative health impacts, and interventions to stop or reduce

22 Aug 2022

Methamphetamine use is pervasive and drives overdoses in rural communities across the U.S.

Methamphetamine remains a stubbornly prevalent illicit substance in large swaths of rural America, according to a new study by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and other institutions.

15 Aug 2022

They call it ‘tranq’ — and it’s making street drugs even more dangerous

Approaching a van that distributes supplies for safer drug use in Greenfield, Massachusetts, a man named Kyle noticed an alert about xylazine.

11 Aug 2022

Varenicline and cytisine not more efficacious than nicotine to treat risky drinking and smoking, study says

A clinical trial to test whether three proven smoking cessation treatments could also reduce alcohol intake found no differences between the medications, but the rates of behavior change for alcohol consumption and smoking were high in all treatment groups. Results suggest these medications could play an important role to reduce alcohol use and smoking at the same time. Unexpectedly, nicotine replacement therapy performed as well as the prescription drugs varenicline and cytisine.

8 Aug 2022

Lower efficacy of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines in patients with frailty

In a new study, researchers assessed the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination against hospitalization and deaths among veterans based on frailty status in the United States.

3 Aug 2022

Music festivals embrace overdose reversal drugs, but fentanyl testing kits remain taboo

A 26-year-old was found dead at his campsite during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in 2019. The toxicology report linked his death to a grim trend that has only worsened since.