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Could a rare gene variant help reduce smoking? New study suggests it might

An exome-wide association study of nearly 38,000 smokers from the Mexico City Prospective Study identified rare coding variants in CHRNB3 that are associated with substantially fewer cigarettes smoked per day. Cross-ancestry analyses in European and East Asian datasets support a role for the β3 nicotinic receptor subunit in modulating smoking intensity.

25 Feb 2026

Social media muscle content raises steroid use intentions in young men

A study links muscle-focused social media content to increased intentions to use anabolic steroids among young men, highlighting risks of body comparison.

25 Feb 2026

Teen cannabis use trends mirror established alcohol consumption patterns

A new study published in the journal Addiction shows that cannabis use among Swedish adolescents appears to follow the same population-level pattern previously observed for alcohol.

24 Feb 2026

New 3D liver reconstructions show how cirrhosis reshapes organ architecture

Never-before-seen 3D reconstructions of human liver tissue have been created at a cellular level. The details obtained by a team of UW Medicine and University of Washington engineers and physicians capture the spatial microstructure of multiple lobes of this multitasking organ.

23 Feb 2026

As more Americans embrace anxiety treatment, MAHA derides medications

After a grueling year of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat breast cancer, Sadia Zapp was anxious — not the manageable hum that had long been part of her life, but something deeper, more distracting.

23 Feb 2026

Social media exposure associated with steroid use intentions among boys and men

A new study of more than 1,500 boys and men in Canada and the United States suggests that social media may play a meaningful role in shaping intentions to use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), particularly when users are exposed to muscularity-focused content and engage in body comparisons online.

20 Feb 2026

Mounjaro ingredient shows promise in lowering alcohol consumption

For the first time, researchers show that tirzepatide - the active ingredient in the diabetes and weight-loss drug Mounjaro - reduces alcohol intake as well as relapse-like behaviors in rats and mice.

20 Feb 2026

Prenatal infection increases risk of alcohol misuse in adulthood

Exposure to infection and other immune stress in the womb increases the likelihood of alcohol misuse in adulthood, a risk that may be reduced through prenatal antioxidant treatment, a new Washington State University study shows.

19 Feb 2026

Timing matters more than repetition in learning

More than a century ago, Pavlov trained his dog to associate the sound of a bell with food. Ever since, scientists assumed the dog learned this through repetition: The more times the dog heard the bell and then got fed, the better it learned that the sound meant food would soon follow.

17 Feb 2026

Psychedelic effects of ketamine do not predict sobriety

The psychedelic effects recreational users often seek from taking ketamine do not predict the therapeutic benefits for people being treated for alcohol use disorder.

16 Feb 2026

ARVCF gene deletion leads to abnormalities in reward behavior

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a key brain region for dopamine production and the regulation of reward-related behaviors.

13 Feb 2026

New research initiative examines impact of legal psychedelic services in community settings

A federally funded research initiative will enable researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and other organizations to assess the safety and effectiveness of state-regulated access to psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms.

12 Feb 2026

Brain circuit links past experiences to appetite control

Our past experiences shape how much we eat and where and what we choose to eat. Using preclinical models, researchers from Mass General Brigham and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have identified brain cells that translate contextual information into appetite control.

12 Feb 2026

Addictive screen habits harm early adolescent mental health

New research following US adolescents ages 11–12 shows that problematic use of mobile phones, social media, and video games was associated with higher risks of mental health problems, sleep disturbance, and suicidal behaviors one year later.

12 Feb 2026

Economic disadvantage linked to tobacco addiction and lower motivation to stop smoking

A new paper in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, published by Oxford University Press, finds that people experiencing more economic disadvantages are more likely to smoke cigarettes, have higher levels of tobacco addiction, and find it harder to quit than those who are most advantaged.

11 Feb 2026

Smokefree generation law could slash youth smoking decades earlier

New research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that smoking prevalence among 12 to 30-year-olds in England could drop below 5% decades earlier than expected, if the government progressively raises the age of tobacco sale.

11 Feb 2026

Review links betel nut addiction to cancer, heart disease, and metabolic risks

This review examines the epidemiology, health risks, neurobiological mechanisms, and emerging treatments related to betel nut addiction worldwide. It highlights strong links with oral cancer, cardiometabolic disease, and addiction pathways while noting limited established therapies and the need for coordinated public health strategies.

11 Feb 2026

Addiction consults improve care for drug-related eye infections

Eric Gaier, MD, PhD, and Dean Eliott, MD, of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear, a member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, are co-authors of a paper published in Ophthalmology Retina, "Substance Use Disorder Interventions and Ophthalmic Outcomes for Injection Drug Use-Associated Endogenous Endophthalmitis."

10 Feb 2026

Digital resource aims to enhance trauma-informed health care for people with complex PTSD

A new digital resource co-created by University of Victoria (UVic) researchers and trauma survivors will streamline access to resources and tools for clinicians who support people with complex post-traumatic stress at Island Health in B.C. and other jurisdictions.

9 Feb 2026

Chronic alcohol use profoundly alters gene expression in the brain's reward system

Chronic alcohol consumption profoundly alters gene expression in key brain regions involved in reward, impulse control, and decision-making, according to a study led by researchers at the Institute for Neurosciences, a joint center of Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

9 Feb 2026