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Ultrasound technique modifies human reward learning for the first time

The nucleus accumbens is a tiny element of the human brain triggered when we experience something enjoyable, and used to help us learn behaviours that lead to rewards.

27 Nov 2025

Genetic signals reveal why erectile dysfunction develops and who is most at risk

This multi-ancestry genomic study identifies key genetic loci underlying erectile dysfunction and shows that ED risk is shaped by both cardiometabolic and substance use–related genetic pathways. Using EHR-linked data, the researchers uncover SIM1-related mechanisms, modest PRS performance, and bidirectional genetic links with obesity, diabetes, and addiction traits.

25 Nov 2025

Most Medicaid patients do not receive life-saving drugs for opioid use disorder

A US study of more than a million Medicaid enrollees, newly diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD), finds most – nearly seven in 10 – are not receiving access to potentially life-saving drugs within six months.

24 Nov 2025

Brain circuit identified as key to repetitive and compulsive behaviors in mice

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified a brain circuit that can drive repetitive and compulsive behaviors in mice, even when natural rewards such as food or social contact are available.

22 Nov 2025

Study finds early neural markers of addiction risk differ between boys and girls

The roots of addiction risk may lie in how young brains function long before substance use begins, according to a new study from Weill Cornell Medicine.

21 Nov 2025

Fruit fly study reveals brain mechanism underlying motivation fatigue

Our brain's reward system processes and reinforces pleasurable experiences, motivating us to seek out and engage in rewarding activities ranging from eating to social interactions to recreational drug use.

20 Nov 2025

Parental monitoring can offset genetic risks for conduct problems in adolescents

Parents may have more influence than they realize when it comes to shaping their children's behavior, especially for those at higher genetic risk for conduct problems, according to Rutgers Health-led research.

19 Nov 2025

Year-long adherence to buprenorphine sharply reduces overdose risk in young people

New research from Mass General Brigham finds that adolescents and young adults who stayed on the medication buprenorphine for at least a year had markedly lower risks of opioid overdose and hospitalization compared with peers who discontinued medication early or took it inconsistently.

18 Nov 2025

New model warns of a staggering $68 billion alcohol burden in Australia

Alcohol-related diseases and injuries have the potential to cost the Australian healthcare system a staggering $68 billion over 60 years if nothing is done to stop the impact.

13 Nov 2025

Social media addiction linked to poor sleep in Bangladeshi students

A new study published in Nature and Science of Sleep reveals a strong connection between social media addiction and poor sleep quality among high school graduates in Bangladesh, offering fresh insights into the mental health and digital habits of young people.

13 Nov 2025

Rising youth e-cigarette use threatens children’s health and human rights

Exposing children to e-cigarettes compromises their human rights. These products should be regulated in a way that puts children's best interests first and protects them from the harms associated with nicotine consumption in all its forms, argue experts in The BMJ today.

12 Nov 2025

School vaping prevention lessons show promise but misconceptions remain

Teachers in the UK report increased confidence in addressing vaping, but ongoing confusion about its dangers indicates a need for improved prevention materials.

12 Nov 2025

Study uncovers a surprising connection between sugar metabolism and alcohol addiction

Scientists have uncovered a surprising connection between sugar metabolism and alcohol addiction, identifying a potential new therapeutic target for treating alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD).

10 Nov 2025

How modern habits are reshaping the Mediterranean diet for the worse

Nearly all children and adolescents in five Mediterranean countries consume unhealthy ultra-processed foods daily, according to the DELICIOUS Project. The study links higher intake to obesity, older age, screen time, eating out, and exposure to food advertising.

9 Nov 2025

Unregulated nicotine pouches gaining popularity among young people in Scotland

Young people in Scotland are experimenting with nicotine pouches and reporting adverse effects such as sickness and fainting, according to new research from the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen) published today in the journal Addiction.

7 Nov 2025

New NIH grants fuel research in oral cancer treatment and pain relief

Researchers at the School of Dentistry at UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio, have been awarded three multi-year grants totaling $6 million from the National Institutes of Health to address treatment and pain management for oral cancer.

7 Nov 2025

New project aims to reduce addiction through prevention infrastructure development

Researchers at Wayne State University will work with Michigan agencies and education partners to improve access to school-based substance use prevention and treatment programs for adolescents who are at risk of substance misuse and substance use disorders (SUDs).

7 Nov 2025

Over-the-counter pain relievers outperform opioids after wisdom tooth extraction

Over-the-counter pain medications work as well or better than opioids after wisdom tooth extraction for both men and women, according to a Rutgers Health-led follow-up to a landmark paper on comparative pain relief.

6 Nov 2025

Experimental intranasal vaccine triggers broad immune response against multiple strains of H5N1

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) reported encouraging results from an early phase clinical trial that found an experimental intranasal vaccine triggered a broad immune response against multiple strains of H5N1 "bird flu".

6 Nov 2025

Opioid receptors caught in motion offering clues for safer painkillers

Scientists have known for decades that opioids relieve pain by binding to molecular switches in the brain called mu-opioid (pronounced "mew-opioid") receptors. What they didn't know - until now - was exactly what happens next.

5 Nov 2025

Addiction News and Research

Ultrasound technique modifies human reward learning for the first time

Genetic signals reveal why erectile dysfunction develops and who is most at risk

Most Medicaid patients do not receive life-saving drugs for opioid use disorder

Brain circuit identified as key to repetitive and compulsive behaviors in mice

Study finds early neural markers of addiction risk differ between boys and girls

Fruit fly study reveals brain mechanism underlying motivation fatigue

Parental monitoring can offset genetic risks for conduct problems in adolescents

Year-long adherence to buprenorphine sharply reduces overdose risk in young people

New model warns of a staggering $68 billion alcohol burden in Australia

Social media addiction linked to poor sleep in Bangladeshi students

Rising youth e-cigarette use threatens children’s health and human rights

School vaping prevention lessons show promise but misconceptions remain

Study uncovers a surprising connection between sugar metabolism and alcohol addiction

How modern habits are reshaping the Mediterranean diet for the worse

Unregulated nicotine pouches gaining popularity among young people in Scotland

New NIH grants fuel research in oral cancer treatment and pain relief

New project aims to reduce addiction through prevention infrastructure development

Over-the-counter pain relievers outperform opioids after wisdom tooth extraction

Experimental intranasal vaccine triggers broad immune response against multiple strains of H5N1

Opioid receptors caught in motion offering clues for safer painkillers

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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