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Research explores the link between lower micronutrient levels and chronic pain

Lower levels of certain vitamins and minerals were found to be associated with chronic pain in a recently completed study led by researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences and published in Pain Practice.

15 Jul 2025

Supporting autistic patients with inclusive and predictable care

Caring for autistic patients requires a unique approach, and a Five ways to support… article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.250152 aims to provide tips on caring for these patients.

14 Jul 2025

Ultra-processed foods threaten brain health in kids and teens, review warns

Children, adolescents, and unborn babies exposed to high levels of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) face increased risks of impaired brain development, cognitive deficits, and long-term mental health challenges. The review underscores how UPF-driven changes in reward pathways, nutrient deficits, inflammation, and the gut–brain axis can have lasting impacts across generations.

13 Jul 2025

Study reveals dopamine sends precise signals rather than broad brainwide messages

A new study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has upended decades of neuroscience dogma, revealing that dopamine, a neurotransmitter critical for movement, motivation, learning and mood, communicates in the brain with extraordinary precision, not broad diffusion as previously believed.

12 Jul 2025

Study shines new light on how harmful industries shape scientific narratives

A new study, published in Addiction, shines a light on how industries associated with health harms-such as tobacco, fossil fuels, and in this case, alcohol-can distort the evaluation of scientific research through industry-friendly commentary.

12 Jul 2025

Hepatitis C treatment gaps persist for children and new mothers

As the opioid epidemic has worsened in the United States, prevalence of hepatitis C has also increased. Hepatitis C is a bloodborne virus that damages the liver.

11 Jul 2025

Who’s policing opioid settlement spending? A crowdsourced database might help

After years of legal battles, state attorneys general won billions of dollars in opioid settlements from drug companies accused of fueling the addiction crisis. They declared victory at press conferences, and some touted the deals during their gubernatorial campaigns.

11 Jul 2025

In a nation growing hostile toward drugs and homelessness, Los Angeles tries leniency

Inside a bright new building in the heart of Skid Row, homeless people hung out in a canopy-covered courtyard — some waiting to take a shower, do laundry, or get medication for addiction treatment.

8 Jul 2025

Transforming OCD treatment through research and innovation

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) impacts approximately 2% of the global population, often preventing individuals from living life to their full potential.

2 Jul 2025

Quitting smoking in addiction recovery made easier with tailored support

For people recovering from substance use disorders, quitting smoking remains one of the most difficult-but most crucial-steps toward long-term health.

1 Jul 2025

Most Medicaid plans cover naloxone but barriers still exist

A new study found that almost all plans in 40 states and Washington, DC covered at least one form of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, although certain restrictions and quantity limits may still prevent people from accessing this life-saving drug.

27 Jun 2025

Flexible wireless implant offers hope for chronic pain sufferers

Chronic pain is a debilitating condition that severely impacts quality of life, often leading to reliance on opioid medications with their severe side effects and addiction risks.

24 Jun 2025

Study identifies strategies for expanding low-barrier wound care services for people who use drugs

A new study published in the Harm Reduction Journal identifies critical factors and strategies for expanding low-barrier wound care services for people who use drugs (PWUD).

19 Jun 2025

Addictive screen use linked to poor mental health in preteens

Addictive use of social media, video games, or mobile phones-but not total screen time-is associated with worse mental health among preteens, a new study by researchers at Columbia and Cornell universities has found.

19 Jun 2025

OU researchers launch innovative study to track e-cigarette habits in young adults

Electronic cigarettes, or vapes, are widely used and available in hundreds of different types and flavors, yet researchers lack information about the everyday e-cigarette habits of young adults.

18 Jun 2025

Rising homelessness among pregnant and parenting people in Canada

Homelessness is increasing in pregnant and parenting people in Canada, posing health risks to children. Authors of a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241623 argue it is a health crisis that needs urgent attention.

16 Jun 2025

Digital classroom lessons give students the tools to say no to vaping

Researchers co-designed and user-tested the ‘OurFutures Vaping’ digital program to prevent e-cigarette use among Australian adolescents. The four-lesson intervention, developed with students and teachers, showed high acceptability and addresses critical gaps in youth vaping prevention.

12 Jun 2025

Telehealth does not increase risk of substance use disorder in ADHD patients

Telehealth can make health care easier to access for patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who need treatment, but experts worry about an increased risk of substance use disorder for patients being prescribed controlled medications such as stimulants for ADHD during these appointments.

12 Jun 2025

Non-prescribed ketamine use rises sharply across the UK

The rise in non-prescribed ketamine use across the UK in recent years is a cause for concern, say doctors in The BMJ today.

12 Jun 2025

Protein ELAV identified as key regulator of circular RNAs in the brain

Deep within our nerve cells, a molecule is at work that has no beginning and no end. Instead of a straight chain, as is it common for most RNA strands, it forms a closed loop.

10 Jun 2025