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Easy-to-use blood test score can help identify alcohol-related fatty liver disease

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have developed a new, easy-to-use blood test score that can help identify when fatty liver disease is being driven by excessive alcohol use, an important distinction that often goes unrecognized in routine care.

25 Feb 2026

Parental obesity before conception raises offspring fatty liver risk

Pre-pregnancy parental overweight and obesity is linked to the next generation's heightened risk of developing fatty liver disease, a potential precursor to cirrhosis and liver failure, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.

24 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

Chimpanzee urine confirms widespread alcohol consumption in the wild

Aleksey Maro knows far more than he cares to know about the urination habits of chimpanzees. But if you want to measure the alcohol intake of chimps in a Ugandan rain forest, where a breathalyzer is impractical, collecting urine for analysis is your only choice.

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

Higher ultra-processed food intake aligns with greater binge eating risk in obesity study

Higher intake of ultra-processed foods in adults with obesity was associated with disordered eating symptoms, poorer diet quality, and lower protein intake. The cross-sectional findings suggest dietary processing level may influence eating behaviour patterns relevant to obesity management, though causality cannot be inferred.

23 Feb 2026

Cannabis use in adolescence associated with higher rates of psychiatric disorders

Adolescents who use cannabis could face a significantly higher risk of developing serious psychiatric disorders by young adulthood, according to a large new study published today in JAMA Health Forum.

20 Feb 2026

Tropical cyclones linked to rise in drug-related deaths months after landfall

Tropical cyclones, including hurricanes and tropical storms, are linked to increased rates of drug-related deaths up to three months after the storm passes-particularly in higher-income, White communities and among younger populations.

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

Study examines low-risk cannabis use years after legalization

A new study led by Marie-Pierre Sylvestre, professor at the Université de Montréal School of Public Health, examines cannabis use 4 to 5 years after Canadian legalization by adopting a different perspective: rather than focusing solely on at-risk cases or those associated with problems, it identifies the socio-demographic, mental health, and lifestyle profiles of those who present a low risk of cannabis use disorder (CUD).

19 Feb 2026

Study examines the effectiveness of urine testing as a screening tool for alcohol use in pregnancy

Previous reports have indicated that between 20 and 60 per cent of pregnant women in Ireland consume alcohol during pregnancy.

18 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

Healthy diets link to longer life regardless of longevity genes, large study finds

Adherence to five established healthy dietary patterns was associated with lower mortality and modestly longer life expectancy in a large UK cohort. These associations were largely independent of genetic predisposition to longevity, suggesting diet quality may influence lifespan regardless of inherited risk.

16 Feb 2026

Higher red meat intake links to greater diabetes odds in large US study

Higher intakes of total, processed, and unprocessed red meat were associated with greater odds of diabetes in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Statistical substitution models suggest replacing red meat with plant proteins, poultry, dairy, or whole grains may be linked to lower diabetes odds, though causality cannot be inferred.

15 Feb 2026

Obesity sharply increases hospitalisation risk from infections, global analysis shows

Adult obesity is associated with a substantially higher risk of severe hospital-treated or fatal infections across multiple pathogens, with risk increasing as obesity severity rises. Global modelling suggests roughly one in ten infection-related deaths worldwide may be attributable to adult obesity, although causality cannot be confirmed.

15 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

Parenting style shapes adolescent alcohol and drug use

"Like father, like son? Can parenting styles break the intergenerational pattern of alcohol and drug use?" A group of Brazilian researchers analyzed data on the behavior of 4,280 adolescents and their guardians based on this question, arriving at two important conclusions.

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

Early heart disease risk factors identified in South Asian adults in the U.S.

South Asian adults in the U. S. were more likely to have risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) by age 45 when compared to white, Black, Chinese or Hispanic adults in the same age group, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

11 Feb 2026