Alcohol Dependence News and Research

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New insights into how romantic partners can influence a person's genetic risk for binge drinking

A study led by Virginia Commonwealth University and Rutgers University has revealed new insights into how romantic partners can influence a person's genetic predisposition to unhealthy alcohol use.

6 May 2025

Parental or caregiver alcohol use tied to increased child maltreatment

A new systematic review has found that parents and other child caregivers who have alcohol-related diagnoses are twice as likely to maltreat children in their care than parents and caregivers with no alcohol-related diagnoses.

30 Apr 2025

Combined use of alcohol and cannabis could fuel addiction risks

Many young adults drink alcohol and use cannabis together, at the same time, as a coping mechanism or to relieve stress.

10 Apr 2025

Study reveals long-term decision-making deficits due to heavy alcohol use

For the first time researchers demonstrate in an animal how heavy alcohol use leads to long-term behavioral issues by damaging brain circuits critical for decision-making.

2 Apr 2025

Alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations in Canada surged during the COVID-19 pandemic

Alcohol-related health issues surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 17.6% rise in mortality, calling for enhanced prevention and treatment strategies.

5 Feb 2025

Experts call for national strategy to address alcohol-related harms in the UK

The UK needs an overarching national strategy to tackle alcohol related harms, argue experts in The BMJ today, as deaths from alcohol in England reach their highest level on record.

16 Jan 2025

Psilocybin shows potential for treating mental health disorders in people with cancer and addiction

One or two doses of psilocybin, a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, may improve the mental health of cancer patients when accompanied by psychotherapy, a new report suggests.

2 Jan 2025

IQWiG evaluates smoking cessation drugs for severe tobacco dependence treatment

By law, smokers with severe tobacco dependence are entitled to receive one-off drug therapy for smoking cessation as part of evidence-based programmes reimbursed by the German statutory health insurance (SHI).

27 Nov 2024

GLP-1 agonists linked to fewer hospitalizations in alcohol use disorder patients

A new joint study by the University of Eastern Finland and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that the GLP-1 agonists semaglutide and liraglutide, which are used for treating diabetes and obesity, were associated with fewer hospitalizations among individuals with alcohol use disorder, AUD.

13 Nov 2024

Menthol cigarette restrictions could lead to healthier choices

Nationwide, fewer people smoke than did a decade ago, but the proportion who smoke menthol-flavored cigarettes is on the rise.

4 Nov 2024

Glutathione found to significantly reduce acetaldehyde levels and help relieve hangovers

Study demonstrates that glutathione (GSH) significantly reduces acetaldehyde levels, a key factor in hangovers, though subjective symptoms showed little difference between groups. Pharmacokinetic data indicate that GSH accelerates acetaldehyde clearance, providing potential relief from hangover symptoms.

29 Sep 2024

Hormonal markers predict treatment response in alcohol use disorder

A new study reveals hormonal and biochemical factors that affect alcohol dependence (also known as Alcohol Use Disorder), suggesting that men and women with alcohol problems may benefit from different treatments.

22 Sep 2024

GLP-1 receptor agonists show promise in treating substance use disorders

A systematic review reveals that GLP-1 receptor agonists may help reduce certain substance use disorders, but findings are inconsistent due to study variability and patient differences.

9 Sep 2024

Renewed interest in psychedelics as potential addiction therapies

After years of being seen as dangerous "party drugs," psychedelic substances are receiving renewed attention as therapies for addiction -- but far more research is needed, according to a new special series of articles in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, published at Rutgers University.

26 Aug 2024

Exploring the impact of xylazine on wound care needs

The animal tranquilizer xylazine is increasingly found in the illicit opioid supply nationwide, leading to severe wounds among people who use drugs. New research led by a University of Pittsburgh physician-scientist and published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence seeks to understand the wound care experiences of this population.

22 Aug 2024

Study finds rising methamphetamine-related psychiatric hospitalizations in the U.S.

A new study, out now in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, that details trends among psychiatric hospitalizations between 2015-2019 finds that while most hospitalizations did not involve any substances, methamphetamine-related hospitalizations have increased while overall number of psychiatric hospitalizations remained stable.

16 Aug 2024

Vaping linked to higher risk of cigarette smoking and drug use in teens, young adults

U.S. teens and young adults who vape are much more likely to start smoking cigarettes or to begin using cannabis or other drugs, a new University of Michigan study found.

16 Aug 2024

Study shows how segregated communities face challenges in filling OUD medications

Patients with a prescription for an opioid use disorder medication may have a tough time getting it filled if their pharmacy is in a community that's racially and economically segregated, according to a new study led by scientists at Oregon State University and Johns Hopkins University.

14 Aug 2024

Study pinpoints brain area critical to oxycodone relapse prevention

Even years after they have recovered, a person who once struggled with alcohol or opioid addiction can relapse - and that relapse is more likely to occur during particularly stressful times.

9 Jul 2024

Study finds lower cancer risk with alcohol abstinence and rehabilitation

A new study conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Bordeaux University Hospital, France, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has found that individuals with alcohol dependence who undergo rehabilitation or maintain abstinence experience significantly lower risks of developing alcohol-associated cancers.

26 Jun 2024