Alcohol Use Disorder News and Research

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Study identifies thalamic pathway that reinforces alcohol seeking in withdrawal

What compels someone to keep engaging in alcohol use, even if it damages their health, relationships and wellbeing? A new study from Scripps Research offers an important clue: a small midline brain region plays a key role in how animals learn to continue drinking to avoid the stress and misery of withdrawal.

13 Sep 2025

Targeting gut signaling protein may protect against alcohol-related liver damage

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of liver transplantation and death worldwide, and its impact is only growing. In 2022, the annual cost of ALD in the United States was $31 billion.

27 Aug 2025

Family history of liver disease significantly raises risk of severe alcohol-related hepatitis

In a groundbreaking study, research scientists from the Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute found that individuals with a parent who died from liver disease face more than double the risk of developing alcohol-associated hepatitis, one of the deadliest forms of alcohol-related liver disease, compared with similar heavy drinkers without that family history.

26 Aug 2025

Study identifies a promising new strategy for treating alcohol use disorder

Researchers have identified a promising new strategy for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD). A novel study found that the dopamine-boosting drug tolcapone increases activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during self-control tasks.

13 Aug 2025

Understanding the importance of B vitamins for health

Eight different vitamins make up the B complex, and they all play crucial roles in the body, such as producing energy, keeping our nervous system healthy, and supporting cell development.

4 Aug 2025

Study reveals stigmatizing responses in LLMs for addiction-related queries

As artificial intelligence is rapidly developing and becoming a growing presence in healthcare communication, a new study addresses a concern that large language models (LLMs) can reinforce harmful stereotypes by using stigmatizing language.

26 Jul 2025

Ibogaine treatment shows major breakthrough for veterans with brain injuries

Now, Stanford Medicine researchers have discovered that the plant-based psychoactive drug ibogaine, when combined with magnesium to protect the heart, safely and effectively reduces PTSD, anxiety and depression and improves functioning in veterans with TBI.

24 Jul 2025

Two existing medications work effectively together in treating alcohol use disorder

Two existing medications - one used for smoking cessation and the other for depression - appear to work effectively together in treating alcohol use disorder.

16 Jun 2025

Psilocybin rewires the brain for weeks, study finds

Psilocybin induces consistent and sustained changes in brain network connectivity, particularly between the hippocampus and default mode network, as shown using high-resolution fMRI in healthy adults. These neural effects, distinct from those produced by methylphenidate, may underlie the drug’s psychological benefits and were reproducible within individuals over time.

10 Jun 2025

Dr. Stephen Ross’s research into psychedelic medicine expands therapeutic frontiers

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Interview published today, Dr. Stephen Ross, a leading figure in psychedelic medicine at New York University (NYU), reveals how a serendipitous conversation in 2006 launched his journey into investigating psychedelic compounds as potential breakthrough treatments for some of psychiatry's most challenging conditions.

10 Jun 2025

Asthma drug once hoped to treat alcohol use disorder fails to meet expectations in UCLA trial

A drug that once showed promise as a treatment for alcohol use disorder did not work as expected, a new UCLA clinical trial found.

3 Jun 2025

Alcohol abuse drug may mitigate trauma-induced damage, especially in females

Runaway cell death and inflammation triggered by severe trauma may be interrupted by a drug used to prevent alcohol abuse – and it may be particularly effective in females, according to new research led by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine surgeon-scientists and published today in Science Translational Medicine.

28 May 2025

Study sheds light on public attitudes about transplant allocations

Becoming an organ donor has never been easier. Registration is available online when renewing a driver's license or, for iPhone users, through an app.

15 May 2025

Study highlights the growing toll of parental substance use on American children

A large percentage of American children are growing up in households with at least one parent who uses alcohol or other drugs in problematic ways-raising the risk that those children will go on to do the same, a new study suggests.

13 May 2025

GLP-1 receptor agonists improve mood and metabolic health in adults with mental illness

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) can lead to significant weight loss and improve blood sugar control in adults with severe mental illness, as well as having positive effects on mood, well-being, and quality of life in those both with and without mental illness, according to a systematic review of the available evidence being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (11-14 May).

11 May 2025

Eating disorders affect all races and genders on college campuses

What does a person with an eating disorder look like? The picture may not be as clear-cut as many people think.

8 May 2025

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

Rethinking the social side of problem drinking

When picturing a "typical" alcoholic, people tend to imagine a person drinking at home alone. But that focus overlooks the social origins of many serious alcohol problems, say the authors of a new review paper in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science.

6 May 2025

Researchers uncover how substance use accelerates brain aging

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Interview, researchers from UTHealth Houston have uncovered crucial evidence that substance use disorders (SUDs) accelerate biological aging in the brain through distinct molecular mechanisms.

29 Apr 2025

FDA approved anti-inflammatory drug shows promise for treating alcohol use disorder and pain

A preclinical study from scientists at Scripps Research finds that a drug already FDA-approved for treating inflammatory conditions may help reduce both alcohol intake and pain sensitivity-two issues that commonly co-occur with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

22 Apr 2025