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Smelling dark chocolate before training may improve workout performance

Chocolate odors influence resistance exercise performance in fasted men, highlighting the potential of sensory cues to enhance training and appetite control.

13 Jul 2026

USC scientists target brain inflammation to prevent Alzheimer's disease

An interdisciplinary team at the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health (CPBH) is targeting a family of enzymes that can increase the risk of inflammation in the brains of people with the APOE4 gene variation-the most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's-as a way to prevent the disease.

2 Jul 2026

Trial evaluates interdisciplinary care for veterans with brain trauma and PTSD

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is leading a new multi-center clinical trial to evaluate an interdisciplinary rehabilitation model for military veterans and first responders with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

30 Jun 2026

Bariatric surgery linked to higher risk of developing alcohol problems

Your body absorbs alcohol much more rapidly after bariatric surgery. Patients need to know this when they choose the kind of surgery they will have.

25 Jun 2026

Longer breastfeeding links to fewer ADHD symptoms in children

Longer durations of full breastfeeding are linked to fewer ADHD symptoms in children, suggesting early feeding patterns may influence neurodevelopment.

23 Jun 2026

GLP-1 medications may lower risk of multiple substance use disorders

A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso found that use of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and other GLP-1s is associated with a lower risk of developing alcohol, opioid, nicotine and cocaine use disorders.

21 Jun 2026

New USC clinical trial explores psilocybin for mental health

Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the Brain and Creativity Institute at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have launched the University of Southern California's first study of psychedelic therapy.

16 Jun 2026

Grandparents can help counter growing children's mental health challenges

As more than 40% of American teenagers report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, a leading child psychologist says grandparents and extended family have a vital role to play.

13 Jun 2026

Experimental vaccine protects against fentanyl and related opioids

Fentanyl and related variants of the synthetic opioid kill more Americans each year than car accidents and gun violence combined. In too-high doses, the drugs hijack brain chemistry and shut down the signals that control breathing.

11 Jun 2026

Moderate alcohol consumption linked to premature death and chronic illness

Even what many Americans consider moderate drinking is linked to an increased risk of death, disability, and chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

9 Jun 2026

Weight loss drugs linked to lower risk of alcohol, opioid, nicotine and cocaine use disorders

8 Jun 2026

Falling fentanyl deaths drive historic drop in American drug overdoses

Researchers from the University of California San Diego have found that U.S. overdose death rates declined dramatically between 2023 and 2024, marking the first recorded drop in all four waves of the nation's overdose crisis.

2 Jun 2026

New Canadian guidelines streamline screening for high-risk drinking

An update to Canadian guidance on screening for high-risk drinking and alcohol use provides streamlined recommendations in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) that authors hope will make it easier for health care professionals to talk to patients about alcohol use.

4 May 2026

Meth use accounts for nearly 1 in 6 heart attacks, California study shows

Methamphetamine (meth) use accounted for nearly 15% of heart attacks for a decade in a northern California study, published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

30 Apr 2026

Heavy drinking linked to next day cognitive problems in students

When college students drink very heavily or to the point of blacking out, they're more likely to report poorer cognitive functioning the next day, like forgetting someone's name or having trouble making decisions, according to new research from the University of Oregon.

22 Apr 2026

UCL study urges clinician vigilance when prescribing gabapentinoids for pain

People who take gabapentinoids, a medication prescribed increasingly frequently worldwide, particularly for chronic pain, face a much greater risk of drug poisoning if they are also taking another medication, finds a new study by University College London (UCL) researchers.

17 Apr 2026