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Using cannabis and opioids for pain increases mental health issues

Opioid misuse has become a significant public health problem. Despite efforts to control its use, opioid is still the most widely prescribed class of medicines. Now, a new study shows that when adults mix prescription opioids for pain with marijuana or cannabis, they report higher rates of anxiety and depression symptoms.

13 Aug 2019

Consuming flavonoid-rich items could protect against cancer and heart disease

Consuming flavonoid-rich items such as apples and tea protects against cancer and heart disease, particularly for smokers and heavy drinkers, according to new research from Edith Cowan University.

13 Aug 2019

Effects of edible marijuana studied in mice

Researchers have studied the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC in food albeit in mice. THC is the main component that causes the psychological features seen with use of marijuana. Laboratory mice were given dough containing THC and the effects of the concoction were studied on them. This was an attempt to see similar effects in humans after consuming marijuana laced edibles.

13 Aug 2019

People recovering from alcohol use disorder struggle to recognize angry facial expressions

People in early-stage recovery from alcohol use disorder can struggle to recognize facial expressions of emotion ─particularly anger ─according to a study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

13 Aug 2019

Adults who combine opioids and cannabis have more mental health issues

A researcher from the University of Houston has found that adults who take prescription opioids for severe pain are more likely to have increased anxiety, depression and substance abuse issues if they also use marijuana.

12 Aug 2019

New study looks at health effects of eating marijuana

Researchers have conducted a study in which mice voluntarily ate a dough containing THC, the primary psychoactive component in marijuana.

10 Aug 2019

Alcohol exposure during pregnancy linked with dose-dependent increase in miscarriage risk

Women who consume alcohol during pregnancy - even in small amounts - have a 19% greater risk of miscarriage than women who don't use alcohol, according to a new study by Vanderbilt researchers.

9 Aug 2019

Depression is the single largest driver of substance use in pregnant women

It is well known that tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use during pregnancy are associated with poor birth outcomes, yet many women continue to use these substances during pregnancy.

9 Aug 2019

Caffeine before bedtime has little effect on sleep quality, but alcohol and nicotine does

A new study has found that drinking coffee close to bedtime does not affect the quality of sleep, but that evening alcohol intake and smoking do.

8 Aug 2019

Eye-movement tests provide reliable biomarker of individual acute sleep loss

Lack of sleep can be dangerous; it is thought to play a role in up to 30% of all motor vehicle crashes and even implicated in catastrophic events, such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

8 Aug 2019

Adults with cerebral palsy at greater risk for mental health disorders

A new study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, highlights the need for increased awareness of mental health disorders among adults with cerebral palsy.

7 Aug 2019

Atrial fibrillation is common and incurable, but can be controlled

One of the most common problems cardiologists handle is atrial fibrillation, also called AFib or AF. AFib is an abnormal or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

7 Aug 2019

Eating chicken rather than red meat could lower breast cancer risk

Red meat refers to the flesh obtained from cows, pigs and lambs, that is, beef, pork and lamb/mutton respectively. These contain more of the muscle protein called myoglobin which carries oxygen to the muscle tissue, similar to hemoglobin in the blood.

7 Aug 2019

Study examines how evening use of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine affects sleep outcomes

Between 50 to 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder. Sleepless nights are associated with a number of adverse health outcomes including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain cancers. Evening use of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine are believed to sabotage sleep.

6 Aug 2019

Drug used to treat alcohol use disorder reduces craving in heavy drinkers

Researchers at Yale University have identified how naltrexone, a medication used to treat alcohol use disorder, reduces craving and consumption in heavy drinkers.

6 Aug 2019

Whole body vibration helps reduce inflammation, thanks to the gut microbiome

Whole body vibration appears to improve many symptoms of type II diabetes mellitus, wherein glucose and destructive inflammation shoots up. The procedure helps the body use glucose as an energy source, and at the same time, modify the microbiome to fight inflammation, a new study says.

6 Aug 2019

Whole body vibration adjusts the microbiome and immune cells to deter inflammation in diabetes

In the face of diabetes, a common condition in which glucose and levels of destructive inflammation soar, whole body vibration appears to improve how well our body uses glucose as an energy source and adjust our microbiome and immune cells to deter inflammation, investigators report.

5 Aug 2019

Human breath carries information that may aid in diagnosis

Human breath carries a breadth of information, and KAUST research scientist Osama Amin has partnered with KAUST's Mohamed-Slim Alouini and Basem Shihada and colleagues Maryam Khliad and Said Ahmed at Information Technology University, Pakistan, to harness that information.

5 Aug 2019

New core curriculum designed to educate primary care providers on substance use disorders

Dr. Michelle Lofwall, professor of behavioral science and psychiatry in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, is one of three national addiction physician experts who led a team of healthcare professionals in developing a new core curriculum designed to educate primary care providers on the prevention, assessment and treatment of substance use disorders throughout the continuum of care.

3 Aug 2019