Substance Use Disorder News and Research

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Ketogenic diet's surprising impact on opioid sensitivity and withdrawal

Research investigates the effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) on responses to oxycodone, a commonly prescribed opioid for pain management. The study found sex-biased effects of KD on oxycodone responses in mice, suggesting potential implications for clinical pain management and treatment of opioid use disorder.

10 May 2023

Mental disorders in adults aged 20–39 years linked to elevated risk of heart attack and stroke

Adults in their 20s and 30s with mental disorders have an up to three-fold elevated likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, according to a study in more than 6.5 million individuals published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology.

9 May 2023

Disparities in brain development of children can be mitigated through anti-poverty programs

States that provide stronger social safety nets have lower socioeconomic disparities in the brain development and mental health of children 9 to 11 years old, according to research supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health.

2 May 2023

Does physical activity impact substance use disorder treatment?

Researchers reviewed existing studies on physical activity interventions for treating substance use disorders.

28 Apr 2023

The Biden administration vowed to be a leading voice on opioid settlements but has gone quiet

Early in President Joe Biden's tenure, his administration promised to play a key role in ensuring opioid settlement funds went toward tackling the nation's addiction crisis.

21 Apr 2023

Innovative statewide surveillance system will help reduce the burden of opioid use disorder in Kentucky

University of Kentucky researchers are creating an innovative statewide surveillance system to inform prevention and response efforts aimed at reducing the burden of opioid use disorder in Kentucky.

10 Apr 2023

Genetic discovery may pave the way for precision medicine approaches to treat depression

A team of scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has identified a stress-regulated gene that plays a role in the link between long-term stress and a common type of depressive behavior in mice.

7 Apr 2023

Buprenorphine can be safely started in the ER without triggering withdrawal even for people using stronger opioids

Results from a multi-site clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health showed that less than 1% of people with opioid use disorder whose drug use includes fentanyl experienced withdrawal when starting buprenorphine in the emergency department.

30 Mar 2023

Study shows benefits of expanding the use of telehealth services for people with opioid use disorder

The expanded availability of opioid use disorder-related telehealth services and medications during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a lowered likelihood of fatal drug overdose among Medicare beneficiaries, according to a new study.

29 Mar 2023

Study reveals dramatic rise in drug overdose fatalities among older adults in the past two decades

Overdose mortality among people age 65 and older quadrupled over 20 years, suggesting the need for greater mental health and substance use disorder policies addressed at curbing the trend, a new research paper finds.

29 Mar 2023

Truly random drug testing: ADHD patients face uneven urine screens and, sometimes, stigma

Some adults who take prescription medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are required to have their urine tested for drugs several times a year. Others never are tested.

28 Mar 2023

Substance use disorders not associated with COVID-19-related mortality

New research from Boston Medical Center found that substance use disorders do not increase the likelihood of dying from COVID-19.

24 Mar 2023

Common genetic signature may increase a person's risk of developing substance use disorders

A new study suggests that a common genetic signature may increase a person's risk of developing substance use disorders, regardless of whether the addiction is to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or opioids.

22 Mar 2023

Study finds shared genetic risk variants across different substance use disorders

By combing through genomic data of over 1 million people, scientists have identified genes commonly inherited across addiction disorders, regardless of the substance being used.

22 Mar 2023

Reentry programs to help former prisoners obtain health care are often underused

When Matthew Boyd was released from a Georgia state prison in December 2020, officials sent him home without medicines he uses to manage chronic heart and lung conditions and high blood pressure, he said.

8 Mar 2023

Determining the role of the epigenetic enzyme, HDAC5, in an animal model

Substance use disorder (SUD) is an extremely difficult disorder to overcome, and many individuals with SUD return to regular use after repeated attempts to quit.

27 Feb 2023

Hormone replacement therapy for gender dysphoria may increase risk of serious cardiac events

People with gender dysphoria taking hormone replacements as part of gender affirmation therapy face a substantially increased risk of serious cardiac events, including stroke, heart attack and pulmonary embolism, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology.

23 Feb 2023