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An ice rink to fight opioid crisis: Drug-free fun vs. misuse of settlement cash

A Kentucky county nestled in the heart of Appalachia, where the opioid crisis has wreaked devastation for decades, spent $15,000 of its opioid settlement money on an ice rink.

20 Feb 2025

Breakthrough technology enables mRNA delivery across the blood-brain barrier

Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a lipid nanoparticle system capable of delivering messenger RNA (mRNA) to the brain via intravenous injection, a challenge that has long been limited by the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier.

17 Feb 2025

Brain waves help assess the effectiveness of alcohol consumption campaigns

Health campaigns, such as those against drug abuse or those promoting infection prevention measures during the coronavirus pandemic, are key public health tools and help protect the population.

7 Feb 2025

Fruit fly research uncovers brain signals behind alcohol-induced insomnia

Alcohol use disorder, which affects over 10% of Americans, can lead to persistent and serious insomnia. Difficulties falling asleep and staying asleep can last even after months of sobriety, increasing the risk of relapse.

6 Feb 2025

Low-dose initiation of buprenorphine for people using fentanyl fails to deliver expected results

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when fentanyl overdoses surged, doctors were desperate to find ways of helping their patients.

24 Jan 2025

Majority of naloxone recipients in NYC at high risk of overdose

The overwhelming majority of those in New York City who obtained a naloxone kit to counteract opioid overdose had a high need for the drug, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

16 Jan 2025

Nicotine pouch use among soldiers significantly higher than civilians

American soldiers are 10 times more likely to use nicotine pouches that can cause serious health issues than average American adults, according to a survey of military personnel at Fort Liberty, the largest American military base.

15 Jan 2025

Study questions accuracy of genetic test for opioid use disorder

Opioid misuse and specifically opioid use disorder (OUD), continues to represent a significant U.S. public health threat, with more than 6 million Americans aged 12 and older meeting the criteria for OUD in 2022.

9 Jan 2025

Study reveals significant increase in recreational ketamine use among adults

A recent study analyzing data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that past-year recreational ketamine use among adults has increased dramatically since 2015, including significant shifts in associations with depression and sociodemographic characteristics such as race, age and education status.

7 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

Structural brain differences in adolescents may play a role in early initiation of substance use

A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified distinct differences in the brain structures of those who used substances before age 15 compared to those who did not.

30 Dec 2024

How are states spending opioid settlement cash? We built a database of answers

In the past few years, state and local governments across the U.S. have begun spending billions in opioid settlements paid by companies accused of fueling the overdose crisis. But where is that money going, who is getting it, and is it doing any good?

16 Dec 2024

Structural and functional brain changes found in individuals with opioid use disorder

Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found structural and functional alterations in specific brain regions of individuals with opioid use disorder.

10 Dec 2024

Telemedicine and peer support show promise in treating hepatitis C in rural areas

New research reveals a dramatic improvement in diagnosing and curing people living with hepatitis C in rural communities using both telemedicine and support from peers with lived experience in drug use.

27 Nov 2024

Prenatal cannabis exposure linked to increased risk of opioid addiction later in life

With the increased legalization of recreational cannabis, as many as 1 in 5 pregnant women in the U.S. are now using the drug to help with morning sickness, lower back pain or anxiety.

14 Nov 2024

Understanding the diverse reasons behind teen vaping

Nicotine vapes are sometimes marketed as aids for cigarette smoking cessation. However, teens do not typically turn to electronic nicotine vapes to curb smoking habits, according to University of Michigan research.

13 Nov 2024

MUSC team develops digital toolkit to screen for intimate partner violence and PTSD in opioid use disorder

The opioid crisis has left an estimated 2.5 million people 18 and older in the U.S. with opioid use disorder, or OUD. Despite increased attention to the heavy toll taken by OUD, key risk factors such as intimate partner violence (IPV) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often overlooked. Both increase the risk of OUD and complicate recovery efforts.

12 Nov 2024

Study: Medicaid waivers have limited impact on opioid overdose crisis

For generations, the federal government has largely refrained from paying for mental health and substance use treatment in large residential facilities.

4 Nov 2024

Binge drinking in high school linked to risky drinking in midlife

The high school party days never really ended for a surprising number of middle-aged adults.

29 Oct 2024

Study reveals AI's potential and pitfalls in medical diagnosis

Published in JAMA Network Open, a collaborative team of researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School, Stanford University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the University of Virginia studied how well doctors used GPT-4 - an artificial intelligence (AI) large language model system - for diagnosing patients.

28 Oct 2024