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Alcohol abstinence can lead to regression of existing liver-related complications

Consistent and permanent abstinence from alcohol can lead to the regression of existing liver-related complications, even in cases of advanced alcohol-related cirrhosis.

4 Mar 2026

Alcohol-warning labels and pricing could prevent cancer deaths

If Canadian jurisdictions mandated warning labels on alcohol and minimum pricing tied to the number of standard drinks in a container, it could prevent hundreds of cancer diagnoses and deaths, according to a new study led by University of Victoria's Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR).

3 Mar 2026

New research on two million people quantifies how genetic risks overlap across diagnoses

A sweeping new peer-reviewed study published in Genomic Psychiatry has introduced a concept that could reshape how psychiatrists and geneticists think about mental illness: genetic specificity.

3 Mar 2026

Ultraprocessed foods are engineered like cigarettes

The parallels between ultraprocessed foods and tobacco raise concerns about addiction and health risks, urging policymakers to implement effective regulations.

2 Mar 2026

NIH’s continued investment fuels TMJ pain research

Chronic pain is one of the most common health conditions worldwide. Back pain is the most frequently reported type, followed closely by head and face pain linked to the jaw joint, in the form of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

27 Feb 2026

Engineered proteins track gene expression in living primate brains

Gene therapy has been successfully used to treat a number of diseases, including immune deficiencies, hereditary blindness, hemophilia and, recently, Huntington's disease, a fatal neurological disorder.

27 Feb 2026

Stronger connection found between cannabis use and mental illness

An analysis of 35,000 Canadians shows that rising cannabis use and worsening mental‑health symptoms are increasingly appearing together, with the connection between the two strengthening over time.

26 Feb 2026

Could a rare gene variant help reduce smoking? New study suggests it might

An exome-wide association study of nearly 38,000 smokers from the Mexico City Prospective Study identified rare coding variants in CHRNB3 that are associated with substantially fewer cigarettes smoked per day. Cross-ancestry analyses in European and East Asian datasets support a role for the β3 nicotinic receptor subunit in modulating smoking intensity.

25 Feb 2026

Social media muscle content raises steroid use intentions in young men

A study links muscle-focused social media content to increased intentions to use anabolic steroids among young men, highlighting risks of body comparison.

25 Feb 2026

Teen cannabis use trends mirror established alcohol consumption patterns

A new study published in the journal Addiction shows that cannabis use among Swedish adolescents appears to follow the same population-level pattern previously observed for alcohol.

24 Feb 2026

New 3D liver reconstructions show how cirrhosis reshapes organ architecture

Never-before-seen 3D reconstructions of human liver tissue have been created at a cellular level. The details obtained by a team of UW Medicine and University of Washington engineers and physicians capture the spatial microstructure of multiple lobes of this multitasking organ.

23 Feb 2026

As more Americans embrace anxiety treatment, MAHA derides medications

After a grueling year of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat breast cancer, Sadia Zapp was anxious — not the manageable hum that had long been part of her life, but something deeper, more distracting.

23 Feb 2026

Social media exposure associated with steroid use intentions among boys and men

A new study of more than 1,500 boys and men in Canada and the United States suggests that social media may play a meaningful role in shaping intentions to use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), particularly when users are exposed to muscularity-focused content and engage in body comparisons online.

20 Feb 2026

Mounjaro ingredient shows promise in lowering alcohol consumption

For the first time, researchers show that tirzepatide - the active ingredient in the diabetes and weight-loss drug Mounjaro - reduces alcohol intake as well as relapse-like behaviors in rats and mice.

20 Feb 2026

Prenatal infection increases risk of alcohol misuse in adulthood

Exposure to infection and other immune stress in the womb increases the likelihood of alcohol misuse in adulthood, a risk that may be reduced through prenatal antioxidant treatment, a new Washington State University study shows.

19 Feb 2026

Timing matters more than repetition in learning

More than a century ago, Pavlov trained his dog to associate the sound of a bell with food. Ever since, scientists assumed the dog learned this through repetition: The more times the dog heard the bell and then got fed, the better it learned that the sound meant food would soon follow.

17 Feb 2026

Psychedelic effects of ketamine do not predict sobriety

The psychedelic effects recreational users often seek from taking ketamine do not predict the therapeutic benefits for people being treated for alcohol use disorder.

16 Feb 2026

ARVCF gene deletion leads to abnormalities in reward behavior

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a key brain region for dopamine production and the regulation of reward-related behaviors.

13 Feb 2026

New research initiative examines impact of legal psychedelic services in community settings

A federally funded research initiative will enable researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and other organizations to assess the safety and effectiveness of state-regulated access to psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms.

12 Feb 2026

Brain circuit links past experiences to appetite control

Our past experiences shape how much we eat and where and what we choose to eat. Using preclinical models, researchers from Mass General Brigham and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have identified brain cells that translate contextual information into appetite control.

12 Feb 2026