Addiction News and Research

RSS

Addictive screen habits harm early adolescent mental health

New research following US adolescents ages 11–12 shows that problematic use of mobile phones, social media, and video games was associated with higher risks of mental health problems, sleep disturbance, and suicidal behaviors one year later.

12 Feb 2026

Economic disadvantage linked to tobacco addiction and lower motivation to stop smoking

A new paper in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, published by Oxford University Press, finds that people experiencing more economic disadvantages are more likely to smoke cigarettes, have higher levels of tobacco addiction, and find it harder to quit than those who are most advantaged.

11 Feb 2026

Smokefree generation law could slash youth smoking decades earlier

New research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that smoking prevalence among 12 to 30-year-olds in England could drop below 5% decades earlier than expected, if the government progressively raises the age of tobacco sale.

11 Feb 2026

Review links betel nut addiction to cancer, heart disease, and metabolic risks

This review examines the epidemiology, health risks, neurobiological mechanisms, and emerging treatments related to betel nut addiction worldwide. It highlights strong links with oral cancer, cardiometabolic disease, and addiction pathways while noting limited established therapies and the need for coordinated public health strategies.

11 Feb 2026

Addiction consults improve care for drug-related eye infections

Eric Gaier, MD, PhD, and Dean Eliott, MD, of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear, a member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, are co-authors of a paper published in Ophthalmology Retina, "Substance Use Disorder Interventions and Ophthalmic Outcomes for Injection Drug Use-Associated Endogenous Endophthalmitis."

10 Feb 2026

Digital resource aims to enhance trauma-informed health care for people with complex PTSD

A new digital resource co-created by University of Victoria (UVic) researchers and trauma survivors will streamline access to resources and tools for clinicians who support people with complex post-traumatic stress at Island Health in B.C. and other jurisdictions.

9 Feb 2026

Chronic alcohol use profoundly alters gene expression in the brain's reward system

Chronic alcohol consumption profoundly alters gene expression in key brain regions involved in reward, impulse control, and decision-making, according to a study led by researchers at the Institute for Neurosciences, a joint center of Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

9 Feb 2026

New analysis reveals hidden complexity in the vaginal microbiome

For decades, gynecological tests have relied on a simplified view of the vaginal microbiome, categorizing bacteria as either "good" or "bad."

6 Feb 2026

Artificial intelligence enables faster detection of substance use disorder

Diagnosing substance-use disorder can be difficult because of patient denial related to the stigma attached to addiction.

5 Feb 2026

Smartwatch data may help detect opioid misuse risk

Opioid overdoses continue to take a devastating toll across the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2023, the nation recorded roughly 105,000 drug overdose deaths overall, with nearly 80,000 deaths involving opioids.

5 Feb 2026

Study identifies genetic fingerprint of neuropathic pain neurons

Researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas and their international colleagues have determined the molecular signature of human sleeping - or silent - nociceptors: sensory neurons that are unresponsive to touch or pressure yet are key culprits in neuropathic pain.

4 Feb 2026

Study finds ADHD symptoms linked to higher internet addiction risk in college students

A cross-sectional study of Chinese college students found ADHD symptoms were associated with internet addiction, with insomnia and executive dysfunction acting as mediating factors. Moderate and high physical activity levels were also linked with lower internet addiction symptoms, although causality cannot be inferred.

4 Feb 2026

Molecular signature of sleeping nociceptors offers new pain targets

Researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Institute of Neurophysiology at Uniklinik RWTH Aachen in Germany have deciphered the molecular signature of so-called sleeping nociceptors-a type of pain-sensing nerve cell that normally remains quiet and does not respond to touch or pressure, but can become overactive and drive chronic pain.

4 Feb 2026

Clinical trial launched to test experimental intranasal spray against respiratory viruses

Last year, at least one million people in the U.S. were hospitalized for respiratory virus illnesses like the flu or COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

2 Feb 2026

Genetic ancestry influences tumor biology and survival in head and neck cancers

Genetic ancestry plays a key role in determining the behavior of head and neck tumors and may help explain why African-American patients survive for half as long as their counterparts of European ancestry, according to a new review study led by researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine's (UMSOM) Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) and the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC).

31 Jan 2026

Neural circuits in flies provide insights into human eating

Why do we sometimes keep eating even when we're full and other times turn down food completely? Why do we crave salty things at certain times, and sweets at other times? The answers, according to new neuroscience research at the University of Delaware, may lie in a tiny brain in an organism you might not expect.

30 Jan 2026

Oral cancer pain and opioid tolerance share a common EGFR mechanism

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in the tissue around oral cancers both increases nerve sensitivity and makes opioids less effective, according to new research published in Science Signaling.

29 Jan 2026

Farmers now owe a lot more for health insurance

Last year was a tough one for farmers. Amid falling prices for commodity crops such as corn and soybeans, rising input costs for supplies like fertilizer and seeds, as well as the Trump tariffs and the dismantling of USAID, many farms weren't profitable last year.

22 Jan 2026

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs show early promise for treating addiction

This systematic review evaluates preclinical and clinical evidence on glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists as potential treatments for substance use disorders. Findings show consistent reductions in drug- and alcohol-seeking behaviors in animal models, while human evidence remains limited, heterogeneous, and preliminary.

21 Jan 2026