Opioids News and Research

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An opioid is a chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these two organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the side effects of opioids.

U-M scientists develop new tool to better understand neuronal signaling

University of Michigan researchers have developed a new tool to better understand how chemicals like dopamine and epinephrine interact with neurons.

23 Apr 2024

The path to a better tuberculosis vaccine runs through Montana

A team of Montana researchers is playing a key role in the development of a more effective vaccine against tuberculosis, an infectious disease that has killed more people than any other.

18 Apr 2024

To stop fentanyl deaths in Philadelphia, knocking on doors and handing out overdose kits

On a narrow street lined with row houses and an auto body shop in the Kensington neighborhood of North Philadelphia, Marsella Elie climbs a home's front steps and knocks hard on the door.

17 Apr 2024

Study reveals shocking rise in opioid deaths among Canadian youth

Premature deaths related to opioids doubled between 2019 and 2021 across Canada, with more than 1 in 4 deaths among young adults aged 20–39 years attributable to opioids, according to new research published in CMAJ.

15 Apr 2024

Swap funds or add services? Use of opioid settlement cash sparks strong disagreements

State and local governments are receiving billions of dollars in opioid settlements to address the drug crisis that has ravaged America for decades.

15 Apr 2024

Deciphering the molecular interactions of opioid receptors: Implications for drug design

Drugs that target opioid receptors sometimes have severe side effects. Thousands of people around the world die every day from overdoses involving opioids such as fentanyl.

13 Apr 2024

Pain reliever use in pregnancy shows no link to child neurodevelopmental disorders, study finds

Extensive study explores acetaminophen use during pregnancy, analyzing its potential association with intellectual disability, ADHD, and autism in children, and ultimately finding no link when considering sibling analyses to control for unmeasured confounding factors.

11 Apr 2024

Tiam1 inhibition mitigates morphine tolerance and hyperalgesia in mouse model

Morphine and other opioids are vital to treat severe and chronic pain. However, they have two problems -; prolonged use creates morphine tolerance, where ever-increasing doses are needed for the same pain relief, and paradoxically, prolonged use also can create an extreme sensitivity to pain, called hyperalgesia.

9 Apr 2024

Immersive VR may be a useful non-medication strategy to improve cancer pain

A 10-minute virtual reality (VR) session significantly lessened pain in hospitalized patients with cancer in a recent clinical trial published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Even a day later, participants experienced sustained benefits.

8 Apr 2024

More kids are dying of drug overdoses. Could pediatricians do more to help?

A 17-year-old boy with shaggy blond hair stepped onto the scale at Tri-River Family Health Center in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.

5 Apr 2024

UT Health San Antonio launches Be Well Institute for substance use research and treatment

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) is establishing the Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders, a pioneering initiative dedicated to advancing research, education and evidence-based treatments.

3 Apr 2024

Dartmouth-led research identifies unique brain areas for emotion regulation

Ever want to scream during a particularly bad day, but then manage not to? Thank the human brain and how it regulates emotions, which can be critical for navigating everyday life.

3 Apr 2024

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

In this interview, News Medical speaks to Isaac Chiu, Ph.D and Daping Yang, Ph.D. of Harvard Medical School, about their latest research, revealing the surprising properties of pain.

2 Apr 2024

New project aims to engineer live joints for osteoarthritis treatment

About 32.5 million people in the United States and 500 million globally suffer from the degenerative joint disease known as osteoarthritis (OA), according to the Centers for Disease Control.

26 Mar 2024

A paramedic was skeptical about this Rx for stopping repeat opioid overdoses. Then he saw it help.

Fire Capt. Jesse Blaire steered his SUV through the mobile home park until he spotted the little beige house with white trim and radioed to let dispatchers know he'd arrived.

25 Mar 2024

Punitive prenatal drug laws lead to negative health outcomes

Contrary to some claims, laws that criminalize or otherwise punish drug use during pregnancy are more likely to worsen rather than improve health outcomes, according to a paper by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

18 Mar 2024

Rare condition post-orgasmic illness syndrome explored in depth

Comprehensive review synthesizes current knowledge on post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS), a rare condition marked by a range of symptoms following ejaculation, highlighting the need for further research to understand its causes and develop effective treatments.

17 Mar 2024