Substance Abuse News and Research

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Variant of COMT gene linked to impulsive decisions

People with clinical addictions know first-hand the ravages the disease can take on almost every aspect of their lives.

28 Dec 2007

Brief intervention helps emergency patients reduce drinking

Asking emergency department patients about their alcohol use and talking with them about how to reduce harmful drinking patterns is an effective way to lower rates of risky drinking in these patients, according to a nationwide collaborative study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

28 Dec 2007

Brain imaging shows there may be a cognitive difference in people with addictions

Scientists have for the first time identified brain sites that fire up more when people make impulsive decisions.

28 Dec 2007

Brain abnormalities found underlying borderline personality disorder

Using new approaches, an interdisciplinary team of scientists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City has gained a view of activity in key brain areas associated with a core difficulty in patients with borderline personality disorder -- shedding new light on this serious psychiatric condition.

20 Dec 2007

Researchers present unique program aimed at HIV prevention in runaway youth

Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center are the first in the U.S. to develop an HIV prevention and intervention program for adolescent runaways that focuses on their strengths.

4 Dec 2007

JAMA reports HIV spike among gay men; AHF says routine testing, effective prevention needed

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), today expressed alarm over a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article that reported a startling 13% increase in HIV/AIDS cases among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States over the past four years.

27 Nov 2007

Recovering alcoholics who abstain from drinking are least likely to relapse

However, although abstinence is the most reliable form of recovery to help middle-age and older adults avoid alcohol abuse and dependence problems, the study found that sustained recovery might be more elusive for young people, regardless of whether they avoid all alcohol or simply restrict their consumption.

27 Nov 2007

Wildfires and PTSD-related psychological distress

While the wildfires that destroyed more than 2,000 homes in southern California have been almost completely contained, the emotional effects of the devastation will linger for months or even years to come.

27 Nov 2007

Do rural and non-rural single, young adults differ in their risk and protective HIV/STD behaviors?

Single young adults living in rural areas are no more inclined to engage in safe sex behaviors than their non-rural peers, according to a new analysis by Indiana University sexual health experts of a nationally representative survey.

27 Nov 2007

Problematic drinking and alcohol dependence linked to high number of sex partners

Previous studies have linked heavy drinking and conduct disorder to high-risk sexual behaviors that can, in turn, lead to unintended pregnancies, infection, and damage to reproductive health.

27 Nov 2007

Survey shows perceptions of stress among pathology residents

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) conducted a nationwide survey to identify stressors perceived by pathology residents. The survey appears online in the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Pathology.

16 Nov 2007

Stable family life a key factor to avoiding a number of serious health problems in young girls

For many young girls, a stable family life is one key factor to avoiding a number of serious health problems.

16 Nov 2007

Greater support and less marital conflict leads to later onset of puberty in girls

Early puberty in girls has been found to negatively affect these teenagers' health in areas such as mood disorders, substance abuse, adolescent pregnancy, and cancers of the reproductive system.

16 Nov 2007

Trial of the antidepressant fluoxetine for teens with depression and substance use disorders

The antidepressant fluoxetine combined with cognitive behavioral therapy appears as effective for treating depression among teens who also have substance use disorders as among those without substance abuse problems, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

6 Nov 2007