Substance Use Disorder News and Research

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Significant genetic variations linked to cannabis use disorder identified in major global ancestries

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of cannabis use disorder.

22 Nov 2023

Evolving overdose crisis shakes previously effective treatments

"You can't inject a horse tranquilizer and think nothing bad is gonna happen" to you, said Ty Sears, 33, a longtime drug user now in recovery.

21 Nov 2023

Benzodiazepine prescribing practices for homeless veterans with mental illness

Despite elevated risk for substance use disorder and overdose death in the homeless population, benzodiazepine prescribing for this population has not been examined.

17 Nov 2023

Eating disorder claim lines increase significantly from 2018 to 2022

From 2018 to 2022, eating disorder claim lines increased 65 percent nationally as a percentage of all medical claim lines.

15 Nov 2023

Exploring the use of psychedelics as novel treatments for psychiatric disorders

Psychedelic compounds such as psilocybin, a substance found in various mushroom species, are garnering more research support as novel treatments for psychiatric disorders, but questions remain concerning who they may help the most.

13 Nov 2023

Minnesota data-sharing model tracks drug overdose hospital and ED trends

In a recently released study, researchers at Hennepin Healthcare and other Minnesota health systems describe how a COVID-19 collaboration across Minnesota health systems was adapted to monitor near-real-time trends in substance use–related hospital and emergency department (ED) visits.

10 Nov 2023

Young children frequently drinking caffeinated soda may be at higher risk of alcohol consumption

The trend among younger children to frequently drink caffeinated soda may indicate higher risk of alcohol consumption in the future, new research suggests.

8 Nov 2023

Medicare expands the roster of available mental health professionals

Lynn Cooper was going through an awful time. After losing her job in 2019, she became deeply depressed.

3 Nov 2023

Scientists identify mechanism of alcohol withdrawal headaches

About 283 million people worldwide suffer from alcohol use disorder, a debilitating health challenge for which limited therapeutic options are available. The cost to society is estimated at greater than $2 trillion annually.

30 Oct 2023

USDA grant awarded to MU researchers to reduce opioid overdoses and suicides in Rural Missouri

Childhood trauma is a key risk factor for future substance use disorder, overdose, and suicide. This is particularly problematic in rural areas where children experience higher rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

27 Oct 2023

Study identifies predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain

A large study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.230459 identified 10 predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain, which can help clinicians engage in shared decision-making with patients around opioid prescribing.

24 Oct 2023

Using opioid settlement cash for police gear like squad cars and scanners sparks debate

Policing expenses mount quickly: $25,000 for a law enforcement conference about fentanyl in Colorado; $18,000 for technology to unlock cellphones in Southington, Connecticut; $2,900 for surveillance cameras and to train officers and canines in New Lexington, Ohio. And in other communities around the country, hundreds of thousands for vehicles, body scanners, and other equipment.

23 Oct 2023

Tattoo removal may help reduce violence and trauma in East Los Angeles

Tattoo removal may help to reduce violence and trauma in East Los Angeles, according to study results being presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2023.

20 Oct 2023

Pediatric mental health crisis skyrocketed and persisted during the pandemic

Mental health crises among children and adolescents requiring emergency department care skyrocketed during the pandemic and have stayed elevated despite a return to normalcy, according to a study by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators.

20 Oct 2023

How do different organ microbiomes influence neuropsychiatric disorders?

Scientists review existing literature to understand how the microbiome influences neuropsychiatric disorders.

19 Oct 2023

Telehealth may improve access and retention for opioid use disorder treatment

Starting buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder through telehealth was associated with an increased likelihood of staying in treatment longer compared to starting treatment in a non-telehealth setting, according to a new study analyzing Medicaid data from 2019-2020 in Kentucky and Ohio.

18 Oct 2023

Did the COVID-19 pandemic increase drunkness among people with a history of alcohol use disorder?

How COVID-19-related stressors altered drunkenness frequency.

10 Oct 2023

New research calls for shift in thinking about ultra-processed food addiction

Researchers from the United States, Brazil, and Spain, including scientists with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, published an analysis in a special edition of the British Medical Journal with a timely and controversial recommendation: It's time for an international shift in the way we think about ultra-processed food.

9 Oct 2023

New brain biomarker predicts recovery from treatment-resistant depression

Using a novel deep brain stimulation (DBS) device capable of recording brain signals, researchers have identified a pattern of brain activity or "biomarker" related to clinical signs of recovery from treatment-resistant depression.

20 Sep 2023

New study suggests higher buprenorphine doses could help save lives

Individuals with opioid use disorder who were prescribed a lower buprenorphine dose were 20% more likely to discontinue treatment than those on a higher dose, according to a study of patients prescribed buprenorphine in Rhode Island from 2016 to 2020, as fentanyl became widely available.

19 Sep 2023