Recent research found that the psychedelic drug DOI reduced heroin-seeking behavior in rats by lowering their motivation to obtain heroin. This effect was mediated through 5-HT2A receptors, suggesting DOI’s potential therapeutic role in opioid use disorder treatment.
Recent research found that psychedelic users had lower death anxiety, but this was linked to transcendent experiences rather than the substances themselves.
A recent study found a strong genetic overlap between ADHD and cannabis use disorder, identifying shared genes active in the brain. These findings suggest genetic risk factors could help predict and prevent cannabis dependence in individuals with ADHD.
An ethnographic study in Alabama found that participants in peyote ceremonies reported reduced substance misuse, improved mental and physical health, and new life perspectives.
New research highlights a potential mechanism behind intoxicated aggression.
A study found that levodopa-induced dyskinesia disconnects the motor cortex from movement control, allowing abnormal movements. Ketamine reduced these movements, restored some brain control, and altered neural interactions, showing promise as a potential treatment.
The use of diabetes drugs semaglutide and liraglutide was associated with fewer hospitalizations for alcohol use disorder compared to approved treatments, suggesting these medications may have potential benefits for managing alcohol-related health issues.
Recent research found that young adults at risk of psychosis have reduced brain connectivity, and cannabis use worsens this issue, potentially disrupting brain development and increasing vulnerability to psychotic disorders.
Consuming unsweetened caffeinated coffee is linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and related mortality, while sweetened or artificially sweetened coffee showed no such benefits.
Ketamine infusion induces feelings of awe, which may mediate its antidepressant effects. Stronger awe experiences were linked to greater, longer-lasting depression symptom improvements, independent of dissociative symptoms
Adolescents who used cannabis reported more psychosis spectrum symptoms and distress, supporting shared vulnerability and self-medication hypotheses.
Researchers found increased thalamus-insula connectivity in individuals with alcohol use disorder during unpredictable threats, linked to higher alcohol intake. This suggests heightened threat reactivity may drive excessive drinking.
A new study has uncovered a critical molecular mechanism behind alcohol's effects on the brain. Researchers found that a previously uncharacterized protein, TMEM132B, amplifies alcohol's influence on GABAA receptors.
Cannabis use is linked to changes in brain structure and function in older adults, but genetic analysis suggests these differences are likely due to other factors, not cannabis use itself.
Children exposed to cannabis before birth showed weaker attention, self-control, and planning skills in lab tests, along with more aggressive behavior.