Addiction

A new review in Brain and Behavior makes the case that sugar can be addictive. The authors highlight how sugar changes brain function, triggers cravings, and leads to behaviors that resemble addiction—contributing to obesity, anxiety, and metabolic disorders.

A new brain imaging study reveals that individuals with alcohol use disorder have elevated levels of the antioxidant glutathione in a key brain region. Interestingly, those who drank less heavily in recent weeks showed the highest concentrations.

In a breakthrough for addiction science, neurobiologists have pinpointed the precise brain circuit that suppresses the urge to binge drink. This discovery of the brain's own "off switch" could revolutionize how we understand and treat alcohol use disorder.

After heroin exposure and abstinence, mice showed reduced prefrontal brain activity during social interaction but heightened responses to drug-related cues, suggesting heroin disrupts normal brain function in ways that may contribute to social withdrawal and relapse risk.

People who frequently use short-video apps like TikTok may show reduced loss sensitivity and impulsive decision-making, according to a new neuroimaging study that links addictive use patterns to changes in brain activity during risky choices.

A staggering one in four children in the U.S.—nearly 19 million total—now lives with a parent battling a substance use disorder. A new study reveals the dramatic scale of this crisis, which has grown by millions in just a few...

The same brain system that rewards you for a delicious meal is hijacked by drugs like fentanyl. A behavioral neuroscientist explains how understanding the specific memories behind these rewards is the key to treating addiction without harming our essential survival...

Obsessive romantic attachment may be more than an emotional burden—it could also impair your thinking. A new study reveals that love addiction, especially when fueled by anxiety and social media use, is linked to memory problems and daily cognitive failures.

Researchers have found that individuals who frequently view internet pornography show distinct brain activity and diminished cognitive control. The study suggests that heavy use may impact emotional processing and executive function in ways that resemble patterns seen in substance addiction.

Early results from a pilot study indicate that psilocybin-assisted therapy could be linked to lower alcohol consumption and improved psychological outcomes, though larger controlled trials are needed to determine whether the psilocybin itself is responsible for these changes.

A yearlong study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults found that problematic pornography use tends to persist over time and is strongly associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression, suggesting a lasting link between porn dysregulation and psychological distress.

A new study suggests that people who feel fewer bodily sensations while intoxicated may be at higher risk for alcohol misuse. Using bodily maps and heartbeat tasks, researchers linked internal awareness to physiological effects and subjective feelings of intoxication.

Researchers have identified a pathway linking childhood abuse to addictive behaviors in teens, showing that impulsivity and irritability help explain why early adversity increases the risk of smoking, alcohol use, and internet addiction.

A new study in Neuron suggests that men may be biologically more vulnerable to misusing opioids like fentanyl in response to pain. The findings point to estrogen’s ability to suppress brain reward circuits and reduce drug use during chronic pain.

Research shows that pornography use, which often begins in early adolescence, can impact brain development, sexual expectations, and relationship dynamics. While not formally classified as an addiction, problematic use is linked to emotional detachment, reduced satisfaction, and increased impulsivity.