This is Archived Content. This content is available for historical purposes only. It may not reflect the current state of science or language from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). View current news releases on nida.nih.gov.
A revealing look at the brain on heroin
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A NIDA-funded study reveals major changes in the brains of heroin users.
New clinician screening tool available for substance use
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network has unveiled a new scientifically validated, online screening tool designed to assess a patient’s risk for substance misuse and substance use disorder, and assist the health care provider with prevention and treatment strategies.
Training module now available for acute pain management in hospitalized adults
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A case-based clinician training module designed for the evaluation of acute pain and opioid management for adults is now available through the Centers of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPE) program, coordinated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Scientists discover path to better pain medicines
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In this this NIDA-funded research, scientists used a novel approach to compare the cell signaling initiated by kappa opioids that produce dysphoria from those that do not.
Analysis of insurance coverage for back pain shows missed opportunities to prescribe non-opioid medications
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A comprehensive analysis of health insurance coverage of non-opioid and opioid medications to treat chronic low back pain concluded that some insurance plans have missed important opportunities to steer patients towards safer and more effective treatments than prescription opioids.
Methadone and buprenorphine reduce risk of death after opioid overdose
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A National Institutes of Health-funded study found that treatment of opioid use disorder with either methadone or buprenorphine following a nonfatal opioid overdose is associated with significant reductions in opioid related mortality.
Special journal issue highlights ABCD brain study
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The special issue is an overview of the ABCD Study and includes articles about the rationale for the study, its design and recruitment strategy, assessment protocols and neuroimaging parameters, the inclusion of twins in the research design, biomedical ethics and clinical oversight, and retention considerations, among others.
Too Hot And Too Cold: Dysregulation of key brain networks in people with addiction
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Study suggests that brain activity is not simply too high or low in people who are addicted to drugs, but behaves differently to drug and non-drug stimuli.
Full survey of annual teen drug use now available with additional data
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The complete volume of the 2017 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) teen drug use and behavior survey results is now available online with never before seen highlights about drug use and attitudes among the nation’s eighth, 10th and 12th graders.
Higher rate of substance use among Native American youth on reservations
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A survey comparing drug use among Native American youth living on or near reservations to a national sample of American youth found that Native American youth report substantially higher use of alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, and other illicit drugs.
Breathing under the influence of … fentanyl
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An animal study at NIDA's intramural research labs suggests fentanyl-induced respiratory depression affects the temperature of the brain, triggering brain hypoxia and hyperglycemia.
Method to identify undetected drug suicides wins top NIDA Addiction Science Award
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A project that identified and tested a bioinformatics program that can help identify underreported suicides linked to drug overdoses was awarded the first-place distinction at the 2018 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students.
FDA approves first medication to reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms
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Lofexidine, the first medication for use in reducing symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal in adults, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
What science says about Tobacco + Marijuana + Pregnancy
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A NIDA-funded study suggests that pregnant women who smoke both marijuana and cigarettes have a higher likelihood of smaller babies and increased maternal stress and aggression.
Study upends conventional view of opioid mechanism of action
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A new discovery shows that opioids used to treat pain, such as morphine and oxycodone, produce their effects by binding to receptors inside neurons, contrary to conventional wisdom that they acted only on the same surface receptors as endogenous opioids, which are produced naturally in the brain.
Nearly half of opioid-related overdose deaths involve fentanyl
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An analysis of opioid-related overdose deaths found that synthetic opioids, such as illicit fentanyl, have surpassed prescription opioids as the most common drug involved in overdose deaths in the U.S.
Dr. Kurt Rasmussen to lead NIDA’s therapeutics and medical consequences division
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health, welcomed Dr. Kurt Rasmussen today as the Director of the Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences (DTMC).
Understanding the Neuroscience of Addiction: what it means for prevention and treatment
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Advances in the understanding of brain development, as well as the role that genes and environment play in addiction, are the focus of a review article published today in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
Overdose drug shows promise as stroke treatment
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Preclinical research lays the groundwork for developing the first drug to promote recovery from ischemic stroke, a leading cause of adult disability.
Five million American adults misusing prescription stimulants
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Looking at annual averages, approximately 6.6% (or 16 million) of U.S. adults used prescription stimulants in the preceding year; 4.5% (or 11 million) used prescription stimulants appropriately (without misuse); 2.1% (or 5 million) misused prescription stimulants at least once; and 0.2% (or 0.4 million) had prescription stimulant use disorders.
Communities That Care program shows success in reducing substance use and behavioral issues in adolescents
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The CTC is a prevention planning and implementation system that trains community coalition is to assess their community’s needs, then select and use evidence-based programs and policies to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors.
Study changes long-held concepts of cell decoding
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Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Intramural Research Program (IRP) have uncovered evidence that shows a more complex and elaborate role for the body's hard-working G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) than previously thought, suggesting a conceptual advance in the fields of biochemistry and pharmacology.
Study highlights how opioid receptors organize to block pain
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A NIDA-funded study explored how opioids such as morphine act within pain circuits in the brain and spinal cord, while attaching to receptors on the surface of nerve cells (neurons).
E-cigarette ads associated with cigarette smoking initiation among youth
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A scientific study finds that receptivity to e-cigarette advertising increases the likelihood of trying conventional cigarettes one year later.
Non-psychoactive cannabinoid may enable drug addiction recovery
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Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive chemical found in marijuana, may help reduce the risk of drug and alcohol relapse.
Gut-brain axis offers clues to treatments for addictive disorders
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Scientists have investigated how the stomach-derived hormone ghrelin affects alcohol-seeking behaviors, discovering for the first time in humans that administration of ghrelin intravenously significantly increased alcohol intake in heavy drinking participants.
NIDA's 2018 Avant-Garde awards highlight immune response and killer cells
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NIDA’s annual Avant-Garde Award competition, now in its 11th year, is intended to stimulate high-impact research that may lead to groundbreaking opportunities for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in drug users.
Stimulating news about brain glutamate
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NIDA-funded scientists conducted the first study showing that the signaling transmitter glutamate increases in the brain after stimulant use in humans, which has a greater effect in females.
Teens, E-Cigs and Toxins?
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NIDA-funded scientists have found at least five potentially harmful toxins in the body of human adolescents who use electronic cigarettes.
Repurposed arthritis drug could become a non-opioid pain reliever
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A compound once studied as an arthritis therapy has been given new life as a possible non-opioid pain reliever by NIDA-funded scientists.
The brain's hyper-network uncovered
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Complex brain actions reflect multiple networks of activity in the brain, according to a paper authored by researchers from the NIDA Intramural Research Program, in collaboration with scientists from Italy and Sweden.
Neuronal ensembles take center stage
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A new animal study from NIDA's Intramural Research Program (IRP) shines light on the underlying mechanisms in the brain's prefrontal cortex and its role in learning.
Greek life membership associated with binge drinking and marijuana use in later life
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A scientific study finds that close to half of residential fraternity members had symptoms of alcohol use disorder (AUD) by age 35, and that living at college is associated with continued binge drinking and marijuana use through early midlife.
Medication in Prison Associated with Reductions in Fatal Opioid Overdoses After Release
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A state-led initiative created within the Rhode Island correctional system showed that offering medication to inmates with opioid use disorders reduced fatal overdoses once the inmates were released.
NIH releases first dataset from unprecedented study of adolescent brain development
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Approximately 30 terabytes of data (about three times the size of the Library of Congress collection), obtained from the first 4,500 participants, will be available to scientists worldwide to conduct research on the many factors that influence brain, cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Brain Structure Tracks Reward's Value and Steps to Obtain It
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Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Intramural Research Program (NIDA IRP) have demonstrated distinct roles for two subregions of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in goal-directed behaviors.
Study shows e-cigarettes affect brain similarly to other nicotine sources
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Nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) produce brain changes similar to those caused by other nicotine sources, such as combustible cigarettes or nicotine lozenges, a study sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicates.
Marijuana drug use increasing during pregnancy
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Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug during pregnancy, and its use is rising.
Hospital best practices linked to modest changes in prescription opioid dispensing
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The authors of this study assessed whether the Washington state hospital mandates had any impact on Medicaid beneficiary opioid dispensing rates after an ED visit.
A “New Vista” for Treating Cocaine Addiction
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Two recent studies suggest that medications that activate a pair of opioid receptors may weaken cocaine users’ drive to take the stimulant.
Oxytocin protocol appears workable and safe for methadone patients who use cocaine
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Researchers supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse have developed a protocol for adjunctive oxytocin treatment, and a pilot study has indicated that it is workable and safe for MMT patients.
Dr. Redonna Chandler selected to lead AIDS Research Program at NIDA
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Dr. Redonna Chandler has been named director of the AIDS Research Program at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In this role, she will be responsible for the development, planning, and coordination of high priority research on HIV and AIDS and drug use within NIDA and across other NIH Institutes.
Kappa Opioid Receptor Structure Revealed, A Potential Milestone in Medication Development
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New research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse illuminates the crystal structure of the activated kappa opioid receptor (KOR). The breakthrough could facilitate the development of new medications to treat pain and addiction.
Study shows association between non-cigarette tobacco product use and future cigarette smoking among teens
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Some teens who use e-cigarettes and other non-cigarette tobacco products report smoking cigarettes one year later, according to recent research funded by institutes within the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration.
Vaping popular among teens; opioid misuse at historic lows
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Nearly 1 in 3 students in 12 th grade report past year use of some kind of vaping device, raising concerns about the impact on their health.
Can treatment during surgery reduce postoperative opioid use?
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With the current concerns related to opioid addiction and overdose, researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are exploring ways to reduce the use of opioids for pain relief, while still effectively managing pain.
Cocaine contributes to overdose deaths among some minorities
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Drug overdose deaths are a major public health concern across all racial/ethnic groups, and are often associated with opioid use. However, a new study shows that cocaine is also a consistent contributor to overdose deaths. The research suggests that rates of cocaine-related overdose deaths in the non-Hispanic black population are similar to heroin-related deaths among non-Hispanic white women and prescription opioid-related deaths among non-Hispanic white men. The study was conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Cancer Institute, both part of the National Institutes of Health.
Separating side effects could hold key for safer opioids
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Opioid pain relievers can be extremely effective in relieving pain, but can carry a high risk of addiction and ultimately overdose when breathing is suppressed and stops. Scientists have discovered a way to separate these two effects -- pain relief and breathing -- opening a window of opportunity to make effective pain medications without the risk of respiratory failure.
Opioid treatment drugs have similar outcomes once patients initiate treatment
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A study comparing the effectiveness of two pharmacologically distinct medications used to treat opioid use disorder – a buprenorphine/naloxone combination and an extended release naltrexone formulation – shows similar outcomes once medication treatment is initiated.
Endocannabinoid system as potential target for opioid withdrawal treatment
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Scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse conducted a proof-of-concept study examining the potential efficacy of a cannabinoid receptor (CB1) partial agonist, dronabinol, in relieving signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
How the Brain Grows Up
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This study demonstrated that the new axons arrive via a pathway that originates in the VTA and passes through the part of the forebrain called the nucleus accumbens (NAC).
NIDA launches two adolescent substance use screening tools
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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends universal screening in pediatric primary settings, and these tools help providers quickly and easily introduce brief, evidence-based screenings into their clinical practices.
Menthol Boosts Nicotine’s Effects
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A study supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse bolsters evidence that it may also make cigarettes more addictive.
NIDA scientists review impact of smoking among adolescents with ADHD
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A team from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, examined the effects of childhood ADHD symptoms on the development of smoking in male and female adolescents.
Study identifies a brain pathway involved in drug relapse after cessation of contingency management
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A team of researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has identified what may be the crucial brain circuit involved in relapse to drug use when an effective behavioral treatment for drug addiction, known as contingency management, is discontinued.
Behavioral treatments increase brain activity related to cognitive control
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In a recent study supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and contingency management (CM) increased brain efficiency in regions that coordinate cognitive control—the ability to set goals and stay on task despite conflicting cues and distractors.
Study highlights unmet treatment needs among adults with mental health and substance use disorders
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Despite current treatment guidelines, fewer than 10 percent of adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders receive treatment for both disorders, and more than 50 percent do not receive treatment for either disorder.
Brain circuit connectivity predicts relapse to cocaine use
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Investigators at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Intramural Research Program (IRP) have identified a resting-state brain circuit whose functional connectivity predicts the likelihood of relapse to cocaine use.
NIDA study suggests safety of breastfeeding by new mothers being treated with buprenorphine
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Scientists from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) sought to determine the concentrations of buprenorphine in human milk, maternal plasma, and infant plasma of buprenorphine-maintained women and their infants.
Marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of prescription opioid misuse and use disorders
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New research suggests that marijuana users may be more likely than nonusers to misuse prescription opioids and develop prescription opioid use disorder.
Stronger Relief for Neuropathic Pain
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Opioid medications are highly effective against many types of pain, but not neuropathic pain, which arises from damaged or diseased nerves. Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests a way to remedy that shortcoming.
Young adults’ daily use of marijuana a concern
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) announced that the latest Monitoring the Future (MTF) national survey results of drug use among full-time college students and their non-college peers are now available online, highlighting that daily marijuana use is at the highest level since the early 1980s for this age group.
NIDA scientists identify a potential drug for cocaine use disorder
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Modafinil, a FDA-approved medication used to treat narcolepsy, has been investigated for its potential as a treatment of cocaine use disorders. Scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse developed a unique modafinil analogue called JJC8-016, which is an atypical DAT inhibitor.
Collaborative care shows promise for opioid and alcohol use disorders
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A NIDA-funded randomized clinical trial found that primary care patients with opioid and alcohol use disorders (OAUD) who were offered a collaborative care intervention were more likely to receive evidence-based treatment and refrain from using opioids and alcohol six months later, compared to patients receiving usual care.
Women who inject drugs may be at greater risk of HCV than men
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A newly published analysis examining data from more than 1800 people suggests that women who inject drugs have a 38% higher risk of contracting HCV than their male counterparts.
Post deployment behavioral health screens show promise
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This study is the first multivariate analysis of the Department of Defense and VHA data to assess treatment linkage for veterans with possible behavioral health needs.
Grants awarded to address opioid crisis in rural regions
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To address the opioid crisis in rural U.S. regions, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in partnership with several other federal agencies, have issued nine grants to help communities develop comprehensive approaches to prevent and treat consequences of opioid injection, including substance use disorder, overdose, HIV, hepatitis B and C virus infections, as well as sexually transmitted diseases.
Energy drinks and risk to future substance use
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New research suggests that college students who regularly consume energy drinks are at a greater risk for future alcohol use disorder, cocaine use or nonmedical use (misuse) of prescription stimulants.
NIDA scientists advance DREADD technology
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Scientists at the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have discovered new clues to the successful use of the DREADD technology. It has been thought that artificially designed DREADD receptors can be activated by a metabolite of the antipsychotic drug clozapine, called CNO.
Pain relief most reported reason for misuse of opioid pain relievers
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More than one third of adults nationwide reported prescription opioid use in 2015, with substantial numbers reporting misuse and use disorders, according to a report compiled to estimate the prevalence of, and explore the motivations for, opioid use and misuse.
Study identifies quality measures linked to better outcomes in patients with opioid use disorders
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A NIDA funded study has identified certain process measures that are linked to lower mortality rates in people with opioid use disorders, and others that do not appear to affect mortality.
Two D3R selective antagonists provide new leads towards novel drug development
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Scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse synthesized a series of molecules to investigate structure-activity relationships at the D 3 R. Their research resulted in the identification of two noncompetitive D 3 R-selective antagonists, 18a and 25a
Activated Structures of Cannabinoid Receptor Revealed
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Science supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has revealed three-dimensional crystal structures of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) in its activated state.
Glutamate Receptor’s Role in Cocaine Reward and Relapse
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Scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that rats lacking mGluR2 self-administered more cocaine than wild-type rats when little work was needed to obtain the drug, but less when the work requirement rose—and they were less likely to relapse after a period of abstinence.
Intensive intervention increases clinical adherence to opioid prescribing guidelines in chronic care
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A NIDA-funded randomized controlled trial that compared two organizational strategies to improve adherence to guidelines suggests that a multi-component approach is more effective than electronic decision tools alone.
Microglia Revealed
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Neuroscientists at the NIDA Intramural Research Program, with colleagues from the Johns Hopkins University, conducted the most extensive analysis to date of microglia in the midbrain of healthy mice. They discovered that the microglia in different midbrain areas differ in population density, number of branches, cellular contents, and gene expression.
Scientists explore brain region’s role in compulsive drug seeking
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A new report suggests that impairment of the lateral habenula contributes to the transition from controlled drug use to the compulsive use seen in addiction.
Strategies needed to reduce treatment dropout rate for veterans with PTSD and Substance Use Disorders
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Research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Department of Veterans Affairs looked for predictors of dropout from one such empirically proven treatment, integrated prolonged exposure therapy.
Long-term anabolic steroid use linked to damage to heart and arteries
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New research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that long-term exposure to anabolic-androgenic steroids may be associated with substantial impairment of the heart, including a reduction in pumping performance and damage to the arteries.
Epigenetics takes center stage with this year’s Addiction Science Awards
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A project applying the science of epigenetics to demonstrate the health dangers of hookah smoke won a first-place Addiction Science Award at the 2017 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students.
Combined HIV and heroin vaccine shows promise
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A novel combination vaccine designed to treat heroin addiction and target HIV was found to elicit immune responses in mice and dull their response to injected heroin in a recent preclinical trial.
Smoking cessation medications alleviate symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, but not long-term brain changes
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Researchers now report that nicotine replacement therapy and the smoking cessation medication varenicline alleviate ex-smokers’ deficits in decision-making, but do not restore reward sensitivity. The new study pinpoints the types of decision errors newly abstinent smokers make, and how their brain activity during decision-making differs from that of non-smokers.
Study shows buprenorphine more effective than morphine for treatment of opioid withdrawal in newborns
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A newly published study showed that buprenorphine is more effective than morphine in treating withdrawal symptoms in newborns prenatally exposed to opioids, known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
Illicit cannabis use and use disorders increase in states with medical marijuana laws
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An analysis of national survey data indicates that laws legalizing medical marijuana use are associated with increases in illicit cannabis use and cannabis use disorders among adults.
High mortality among opioid use disorder patients in a general health care setting
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A new report provides information that primary care physicians and health care systems can use as they develop responses to the reforms and measure their success. The findings provide a baseline estimate of the excess mortality suffered by patients with opioid use disorder who are treated in a general health care system, and identify the main proximate causes of this mortality.
College students at increased risk for smoking marijuana
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An analysis of national survey data indicates that students attending college are at a significantly higher risk of beginning to use marijuana than those not enrolled in college, underscoring the need for improved prevention efforts.
Dr. Rita Valentino to lead NIDA’s neuroscience and behavior division
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"Dr. Valentino’s experience in brain research, electrophysiology, pharmacology and neurocircuitry of behavior will enable her to expand NIDA’s basic neuroscience program," said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow.
NIDA announces recipients of 2017 Avant-Garde Awards for HIV/AIDS research
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The winning proposals focus on a variety of novel approaches, including: improving HIV prevention through effective gene therapies; enhancing innate (natural) immunity against HIV and other related viruses; and developing new small-molecule drugs to treat HIV-1 infection.
Research shows parallels between addiction and aggression
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A new study by scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) Intramural Research Program (IRP) showed that when mice are exposed to experimental protocols adapted from those that are used to model human addictive behaviors, some animals develop an addiction-like propensity to aggression.
New resources available for criminal justice and drug treatment counselors
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has created several new resources for those who work within the criminal justice system and other environments where people in recovery are ready to return to their lives outside of a structured setting.
Medication plus ongoing care provided in emergency departments is promising approach for opioid dependence
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New research comparing treatment approaches for opioid-dependent patients in emergency departments (ED) suggests that combining the medication buprenorphine with ongoing care is more effective than simply providing referrals to addiction...
Opioids are driving increase in cocaine overdose deaths
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An examination of national trend data shows that heroin and synthetic opioids are driving a recent increase in cocaine-related overdose deaths.
Study finds one in four high school e-cigarette users have tried “dripping”
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A study of high school students found that one in four teens reported using e-cigarettes for “dripping,” a practice in which users produce and inhale vapors by placing drops of e-liquids directly onto heated atomizer coils.
New analysis highlights patterns of adult medical marijuana use
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An analysis of medical marijuana use among adults in the United States indicates that more than 21 percent of medical marijuana users reside in states that have not legalized its use; suggesting that physicians might be recommending medical marijuana regardless of legalization in their respective states.
Journal issue addresses nonmedical use of prescription drugs
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A special issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors features more than a dozen articles related to understanding and addressing the serious public health issues related to the nonmedical use of prescription drugs.
Preoccupation with muscle mass may spur steroid use among non-athlete men
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A new viewpoint written by scientists from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and Harvard Medical School describes that a growing number of young, non-athlete men are using androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS) and other appearance and performance enhancing drugs.
Teen substance use shows promising decline
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The 2016 Monitoring the Future (MTF) annual survey results released today from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reflect changing teen behaviors and choices in a social media-infused world.
Structure of primary cannabinoid receptor is revealed
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New research is providing a more detailed view into the structure of the human cannabinoid (CB 1 ) receptor.
Gene Variant Influences Nicotine-Induced Changes to Brain Circuitry
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Researchers at NIDA and the University of Toronto investigated the role of a gene, CYP2A6 , which produces an enzyme responsible for metabolizing nicotine; different variants of this gene inactivate nicotine at different rates, influencing how much nicotine remains in their body after smoking.
Multi agency funding announcement to assist with opioid crisis in rural U.S. regions
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A new federal funding opportunity was announced today to help find solutions to the opioid use and overdose crisis in the nation’s rural regions. It includes a focus on coal-impacted counties within Appalachia, as well as rural communities in other parts of the country.