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.
New research suggests that marijuana users may be more likely than nonusers to misuse prescription opioids and develop prescription opioid use disorder.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 3R. Their research resulted in the identification of two noncompetitive D 3R-selective antagonists, 18a and 25a
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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New research is providing a more detailed view into the structure of the human cannabinoid (CB 1) receptor.
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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.
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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.
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Existing opioid medications have a range of side effects that make them problematic as pain treatments, as has been seen in America’s current opioid crisis and overdose epidemic.
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A new NIDA-funded study analysis found that the monthly numbers of opioid use disorder patients treated by buprenorphine prescribers were significantly below current limits, suggesting that barriers exist to securing treatment.
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The landmark study by the National Institutes of Health will follow the biological and behavioral development of more than 10,000 children beginning at ages 9-10 through adolescence into early adulthood.
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Animal studies have shown sex differences in cannabis-induced analgesia, but these studies had not previously been done in humans. A new study explored this issue by assessing the analgesic and subjective effects of cannabis in 42 users, half of whom were male and the other half female.
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New preclinical NIDA-funded research shows that a new compound, BU08028, acts on opioid and non-opioid brain receptors to relieve pain without harmful side effects.
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A recent analysis of the 2015 Monitoring the Future (MTF) findings on e-cigarette use highlights uncertainty about what teens are actually inhaling when using "e-cig" devices, and at least six percent report they are using the vaporizers to inhale marijuana.
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A new paper by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) researchers suggests that a certain brain region—the amygdala central nucleus— plays a role in predicting reward value and allocating work accordingly.
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Pre-clinical research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that secondhand marijuana smoke may cause longer lasting cardiovascular harm than secondhand tobacco smoke.
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Teens who participate in daily sports and exercise activities are less likely to transition from opioid pain reliever use to heroin, according to research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and published today in Pediatrics.
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An editorial published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association by NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow and NIDA Deputy Director Dr. Wilson Compton discusses the importance of the new long-acting buprenorphine implant technology as an added tool in opioid addiction treatment.
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The study results raise awareness about the need for health care professionals to have cost-effective and efficient strategies in providing care to patients with substance use disorders and HIV.
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A meta-analysis of smoking cessation therapies, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), showed that clinicians should strongly consider varenicline as the first treatment option for women who are trying to quit smoking.
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Research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that patients taking opioids for long-term chronic pain, who were given prescriptions for naloxone in a primary care setting, had 63 percent fewer opioid-related emergency department visits after one year compared to those who did not receive prescriptions for naloxone.
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Research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reveals that teaching patients in addiction treatment how to communicate with physicians, and providing training on using an electronic health records portal, empowers them to better engage in their health management.
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New research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that state implementation of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) was associated with a reduction in opioid-related overdose deaths.
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The awards will support exciting approaches with tools such as genome editing and smart phone technologies, as well as studies of epigenetic changes in brain cells and couples-based HIV prevention.
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The new web resource includes information about the medication, how, and by whom, it can be given, and where to obtain it. Additionally, dosage information, precautions, and the side effects of naloxone are highlighted.
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The latest (2014) college age MTF data shows that more students are using marijuana daily than are drinking alcohol daily. Survey results suggest that the non-medical use of the stimulant Adderall is higher for the college group than their non-college peers; and there has been an uptick in cocaine use among college students.
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is pleased to announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first long-acting, subdermal buprenorphine implant for the treatment of opioid dependence
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A project showing how negative attitudes about stress impact key factors that influence vulnerability to addiction, including sleep, emotion and cognition, won a first place Addiction Science Award at the 2016 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students.
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New research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) revealed that the relapse rates among criminal justice involved adults with a history of opioid dependence were lower for participants receiving extended-release naltrexone than for those receiving treatment as usual (brief counseling and referrals for community treatment programs).
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More than 30 percent of Americans have some form of chronic pain. Yet, the over-reliance on the millions of opioid pain reliever prescriptions dispensed yearly have resulted in a national epidemic of overdose deaths and addiction.
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NIDA-funded research using brain scans shows that severe marijuana dependence (now referred to as cannabis use disorder) is associated with a reduced release of dopamine within the striatum, a region involved in working memory, impulsivity and attention.
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New research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse revealed that of previously incarcerated youths, more than 90% of males and nearly 80% of females had a substance use disorder at some point in their lifetime.
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An online guide about interventions in early childhood that can help prevent drug use and other unhealthy behaviors was launched today by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), has announced a NIDA funding opportunity for one-year, services planning research grants to address a dramatic increase in adverse outcomes associated with increased opioid injection drug use in Appalachia.
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The health impacts of marijuana are currently the subject of significant public debate. Past data have suggested a link to numerous mental health outcomes including substance use disorders (SUDs), mood disorders, and anxiety, although whether marijuana use actually causes these conditions, or just shares common contributing factors, has been difficult to specify.
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A new scientific analysis shows prescriptions for naloxone, a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose, has increased ten-fold in the past eighteen months.
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Dr. Huestis’ research program has sought to discover mechanisms of action of cannabinoid agonists and antagonists, effects of in utero drug exposure, and the neurobiology and pharmacokinetics of novel psychoactive substances, the emerging face of drug abuse.
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As the lead federal agency devoted to research on the health effects of drug use, NIDA has developed a plan with four priority areas that present unique opportunities to be leveraged over the next five years.
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Prescription opioid misuse remains one of America’s biggest drug problems. In recent years the numbers of people misusing prescription pain relievers has leveled off, however, the number of people dying from overdoses continues to rise, and a new epidemic of heroin use has emerged as many people misusing prescription opioids transition to their cheaper, often easier-to-obtain street relative.
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The review article summarizes recent scientific advances in the neurobiology of addiction, including prevention and treatment strategies, as well as related developments in public policy.
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Driving under the influence of drugs is a major public safety issue, and marijuana is the illicit drug most commonly found in the blood of drivers.
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A new scientific review suggests that federal and state policies aimed at curbing inappropriate prescribing of opioids have not directly led to the recent increases in heroin use across the nation.
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Recent research sheds light on the risks of prescribing opioids to pregnant women and their exposed infants – underscoring the importance of following good opioid prescription practices, according to an editorial published today in the British Medical Journal by Dr. Nora D. Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
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A new study using data from the NIDA-funded Monitoring the Future survey of adolescent drug use and attitudes conducted annually by the University of Michigan shows that teens who received a prescription for opioid pain medication by Grade 12 were at 33 percent increased risk of misusing an opioid between ages 19 and 25.
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The 2015 Monitoring the Future survey (MTF) shows decreasing use of a number of substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, prescription opioid pain relievers, and synthetic cannabinoids (“synthetic marijuana”). Other drug use remains stable, including marijuana, with continued high rates of daily use reported among 12th graders, and ongoing declines in perception of its harms.
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The survey found that unprotected (condomless) sex was more common among YMSM reporting problematic substance use, among those who were unemployed, and among those with virologically detectable HIV who let their sex partners know their HIV status.
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) are pleased to unveil new online toolkits designed for National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week SM event holders interested in focusing on specific drugs.
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A new study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) documents the high rates and unique patterns of dental decay and gum disease in people who use the illicit drug methamphetamine.
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The new technology has an easy-to-use, needle-free design, providing family members, caregivers and first responders with an alternative to injectable naloxone for use during a suspected opioid overdose.
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The goal of the NIDA Challenge is to create an app to be used by addiction researchers in future studies which will help to improve the scientific understanding of drug use and addiction.
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This new responsive design model automatically adjusts each page to fit the viewer’s screen for faster and easier viewing and navigation on a variety of mobile platforms, such as smartphones and tablets.
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The grants will support studies on behavioral and pharmacological therapeutic interventions in rigorous, multi-site clinical trials to determine their effectiveness across a broad range of community-based treatment settings and diversified patient populations.
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A new NIAID- and NIDA-funded study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that Nef enhances the ability of HIV-1 to take over immune cells specifically by reducing the expression of two proteins in the surface of those cells (i.e., transmembrane proteins), SERINC3 and SERINC5.
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New NIDA-funded research shows that cutting the amount of nicotine in cigarettes leads to a reduction in the amount of cigarettes smoked per day, decreased nicotine dependence, and reduced cravings.
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has reorganized its divisional structure to integrate its research portfolio, promote translational research and increase efficiencies.
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Recent research has suggested that appetite-regulating hormones ghrelin and leptin may play a role in alcohol use disorders.
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The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study will follow approximately 10,000 children beginning at ages 9 to10, before they initiate drug use, through the period of highest risk for substance use and other mental health disorders.
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A new study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and elsewhere and partly funded by NIDA—the largest study to date examining cannabis exposure in relation to brain volume—used neuroimaging data from a sample of twins and siblings (483 participants total) to examine the extent cannabis use causes structural effects in the brain.
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An annual, week-long observance that brings together teens and scientific experts to shatter persistent myths about substance use and addiction will feature information about alcohol in addition to drug use.
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Students who have used electronic cigarettes by the time they start ninth grade are more likely than others to start smoking traditional cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products within the next year, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
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These findings, along with ongoing research, are helping to explain how drugs and alcohol affect brain processes associated with loss of control, compulsive drug taking, inflexible behavior, and negative emotional states associated with addiction.
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is pleased to announce two online resources - Substance Use in Women and Therapeutic Communities Research Report.
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Recent research has shown that most rats will choose non-drug rewards (palatable foods) over self-administering cocaine, if given the option. A new study by researchers at NIDA’s Intramural Research Program examined whether such a preference generalizes to rats with a history of limited or extended access to another stimulant drug, methamphetamine.
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This study examined ET-1 levels and coronary plaques in a group of African American cocaine users participating in an incentive-based program to reduce cocaine use.
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) today announced the first six recipients of its two newly developed Avenir Award programs for HIV/AIDS and genetics or epigenetics research.
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Using the most sophisticated driving simulator of its kind to mirror real-life situations, new research shows that marijuana use impairs one measure of driving performance.
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Mu opioid receptors (MOR) are responsible for the analgesia-, euphoria- and reward-inducing aspects of opioids, including prescription painkillers and heroin.
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