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.
Nasal spray naloxone one step closer to public availability
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is pleased to announce that Adapt Pharma Limited, a partner of Lightlake Therapeutics Inc., has commenced a rolling submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a nasal spray formulation of naloxone, a drug designed to prevent opioid overdose deaths.
Prescribing lifesaving naloxone: Addressing attitudes of primary care clinicians
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NIDA-funded research exploring barriers to prescribing naloxone, a safe, easy-to-use drug that can prevent opioid overdose deaths, suggests that primary healthcare providers have limited knowledge about it, and have concerns about its misuse and safety.
A Role for the Brainstem in Regulating Memory Processing
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A new study investigated populations of neurons in the brainstem area known as the mesopontine median raphe (MnR) to determine the effects of these neurons on hippocampal ripple activity.
Carlos Blanco, M.D., Ph.D. to join NIDA as division director
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Carlos Blanco, M.D., Ph.D., a leading researcher in the interface between epidemiology and the treatment of addictive disorders, will be joining the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to lead the Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research.
Interactions of environmental conditions and genetic risk for drug taking
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This study examined gene-by-environment interactions in susceptibility to drug use by raising LEW and F344 rats in varied environmental conditions.
Methadone maintenance in prison results in treatment retention, lower drug usage following release
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A new NIDA-funded study shows that, among people incarcerated for six months or less, those who received continued methadone maintenance while imprisoned were more likely to obtain follow up drug treatment than those who underwent detoxification from methadone while in jail.
NIDA highlights drug use trends among college-age and young adults in new online resource
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Use of illicit drugs, including marijuana, has been rising steadily among college-aged young adults. In addition, non-medical use of stimulants, including Adderall and Ritalin, has more than doubled in the past few years.
Pain reliever investigation wins top NIH Addiction Science Award
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A project identifying novel compounds that could be used for pain relief was awarded a first place Addiction Science Award at the 2015 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students.
Importance of controlling for alcohol use when exploring marijuana’s impact on brain structure
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Although some studies indicate that marijuana use is associated with changes in brain structure, other studies have not found such a relationship. Recent research funded by NIDA and NIAAA explores whether alcohol use may play some role in these discrepant results.
Gene variant related to greater difficulty in quitting smoking and earlier lung cancer diagnosis
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People with a specific form of the CHRNA5 gene take an average of four years longer to quit smoking and are at greater risk for developing lung cancer four years earlier, compared to smokers without this gene variant.
Cannabinoid Receptor 2: Pain Treatment Without Tolerance or Withdrawal
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In this study, the authors looked at whether the CB2-selective molecule AM1710 could reduce neuropathic pain caused by the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, while avoiding unwanted side effects.
Scientists identify cellular basis of methamphetamine-induced aging
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Using cell cultures and an animal model of self-administration, researchers found methamphetamine activated pathways that involve nuclear factor κβ, which triggers an increase in levels of ceramide in various tissues of the brain and body.
Research shows that teens and adults are uncertain about legalities of marijuana law in Washington State
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A NIDA-funded study showed that while parents in the state of Washington are discussing with their children the legalization of recreational marijuana use among adults, they are unsure what is legal and illegal under the new laws.
Study looks at effects of socioeconomic factors on child brain development and achievement
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New research suggests that family income, and to a lesser degree parental education, are associated with brain structure differences in children and young adults.
The Role of the Brain’s Opioid System in Cigarette Addiction
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This study used PET scan (positron emission tomography) brain imaging to assess the binding potential of endogenous opioids to MOR in the brains of smokers and nonsmokers while they smoked regular or placebo (nicotine-free) cigarettes.
Medication finds new use in sustaining opioid quit success
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New research suggests that clonidine, a medication for high blood pressure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can enhance buprenorphine’s ability to treat opioid dependence.
Dr. Susan Weiss appointed division director at NIDA
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Susan R.B. Weiss, Ph.D., has been selected to lead the Division of Extramural Research (DER), a newly formed Division at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Recreational marijuana use associated with increased impulsivity and hostility in daily life
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In a recent 14-day study using a smartphone-based EMA, recreational marijuana users (average use of 4.5 days over the past 30 days) who also drank alcohol at least once per week answered questions each day regarding their alcohol consumption, marijuana use, and number of cigarettes or cigars smoked. Participants also answered questions to assess hostility following any interaction with another person that lasted longer than five minutes. In addition, end-of-day surveys were completed to measure impulsivity.
Increasing access to HCV treatment by maximizing benefits of new drug regimens and expansion of the Affordable Care Act
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A recent analysis, co-authored by a NIDA grantee from Rockefeller University, explains how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act may help address some of these barriers to impact HCV treatment.
NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow to Participate in Facebook Chat about TEDMED Presentation
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NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow will participate in a LIVE Facebook chat, hosted by TEDMED, on Thursday, February 12, at 1 p.m. EST to discuss what we can learn about compulsive overeating from studying the brain chemistry of people with drug addictions.
2015 Avant-Garde Awards offer extraordinary ideas in HIV/AIDS research
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With proposals ranging from innovative therapies to the development of unique organoid models of the brain, five scientists have been selected to receive the 2015 Avant-Garde Award for HIV/AIDS Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
NIDA researchers discover further complexity in brain reward circuitry
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NIDA scientists have identified new complexities within the brain’s reward circuitry that involves two major chemicals involved in drug addiction -- dopamine and glutamate. Researchers used rodent models to better understand a specific brain circuit where dopamine and glutamate are both released from the same brain cells.
The science behind designer drugs
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“Designer drugs,” such as bath salts (synthetic cathinones) and spice (synthetic cannabinoids) are manufactured to chemically resemble illicit drugs but can often be purchased legally because manufacturers continually modify their chemical structures in order to circumvent drug laws.
Genetics influence response to prevention intervention
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A new NIDA-funded study examined whether an individual’s collective gene-based sensitivity to the reinforcing aspects of nicotine (or his/her polygenic score) had an impact on how much he or she benefited from an elementary-school-based prevention intervention, as assessed by age of smoking initiation.
Detecting gene-environment interactions in genome-wide analyses of addiction risk
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Although environment and comorbid mental health disorders can influence genes associated with addiction risk, few genome-wide association studies utilize statistical models that can take these highly variable factors into account.
Mindfulness training may reduce deficits in natural reward processing during chronic pain or drug addiction
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In this study, chronic pain patients at risk for opioid misuse were randomized to either eight weeks of a Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) intervention or to an eight-week support group (control).
Cannabinoid CB2 Receptors in Brain Reward Systems
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In this study, researchers found that CB 2 receptors and their genes are located in neurons that contain dopamine in the ventral tegmental area, a brain area that is involved in reward and drug addiction.
Nicotine metabolism rates may impact success of smoking cessation treatments
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A randomized clinical trial of smokers trying to quit found that the effectiveness of particular smoking cessation therapies might relate to how quickly their body metabolizes nicotine. The study compared success rates of the nicotine patch versus the prescription medication varenicline.
Effects of cigarette smoking on brain differ between men and women
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Scientists suggest that these findings support previously published data that shows men tend to be reinforced by the nicotine in cigarettes, while women, though no less dependent on nicotine, smoke for reasons that may be related to mood or from habit.
Depressive Symptoms and Drug Abuse in Adolescents
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A recent study by researchers at the University of Southern California examined negative urgency—or acting rashly during periods of extreme negative emotion—as the mechanism linking depressive symptoms and substance abuse initiation.
Women who receive gender-specific substance abuse treatment have greater chance of employment
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Women who receive treatment in gender-sensitive programs are more likely to be employed 12 months after treatment admission than women in more traditional treatment programs, according to research funded by...
Registration open for Drug Facts Chat Day; 2015 Drug IQ Challenge preview available
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Schools can now register for Drug Facts Chat Day, NIDA’s annual Web chat that connects NIH scientists with teens around the country, at http://drugfactsweek. drugabuse.gov/chat /index.php. Drug Facts Chat Day...
Prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications put teens at risk
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Teens prescribed anxiety or sleep medications are more likely to abuse them later (compared to those who had never had a prescription). Teens reported they used these medications to self-treat...
Methamphetamine or amphetamine abuse linked to higher risk of Parkinson’s disease
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People who abuse amphetamine-type drugs such as methamphetamine may be at increased risk for developing dopamine-related disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, according to recent research funded by NIDA and NCI...
Teen prescription opioid abuse, cigarette, and alcohol use trends down
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Dr. Volkow discusses MTF 2014 results Use of cigarettes, alcohol, and abuse of prescription pain relievers among teens has declined since 2013 while marijuana use rates were stable, according to...
Regulating a single gene may alter addiction and stress responses
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Researchers have now used genetically engineered DNA binding proteins to target specific processes within a gene - located within a brain reward center in the mouse. By regulating the activity...
Medication Assisted Treatment Reduces HCV Incidence in Young Adult Injection Drug Users
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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is primarily transmitted through injection drug use, and prior research has suggested that providing medication-assisted treatment (MAT), using opioid agonists (buprenorphine or methadone), to treat opioid...
Buprenorphine tapering less effective than ongoing maintenance for prescription opioid abuse
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A recent NIDA-funded study concludes that maintenance buprenorphine therapy is more effective than tapering and discontinuation of the medication in treating prescription opioid-dependent patients in primary care settings. In this...
Evidence grows that heavy marijuana use may harm the brain
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New NIDA-funded research shows that heavy marijuana use (at least four times per week over the past six months) is linked to adverse changes in the function and structure of...
Adolescent Caffeine Use and Cocaine Sensitivity
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Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant in the world and use by adolescents has more than doubled since 1980. Chronic caffeine use produces greater tolerance in adolescents compared with...
Policies to Limit Smoking Reduce Alcohol Use Too
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Increasing excise taxes on cigarettes and restricting where they can be smoked in public through smoke-free air (SFA) laws are known to reduce smoking, and some, but not all, research...
NIDA researchers confirm important brain reward pathway
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Details of the role of glutamate, the brain’s excitatory chemical, in a drug reward pathway have been identified for the first time. This discovery in rodents - published today in...
Effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on cries in human infants and rat pups
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Prenatal exposure to cocaine is associated with various neurobehavioral deficits, but there are many confounding factors, including poverty and the mother’s use of other drugs during pregnancy, that make it...
New CME/CE course addresses substance use
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Announcement A new continuing medical education/continuing education course (CME/CE), Talking to Patients About Health Risk Behaviors, adds to a growing body of tools available through the National Institute on Drug...
Engaging High-Risk Youth in Prevention Programs
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Most adults with substance abuse disorders start using drugs during adolescence. Most prevention programs have been designed for younger youth, with programs for older teens—especially those at high risk who...
Impact of Availability on Marijuana Use
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Widening acceptance of and access to medical marijuana in many U.S. states raises questions about how availability of marijuana in communities affects incidence and prevalence of marijuana use. A new...
Using social media to better understand, prevent, and treat substance use
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More than $11 million over three years will be used to support research exploring the use of social media to advance the scientific understanding, prevention, and treatment of substance use...
Impact of Methadone on Brain Cell Development
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Since 1999, there has been a dramatic increase in opioid overdose deaths and addiction to opioid drugs, including both prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin. Increased rates of addiction have...
Role of Brain Nicotinic Receptors in Nicotine and Cocaine Addiction
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Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death worldwide yet current FDA-approved anti-smoking agents have been only moderately effective in maintaining abstinence. In addition, cocaine is a powerfully addictive...
Serotonergic and nonserotonergic participation in reward circuitry
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Defining Reward Circuitry Previous research has shown that the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus (DRN) plays a paradoxical role in reward. Although it contains the brain’s largest group of serotonin-producing neurons and...
Unique interaction discovered between brain regions involved in addiction, depression
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NIDA IRP researchers have discovered a unique interaction between a nerve cell in the brain’s ventral tegmental area and the lateral habenula - a pathway implicated in mental health disorders...
Review summarizes research on health effects of K2/Spice
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K2, a popular brand of “Spice” mixture Image courtesy Coolidge Youth Coalition A new article, authored by scientists from NIDA and the University of Maryland, provides an overview of preclinical...
Short video increases HIV testing in emergency department patients who initially declined
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A NIDA-funded study shows that one-third of emergency department patients who initially declined to be tested for HIV changed their minds after watching a 16-minute video. This video described the...
National Drug Facts Week 2015 to begin January 26
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National Drug Facts Week, which brings together teens and scientific experts to shatter persistent myths about drug use and addiction, will be held Jan. 26 through Feb. 1, 2015. Ideas...
Prenatal Cocaine Exposure Affects Brain Development Through Adolescence
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Prenatal exposure to drugs can have long-term detrimental impact on the developing brain. Cocaine, for example, can readily cross the placenta and directly impact critical neurotransmitter systems in the fetal...
Orbitofrontal Cortex Is Key to Insight Abilities Lost in Addiction
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Ability to anticipate likely outcomes of one’s own actions—or insight—is compromised by drug addiction, and this loss of insight may be an important contributor to relapse. Insight has recently been...
Commentary: More research needed into marijuana’s effects on brain development and function
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A journal commentary by Harvard researcher and NIDA grantee Bertha K. Madras stresses the importance of a large scale longitudinal study to better assess the effects of marijuana use on...
Journal issue explores early interventions to prevent risky sexual behaviors related to HIV/AIDS
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A special issue of the journal Prevention Science spotlights six NIDA-funded early interventions (delivered prior to the onset of adolescence) that successfully reduced later health-risking sexual behaviors related to HIV/AIDS...
Early-life Stress Differentially Impacts Reward Circuitry in Mice
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Stressful early-life experiences can have profound effects on lifelong physical and mental health and well-being. Emotional abuse during childhood increases the risk of developing substance abuse and obesity and may...
Regular marijuana users may have impaired brain reward centers
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New research shows that regular marijuana users show impairments in the brain’s ability to respond to dopamine – a brain chemical that is involved in reward, among other functions. Although...
NIH system to monitor emerging drug trends
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An innovative National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) is being developed to monitor emerging trends that will help health experts respond quickly to potential outbreaks of illicit drugs such as...
Passive e-cigarette exposure may urge young adults to smoke
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A new NIDA-funded study shows that being around someone who is using (vaping) an e-cigarette can trigger a desire for tobacco cigarettes in young adults who regularly smoke. This passive...
The Future of Genotyping in Addiction Treatment
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Two recent studies suggest that clinicians may one day be able to use genotyping to personalize treatment for opioid addiction. One study associated a rare variant of the gene for...
New brain imaging dataset now available to enhance reliability and reproducibility
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A new NIDA-supported dataset will now allow researchers to compare their MRI-based scans against more than 10,000 brain images, thereby enhancing reliability and reproducibility. The Consortium for Reproducibility and Reliability...
Social media can influence teens with pro-drug messages
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A new NIDA-funded study analyzed the content and demographic reach of a popular pro-marijuana Twitter handle in 2013 and found that only ten percent of the messages mentioned any risky...
Study compares effectiveness of oral drug tests for recent marijuana use
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A variety of oral drug testing devices are available to determine recent marijuana use. For the first time, a new NIDA study compares the ability of these devices to accurately...
NIDA review summarizes research on marijuana’s negative health effects
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The current state of science on the adverse health effects of marijuana use links the drug to several significant adverse effects including addiction, a review reports. The article, published today...
MDMA can be fatal in warm environments
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A moderate dose of MDMA, commonly known as Ecstasy or Molly, that is typically nonfatal in cool, quiet environments can be lethal in rats exposed to conditions that mimic the...
Small Study Reveals Clinicians’ Widely Varied Use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Information
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Most U.S. states now have prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) available to help physicians identify patients who may be abusing medications such as opioids or who are engaged in doctor...
More Colorado drivers in fatal car crashes testing positive for marijuana
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A new NIAAA- and NIDA-funded study shows an increased number of marijuana-positive Colorado drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes since Colorado’s legalization of medical marijuana in 2009. A similar...
Clarifying the Role(s) of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Cocaine Addiction
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Preclinical studies of cocaine self-administration agree on the importance of medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) activation in rodent cocaine seeking but have pointed to distinct, apparently conflicting roles for this structure...
NIH Pain Consortium’s first pain care curriculum improves clinical skills
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Preview of e-learning chronic pain care module, "Edna" An online training module designed for the evaluation and care of chronic pain greatly improved medical student clinical skills, according to a...
The Link Between Early Stress and Drug Abuse May Involve Catecholamines and Delay Discounting
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Life stress is a predictor of risky behaviors such as drug abuse, and a growing body of research suggests that the link may involve elevated activity of the sympathetic nervous...
NIDA offers tools for talking to teens about marijuana
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Two updated booklets about marijuana for teens and their parents will help families sort out marijuana myths from science-based facts. The revamped tools come from the National Institute on Drug...
2014 Avant-Garde Awards focus on strengthening the immune system
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Dr. Jacques Normand describes the 2014 NIDA Avant-Garde awards Watch video With proposals ranging from enhancing the immune system’s ability to fight HIV infection to improving long-term immune health in...
Study of third hand nicotine from e-cigarette exposure wins top NIH Addiction Science Award
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An exploration of third-hand nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes was given the top Addiction Science Award at the 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for...
Early interventions can decrease drug use in young women
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A NIDA-funded study shows that adolescent girls who were involved in the juvenile justice system and participated in Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) showed decreased drug use over a two-year...
Gene variant found to make quitting smoking less likely even when the stakes are high
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Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common cause of sickness and death, and smoking is a major risk factor. Despite efforts of hospitals to encourage quitting in those who have had...
Dr. Joni Rutter to lead NIDA’s genetics and basic science research division
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is pleased to announce that Joni Rutter, Ph.D., has been named Division Director for the Division...
NIDA announces new resources for healthcare providers
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the NIH, is pleased to introduce two new, science-based resources through its NIDAMED initiative to help healthcare professionals manage patients at...
HHS leaders call for expanded use of medications to combat opioid overdose epidemic
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A national response to the epidemic of prescription opioid overdose deaths was outlined yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine by leaders of agencies in the U.S. Department of...
Comprehensive prevention programs successful in decreasing HIV rates in people who inject drugs
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A new NIDA-funded large-scale study shows that comprehensive prevention programs can decrease HIV infection in injection drug users within the criminal justice system. This study analyzed the success of programs...
Antiretroviral Treatment During Incarceration Can Produce Optimal Viral Suppression
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HIV/AIDS prevalence is three times greater in correctional facilities than in the community, and one sixth of the 1.2 million Americans living with the disease spend time in prisons each...
Implementing Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) under the Affordable Care Act
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Untreated substance use disorders (SUDs) place individuals at significantly greater risk for a wide range of diseases and are a significant public health burden, yet only one tenth of Americans...
Web-based intervention strengthens drug abuse treatment
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A new study shows that incorporating the web-based Therapeutic Education System (TES) intervention in the treatment of drug abuse can not only help people stop using drugs, but can also...
Medication can help prevent relapse in cocaine-dependent males
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This image compares relapse rates for drug-addicted patients with those suffering from diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. Relapse is common and similar across these illnesses (as is adherence to medication). Thus...
Targeting delta opioid receptor may reduce pain without causing addiction
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at NIH funded a new study researching the delta opioid receptor (DOR), a pain receptor located under the skin that regulates minor skin...
Novel THC Analogues Hold Promise for the Development of Safer, More Effective Cannabinoid Medications
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Modulation of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 by tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and related compounds holds promise for the treatment of conditions including pain, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, glaucoma, and eating disorders. However...
Smoking cessation associated with lower rates of mood/anxiety and alcohol use disorders
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Rates of smoking are disproportionally high in people with psychiatric and substance use disorders. Historically, smoking has often been seen as a form of self-medication in such people, and some...
Weaker brain connections tied to self-control predict cigarette cravings during nicotine withdrawal
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Tobacco control in the United States is often presented as a major public health achievement. The claim is certainly justified: the percentage of adults who report regular smoking has been...
Computer-Assisted Delivery of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Efficacy and durability of CBT4CBT among cocaine-dependent individuals maintained on methadone
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Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is empirically well supported for treating substance use disorders, but it remains underutilized due to various factors that tend to limit the availability of certified providers in...
NIDA's updated Heroin Research Report now available online
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Due to growing public concern about heroin and its potentially devastating effects, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has updated its online Heroin Research Report. This Report offers the...
Transition services for drug using, HIV-infected inmates leaving jail should be gender-specific
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A NIDA-funded study shows that HIV-infected women who are released from jail are more likely to abuse cocaine, have co-occurring psychiatric disorders, and to have worse HIV treatment outcomes compared...
Increased HAART coverage associated with a decrease in morbidity, mortality, and transmission of HIV
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In a new NIDA-funded study, expansion of HIV treatment in British Columbia led to improved HIV/AIDS health outcomes and decreased HIV transmission. The Treatment as Prevention strategy, launched by the...
New Study Shows Dry, Contaminated Objects May Transmit HCV for Weeks
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An estimated 3.2 million Americans are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The virus is transmitted from person to person via blood, and in the United States such transmission...
Medication may help patients with severe mental illness stay smoke-free
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Smokers with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders are three times more likely to abstain from smoking over the course of a year if they take varenicline. Although varenicline is an FDA-approved...
NIDA’s Dr. Marilyn Huestis chosen for new National Commission on Forensic Science
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Dr. Marilyn Huestis, Chief of the Chemistry and Drug Metabolism Section in NIDA’s Intramural Research Program (IRP), has been selected as an ex-officio member of the newly-created National Commission on...
New substance abuse treatment resources focus on teens
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Teens hear about substance abuse resources Resources to help parents, health care providers, and substance abuse treatment specialists treat teens struggling with drug abuse, as well as identify and interact...
Medication Shows Promise for Treating Methamphetamine Addiction
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No medications are currently approved for the treatment of methamphetamine addiction. However, previous research has suggested that medications acting indirectly on the brain’s dopamine reward system via systems using the...
Severe mental illness tied to higher rates of substance use
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People with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder have a higher risk for substance use, especially cigarette smoking, and protective factors usually associated with lower rates of...