Risk-Taking Linked to Particular Brain Features

Several influencing factors studied in combination for the first time

01-Feb-2021 - There is a common genetic and neurobiological basis for risky behavior – the genetic disposition for risk-taking is mapped in several areas of the brain, a UZH study shows. The study combines genetic information and brain scans from more than 25,000 people for the first time. Risky behaviors such ...

Preclinical study suggests path toward non-addictive painkillers

27-Oct-2017 - A pre-clinical study led by Indiana University scientists reports a promising step forward in the search for pain relief methods without the addictive side effects behind the country's current opioid addiction crisis. The research finds that the use of compounds called positive allosteric ...

Study finds surprises about drug use

09-Nov-2015 - Conducting an economic analysis of drug use is a particularly difficult endeavor, but for Michigan State University professor and economist Siddharth Chandra, it just meant taking a look at the history books. "You can't simply go to Wal-Mart and look at the sticker price, and people don't want to ...

Understanding the molecular mechanism leading to addiction in humans

07-Aug-2015 - A new study published by the team led by Salah El Mestikawy, Ph.D., researcher at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute (CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'île-de-Montréal), professor at McGill University and head of research at CNRS INSERM UPMC in Paris, opens the field to new understanding of the ...

Drug Abuse Triggers Regulations to Push the Development of Tamper-Resistant Opioid Formulations for Pain Management

Targeted pain drugs that do not have side effects such as constipation and addiction have a huge market awaiting them, says Frost & Sullivan

09-Jun-2015 - The pain market is currently dominated by opioid analgesics, which have well-known side effects such as addiction and constipation. However, a $10 billion market exists for a company able to develop a novel, targeted pain therapy that excludes these side effects, indicating the huge opportunity ...

One in six college students misuse ADHD stimulant drugs

12-Mar-2015 - Getting into trouble with drugs is one way to derail a promising future, and a lot more than traffickers in hard narcotics are engaging in risky behavior on university campuses. A recent literature review published by researchers at the University of South Carolina shows that one in six college ...

UF study of drug users finds people with ADHD started using at younger age

29-Jan-2015 - Adults with a history of ADHD who use drugs started using substances one to two years earlier than those with no ADHD history, according to a new University of Florida. The findings highlight the need for earlier substance-use-prevention interventions in adolescents with ADHD, researchers ...

Levels of 'Molly,' aka ecstasy, spike in rivers near music festival

Concerts and other large events are associated with increased levels of drugs such as "Molly" in nearby bodies of water.

16-Jan-2015 - The illicit drug called "Molly" or ecstasy is a serious concern for parents, law enforcement and now for environmentalists. Scientists report in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology that a major music festival in Taiwan coincides with a spike in the drug's levels in nearby rivers. ...

Brain changes are associated with casual marijuana use

Preliminary study suggests effects of drug even in those who are not addicted

17-Apr-2014 - The size and shape of two brain regions involved in emotion and motivation may differ in young adults who smoke marijuana at least once a week, according to a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings suggest that recreational marijuana use may lead to previously unidentified ...

Collaborative preclinical efficacy studies suggest a new target for drug addiction treatment

16-Mar-2012 - In preclinical studies, researchers at SRI International and Astraea Therapeutics have recently evaluated the role of a new drug receptor target that shows promise for the treatment of drug addiction.This potential new drug target belongs to a class of receptors called the nicotinic acetylcholine ...