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addiction

·May 13, 2025·4 min read

Social Status Shapes Addiction Risk Through Dopamine Circuitry

A new study reveals how social rank influences addiction vulnerability by altering dopamine pathways in the brain. Low-ranking male mice showed stronger reward signals and weaker control circuits, making them more prone to seek methamphetamine, while high-ranking mice had better balance and resistance.

This is a drawing of a cannabis pharmacy.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 8, 2025·5 min read

Legal Cannabis Linked to Less Problematic Use, Better Mental Health

The Weed Care study in Switzerland is investigating how legal access to cannabis affects users' consumption and mental health. In the first randomized trial of its kind, participants buying cannabis legally showed a slight decline in problematic use, especially among those who also used other drugs.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 30, 2025·7 min read

Addiction Accelerates Brain Aging via Distinct Molecular Pathways

Substance use disorders (SUDs) accelerate biological aging in the brain through substance-specific molecular mechanisms. Using brain-specific epigenetic clocks, researchers found that alcohol, opioids, and stimulants each trigger unique patterns of neurodegeneration, particularly in the decision-making centers of the brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 29, 2025·6 min read

Ketamine’s Hidden Physical and Psychological Damage

A new study highlights the severe physical and psychological consequences linked to ketamine addiction, with many users unaware of the risks until dependent. Researchers found high rates of bladder damage, painful organ cramps, low mood, and anxiety among those with ketamine use disorder.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 28, 2025·9 min read

Tiny Brain Structure Reveals New Paths to Treat Addiction, Depression

New research spotlights the habenula, a tiny but powerful brain region, as a key player in addiction, motivation, and emotional regulation. Studies show that the habenula’s circuitry influences how the brain processes rewards, disappointment, and drug cravings, offering potential drug targets like the GPR151 receptor.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 30, 2024·8 min read

Early Substance Use Linked to Brain Structure Differences in Teens

A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents found that those who initiated substance use before age 15 exhibited distinct differences in brain structures compared to their peers. Many of these differences were present before substance use, suggesting a role in predisposing factors like genetics and environment.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 10, 2024·6 min read

Brain Markers Reveal Teens at Risk for Gaming Addiction

New research reveals brain activity patterns that may predict gaming addiction in teens. A study of adolescents aged 10-15 found reduced activity in brain regions linked to decision-making and reward processing in those developing gaming addiction symptoms over four years.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 3, 2024·5 min read

Aversion Shapes Addiction Risk in Early Drug Use

New research reveals that initial reactions to unpleasant drug experiences, like bitterness or discomfort, may predict susceptibility to addiction. In a rat study, individual responses to a bitter-tasting cue paired with cocaine varied widely, with some avoiding the drug entirely and others increasing consumption over time.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 27, 2024·4 min read

Finger Lengths May Reveal Insights Into Drinking Habits

The relative lengths of your fingers might be linked to your alcohol consumption patterns. Researchers found that individuals with longer 4th (ring) fingers relative to 2nd (index) fingers, indicating high prenatal testosterone exposure, are more likely to consume alcohol.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 23, 2024·5 min read

Alcohol Use Predicts Escalating Cannabis Vaping Among Youth

A recent study highlights alcohol as the strongest predictor of cannabis vaping initiation and experimentation among youth and young adults, regardless of demographic factors. Conducted over three years, the research found that alcohol consumption increased the likelihood of transitioning from non-use to cannabis vaping.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 25, 2024·4 min read

Individual Reward-Seeking Predicts Nicotine Response

A new study finds that individualistic reward-seeking behaviors in mice can predict their responses to nicotine. Conducted in a semi-natural environment called Souris-City, the research observed how male mice developed distinct reward-seeking strategies when isolated from peers.

This shows a cartoon of a girl looking at a computer monitor surrounded by nail polish.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 28, 2024·2 min read

Teens Risk Brain Damage in New TikTok “Chroming” Trend

Videos on TikTok are contributing to a resurgence in "huffing" or "chroming," the dangerous practice of inhaling toxic fumes from household items like markers or nail polish. The study analyzed over 100 TikTok videos, collectively viewed more than 25 million times, and found that more than half referenced repeated use or addiction.