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addiction

·February 18, 2023·2 min read

How AI Can Help Design Drugs to Treat Opioid Addiction

Researchers are turning to artificial intelligence to find novel drugs that can block kappa opioid receptors with the hope to alleviate opioid addiction.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 17, 2023·3 min read

Kleptomaniacs Exhibit Distinct Patterns of Gazing and Brain Activity

People with kleptomania, or the overwhelming impulse to commit theft or shoplift, exhibit distinct patterns of gaze and brain activity when exposed to environmental cues associated with their compulsion.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 16, 2023·4 min read

Is the Brain Wired Differently in People With Addiction?

Study reveals functional connectivity abnormalities in brain areas associated with reward processing, habit formation, and decision-making in those with substance use disorders and addiction.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·February 10, 2023·4 min read

Cocaine Use Disorder Alters Gene Networks of Neuroinflammation and Neurotransmission in Humans

Cocaine use disorder alters gene expression in the nucleus accumbens and caudate nucleus, brain areas associated with reward, and the mediation of habit formation.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 9, 2023·5 min read

Putting the Brake on Risky Behaviors

A newly discovered neural circuit in the thalamus prevented reward-seeking behaviors when activated in a preclinical model. When blocked, this circuit increases high-risk reward-seeking behaviors. The findings could lead to new therapies for addiction and other disorders associated with high-risk reward-seeking behaviors.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 26, 2023·6 min read

Legalizing Recreational Cannabis Does Not Increase Substance Abuse

State-level legalization of recreational cannabis does not increase substance use disorder or encourage the use of other illicit drugs, a new study of twins reveals. Additionally, legalized recreational cannabis can reduce alcohol consumption.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·January 25, 2023·4 min read

Using Running to Escape Everyday Stresses May Lead To Exercise Dependence Instead of Mental Well-being

Running can help some escape from their everyday stresses, however, some recreational runners show signs of exercise dependence. Exercise dependence could be the result of maladaptive escapism where one self-suppresses to avoid negative experiences. This can be detrimental to overall well-being.

Featured Neuroscience Pain

·January 13, 2023·6 min read

Scientists Take Another Step Toward Building a Better, Safer Opioid

Using cryoEM technology, researchers have decoded the detailed structures of an entire family of opioid receptors bound to their naturally occurring peptides. This new structural framework should help in the development of safer, more effective medications to treat chronic pain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 12, 2023·4 min read

Common Brain Network for Psychiatric Illness Discovered

Investigating four pre-existing, publically available psychological and neurological data sets, researchers identify a network of brain areas that underlie psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 29, 2022·4 min read

Addictive Behavior Linked to Personality and Psychopathology

A new study links substance use disorder to specific personality traits and certain psychological disorders. Researchers found those who scored high for the personality trait of neuroticism and those with depression and anxiety were at greater risk of SUD.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 23, 2022·5 min read

Music and Ayahuasca’s Role in Treating Substance Use Disorders in Men

Researchers study the positive effects icaros, a type of traditional Peruvian music, in combination with psychotherapy and the psychedelic drug Ayahuasca has on treating addiction.