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AUD

This shows a person holding a joint and a glass of scotch.

·November 19, 2025·7 min read

Cannabis Blunts Alcohol Cravings

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial shows that cannabis with active THC reduces immediate alcohol cravings and lowers drinking levels in heavy-drinking young adults. After smoking THC, participants not only drank less, they waited longer before taking the first sip and reported lower urges to drink.

This shows a man holding a wine glass against a psychedelic backdrop.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 10, 2025·4 min read

Psychedelics Calm Stress Circuits to Reduce Alcohol Drinking

New research shows that psilocin, the active metabolite of the psychedelic psilocybin, may reduce alcohol consumption by calming stress-sensitive neurons in the central amygdala. In female mice exposed to long-term alcohol use, psilocin dampened the hyperactivity of these neurons, temporarily reducing drinking.

This shows a man and a glass of whiskey.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 28, 2025·4 min read

Gene That Controls How Sensitive You Are to Alcohol Discovered

Researchers have discovered that a gene called CHRNA3 plays a key role in determining alcohol sensitivity, helping explain why some people tolerate alcohol better than others. When this gene was mutated, subjects were slower to avoid alcohol and consumed more of it, showing reduced sensitivity to its calming effects.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 16, 2025·6 min read

Gut Fungus Found to Disrupt Brain’s Alcohol Reward Pathway

A new study reveals that an overgrowth of Candida albicans, a common gut fungus, may alter the brain’s dopamine reward circuitry and influence alcohol consumption. Researchers found that as fungal populations increased, they triggered production of inflammatory molecules called PGE2, which crossed into the brain and changed dopamine signaling in the dorsal striatum.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 30, 2025·6 min read

Targeting the Cerebellum Could Ease Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Researchers have identified the cerebellum as a promising target for easing alcohol withdrawal, the stage of alcohol use disorder that drives many people back to drinking. In mice, withdrawal symptoms were alleviated by calming overactive cerebellar neurons, either through genetic tools or a synthetic compound.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 12, 2025·6 min read

Stress Relief Brain Circuit May Drive Alcohol Relapse

A new study highlights how the brain learns to keep alcohol addiction going, not for pleasure but to escape withdrawal stress.

This shows a brain with a neutral network spreading from the PFC. A drink glass is behind the brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 16, 2025·5 min read

Boosting Prefrontal Dopamine Shows Promise in Cutting Alcohol Use

A new study reveals that tolcapone, a dopamine-enhancing drug, strengthens brain circuits involved in self-control while reducing alcohol intake in people with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The drug boosts activity in the inferior frontal gyrus, part of the prefrontal cortex, which supports inhibitory control.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·June 17, 2025·5 min read

3D-Printed Brain Model Mimics Neural Damage

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking 3D brain model that closely mirrors the architecture and function of the human brain. Built using biomimetic 3D printing, the Bioengineered Neural Network (BENN) features distinct gray and white matter regions and responds to electrical stimulation like real brain tissue.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 3, 2025·7 min read

Ibudilast Fails to Beat Placebo in Alcoholism Trial, Except in Women

A recent clinical trial found that ibudilast, a drug once promising for alcohol use disorder, was no more effective than a placebo overall. While all participants reduced their drinking, women on ibudilast showed a greater drop in drinks per day, hinting at a gender-specific benefit.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 16, 2025·5 min read

Public Favors Some Organ Recipients Over Others

Americans tend to judge organ transplant eligibility based on the cause of a person’s illness rather than their race or ethnicity. Survey participants consistently favored recipients whose conditions were seen as less self-inflicted—such as black lung disease from coal mining or genetic kidney failure—over those with alcohol use disorder or unvaccinated COVID-19 complications.

This shows outlines of people and glasses.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 7, 2025·4 min read

Social Drinking, Not Solitary, Drives Most Alcohol-Related Harm

New research challenges the stereotype of the solitary drinker, showing that social drinking plays a central role in the development and consequences of alcohol use disorder. Studies reveal people consistently drink more in social settings, where heavy drinking often leads to serious harms like violence, risky sex, and traffic fatalities.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 6, 2025·6 min read

Romantic Partners Can Shape Genetic Risk for Binge Drinking

New research shows that romantic partners' habits and traits can influence how strongly genetic risk for binge drinking affects an individual. Using data from Finnish twins, scientists found that partners who smoke, show psychological distress, or exhibit low conscientiousness amplify genetic risk.