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AUD

·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.

This shows kidneys on a scale of justice.

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.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 4, 2025·12 min read

Why Alcohol Hits Women Harder

Alcohol use among women has surged to match men’s rates, but women face far greater health risks even at lower consumption levels. A growing body of research is uncovering key neurobiological sex differences that influence why and how women drink, with stress being a more prominent motivator for women.

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

·April 23, 2025·6 min read

Gut Microbiome Shifts Rapidly After Alcohol Use

A new study shows that combining heavy alcohol use with burn trauma causes severe disruptions in the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation and a weakened gut barrier. Within a day of injury, beneficial bacteria plummet, harmful microbes rise, and levels of butyrate—a key anti-inflammatory compound—drop significantly.

This shows a teen with a drink and brains.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 11, 2025·4 min read

Using Cannabis While Drinking May Lead to Riskier Behavior

Young adults often use alcohol and cannabis together, a behavior that may dull the perceived negative effects of drinking and increase the risk of alcohol-related harm. A recent study found that simultaneous use can reduce users’ awareness of alcohol’s effects, potentially leading to alcohol use disorder and dangerous behaviors like drunk driving.

This shows two heads, brains and a glass.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 10, 2025·3 min read

Heavy Drinking Linked to Brain Lesions and Cognitive Decline Risk

Consuming eight or more alcoholic drinks per week is associated with brain lesions known as hyaline arteriolosclerosis, which can impair memory and thinking. These lesions are signs of damaged blood vessels that restrict blood flow and gradually harm brain tissue.