Addiction Research
Young People With Low Responses To Risky Situations More Likely To Drink
Young people who drink more than average amounts tend to be risk-takers. Now a new study from Yale University finds that their brains respond differently to risky situations, which may in turn predispose them to drinking more alcohol. Full Story
Alcohol, SSRIs During Pregnancy Damage Babies
Children exposed to tobacco, cocaine, and/or marijuana during their mothers’ pregnancies perform just as well on academic tests as other children their age, according to a new study from Boston University School of Medicine. However, those exposed prenatally to alcohol score lower in tests of math, reasoning and spelling, even if they do not have fetal alcohol syndrome.
Examining Brain Differences in Siblings That Contribute to Addiction
Recent studies have shown that there are certain brain function differences in those who use stimulant drugs when compared with controls that do not use drugs. The studies have often focused on the fronto-striatal systems of the brain that are responsible for functions of self-control. Full Story
Babies Born to Women Using Ecstasy Have More Developmental Delays
Multiple studies over the years have revealed the harm that drugs can inflict on unborn children. Recently, researchers have studied the babies of mothers who had taken the drug, Ecstasy (also known as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA), before and during their pregnancy. Results of the first study ever conducted on this topic were published in the February 28 issue of Neurotoxicology and Tertology. Full Story
Drug Abuse Weakens the Ability to Recognize Emotion in Facial Expressions
From very early ages children can recognize the nuances of facial expressions. Infants and toddlers quickly learn to recognize happiness, sadness, or anger in their guardian’s face. As adults, we can tune in to body language and recognize the complex feelings behind each of these expressions. But some adults have lost this natural ability to recognize emotions in the human face. Full Story
Brain Injuries Could Be a Precursor Into What Happens to a Person Later in Life
Researchers have identified a connection between individuals with a brain injury and addiction. Information presented at a conference in Canada indicates that if a person has a brain injury then they are more likely to be a substance abuser or incarcerated at some point in their life. Full Story
Research Shows a Correlation Between Social Behavior and Excessive Drinking in Older Adults
A recent study finds that there may be a link between excessive drinking patterns of older adults. A current news article talks about the role social and economic factors play in drinking habits. Full Story
Genetics May Play a Role in Addiction, but Genes Don’t Make Addiction Certain
Just because a person’s father or mother was addicted to alcohol doesn’t mean that person or their children will be.
While research focused on the genetic factors involved in addiction points to connections between the ways addiction can travel through families, experts also remind people that this isn’t an affirmation that they’ll have a substance abuse problem, nor anyone else in their family. Full Story
Family History of Alcoholism Changes the Way the Brain Determines Risks
Teenagers with family histories of alcoholism respond differently during risk-taking task than those with no such histories, according to a new study from the Oregon Health and Science University. These physical differences, which show up on brain scans, may partly explain why some individuals are predisposed to alcoholism. Full Story
New Study Reveals Drug Abuse Among Baby Boomers
The current aging generation of baby boomers should be at almost one in every five North Carolinians by the year 2030. There is growing concern about this generation of people using combinations of alcohol and drugs in increasing amounts. The effects of this combination are still being studied but experience and science already shows the combination can be deadly. Full Story
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