Drug Facts in Media

Use of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic chemical found in what is known as 'magic mushrooms,' has increased significantly nationwide since 2019, according to a new study.

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type 2 is a congenital malformation of the cerebral cortex that is often associated with difficult-to-treat epilepsy. In the affected areas, nerve cells and their layer structures are arranged in an atypical manner, which often makes drug therapy more difficult. A research team has now found evidence of profound changes in the dopamine system in FCD type 2.

Researchers have developed a new, neuroplasticity-promoting drug closely related to LSD that harnesses the psychedelic's therapeutic power with reduced hallucinogenic potential.

Research on the biological basis of addiction has found that the critical epigenetic enzyme histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) limits the expression of the gene Scn4b, regulating neuronal activity and thereby the formation of strong drug-related memories, which can trigger relapse in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). The study, detailing these epigenetic mechanisms in the brain, uncovers a new molecular target for the development of novel SUD treatments.

Researchers identified a direct connection between cancer-related inflammation and the loss of motivation characteristic of advanced cancer. In a mouse study, they describe a brain pathway that starts with neurons (labeled in green, above) that sense inflammation signals, and the researchers were able to treat the loss of motivation by blocking this pathway.

The heart of the opioid epidemic that killed 665,341 people in the United States between 2005 and 2020 shifted geographically from the Northwest to the East, according to a new geographical analysis.

A recent study found that people may perceive fewer negative effects of alcohol if they are also using cannabis at the same time.

A new study found that people with cannabis use disorder (CUD) had elevated dopamine levels in a brain region associated with psychosis.

Scientists have rebuilt, in laboratory glassware, the neural pathway that sends information from the body's periphery to the brain, promising to aid research on pain disorders.

Scientists have helped identify a novel drug compound that selectively activates pain-altering receptors in the body, offering a potentially safer alternative to conventional pain medications.

Body signals such as heartbeat and breathing accompany us constantly, often unnoticed as background noise of our perception. Even in the earliest years of life, these signals are important as they contribute to the development of self-awareness and identity. However, until know little has been known about whether and how babies can perceive their own body signals. A recent study demonstrates for the first time that babies as young as 3 months can perceive their own heartbeat.

Scientists have shown that a sequence of just three amino acids may reduce the severity of psoriasis, when applied topically in an emollient cream.

Patients prescribed medicinal cannabis in Australia maintained improvements in overall health-related quality of life (HRQL), fatigue, and sleep disturbance across a one-year period, according to a new study. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and pain also improved over time for those with corresponding health conditions.

Despite a recent Food and Drug Administration warning against inhaling nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, deaths due to misusing the substance are rising in the United States.

Scientists have confirmed a neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility. PET imaging shows that the brain increases dopamine production when completing cognitively demanding tasks, and that the more dopamine released, the more efficiently the tasks are completed. Armed with this information, physicians may soon be able to develop more precise treatment strategies for neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Researchers have found a unique molecular signature and genes in the orbitofrontal cortex associated with heroin-seeking behavior. A preclinical rodent model implicated a gene called Shisa7 as the key predictor. A new study provides valuable insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying heroin addiction and may have implications for the development of innovative strategies to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic.

Many obese people report losing pleasure in eating rich foods -- something also seen in obese mice. Scientists have now discovered the reason. Long-term high-fat diets lower levels of neurotensin in the brain, disrupting the dopamine pleasure network and decreasing the desire to eat high-fat foods. Raising neurotensin levels in mice brings back the pleasure and aids weight loss. Bringing back the pleasure could help people break the habit of overeating.

An algorithm that learned from tens of thousands of nutrition prescriptions for premature babies could reduce medical errors and better identify what nutrients the smallest patients need.

New study shows that dysfunction of protective immune cells in GI tract may contribute to onset of inflammation in Crohn's disease.

A new study has analyzed and compared the fatty acids in the blood of individuals with schizophrenia, of those with cannabis use disorder and of those with both diagnoses, with the aim of shedding light on new biomarkers and improving the understanding of the biological relationship between the two disorders. The study also offers a powerful tool for identifying new biomarkers.