TL;DR: A 2026 rat study in Psychopharmacology found that THC exposure during late adolescence left adult animals with elevated anxiety-like behavior and impaired object-recognition and spatial-memory performance after a drug-free recovery period. Key Findings Adolescent THC exposure produced lasting anxiety-like behavior in adulthood: Rats given THC (5 mg/kg/day) from postnatal day 42 to 62 (late …
TL;DR: A 2025 systematic review in Translational Psychiatry found that substance use disorder was associated with recurring resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), a scan of spontaneous brain-network communication, abnormalities in reward and self-control circuits across 53 studies. Key Findings 53-study meta-analysis: Researchers pooled whole-brain rs-fMRI studies covering 1,700 people with substance use disorder and 1,792 healthy …
Cannabinoids Had Weak Evidence for Mental Disorders TL;DR: A Lancet Psychiatry review of randomized trials found little support for routine cannabinoid treatment in common mental disorders, despite possible weak signals in a few narrower conditions. Key Findings 54 randomized controlled trials were reviewed: The analysis covered 2,477 participants across mental disorders and substance-use disorders. Routine …
Video game addiction (VGA) is associated with significant deficits in response inhibition and preparatory processes, reflected by more commission errors and reduced N2 amplitudes in the cued Go/NoGo task. Highlights: Increased Commission Errors: Individuals with VGA made significantly more commission errors in NoGo trials compared to healthy controls, indicating impaired response inhibition. Faster Reaction Times: …
Individuals at risk for cannabis use disorder (CUD) exhibit increased dynamic fluidity and altered connectivity patterns in brain networks, suggesting early changes in brain function that may contribute to cannabis addiction risk. Highlights: At-risk individuals for cannabis addiction show a greater number of meta-states and more frequent transitions between them, indicating higher dynamic fluidity in …
Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD) patients exhibit widespread gray matter atrophy, with specific brain volume deficits associated with crack-cocaine use and relapse outcomes. Highlights: Widespread Gray Matter Atrophy: CUD patients show significant gray matter volume reductions in frontal and temporal cortices, cerebellum, and subcortical structures compared to healthy controls. Route of Use: Crack-cocaine use is linked …
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) improves decision-making and reduces cravings in individuals with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). Highlights: Improved Decision-Making: rTMS treatment enhanced decision-making abilities in MUD patients, making their choices more rational and similar to healthy individuals. Craving Reduction: Participants experienced a significant decrease in cravings for …
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the nucleus accumbens reduces cocaine seeking in male rats but is ineffective in female rats, regardless of their estrous cycle phase. Highlights: No FDA-Approved Treatments: There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for cocaine use disorder. DBS Reduces Cocaine Seeking in Males: Previous studies and the current experiment show that DBS …
GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) show promise in regulating the reward system and potentially treating motivation and reward-processing disorders. Highlights: Regulation of Reward System Dysfunction: GLP-1RAs influence the brain’s reward system, which is involved in behaviors related to food and substance use. Brain Activation: These agonists affect brain regions differently in individuals ranging from lean to …
A study broke down Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) into specific brain-related categories and identified key factors that can help understand and classify AUD more accurately. Higlights: Cravings & Insensitivity: The study identified two main factors related to alcohol desire – one about craving alcohol and the other about not feeling its effects strongly. Emotions: Three …
