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A new study published in the American Journal of Pathology looked at how inflammation in the brain plays a role in alcohol use disorder. “We were hoping to find out if microglia, immune cells in the brain, contribute to negative feelings found in people with an alcohol use disorder,” study author Leon G. Coleman told us. “We had a theory that microglia would contribute to anxiety and fear memories after heavy alcohol use.” [More]

Anxiety and loneliness could be contributing to addictions to smartphones and social media among “night owls”. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth found that those who prefer staying up late may use social media and smartphones as a coping strategy. [More]

A new study published in the Journal of Sleep Health looked at the social epidemiology of bedtime screen use behaviors and sleep outcomes in early adolescence. “Our study looks at bedtime screen habits in early adolescents, with a focus on the associations between screen use at bedtime and sleep outcomes,” study author Jason M. Nagata told us. “We were hoping to find out how many tweens have devices in their bedrooms, how many are woken up by notifications from these devices in the nighttime, and how many continued to use their device after being woken up by notifications and before going back to sleep." [More]

A new study published in the American Journal of Medicine looked at increasing trends in alcohol related mortality in the United States. “We sought to explore whether there have been increases in U.S. alcohol related mortality,” study author Alexandra Matarazzo told us. “We were hoping to find out whether there were increases and, if so, whether they are occurring at younger ages.” [More]

A new study published in Journal of Addiction looked at whether certain medications can help with substance-related outcomes in patients with opioid and alcohol use disorders. “Our study examines the potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs), like Ozempic, to reduce severe outcomes, specifically overdose and intoxication, in individuals with opioid and alcohol use disorders,” study author Fares Qeadan told us. “We aimed to see if these medications could provide an adjunctive therapy to help reduce the significant health risks associated with substance use.” [More]

A new study published in the Journal of Nature looked at how dopamine dynamics are dispensable for movement but promote reward responses. “We tested whether rapid dopamine dynamics are necessary for the behavioral functions of dopamine,” study author Pascal S. Kaeser told us. “There is conflicting literature on each dopamine function as to whether it is mediated by fast and precise signalling or by slower, tonic signaling.” [More]

Scrolling through social media videos could increase boredom and make users feel less engaged with content. Research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General found that endless scrolling may make users feel less satisfied with the content they view. [More]

We're in the midst of an overdose crisis in the United States. In the past year alone, nearly 110,000 people died due to an overdose. Many experts believe we have the tools to prevent overdose deaths, but that we need to improve our ability to meet people where they are at and facilitate the full range of prevention options. A new study published in the Journal of Addiction looked at the effect of a peer-led emergency department behavioral intervention on non-fatal opioid overdose. [More]

A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry looked at the prevalence of mental health disorders among individuals experiencing homelessness. “We were examining the prevalence of addictions and mental health (AMH) conditions among adults experiencing homelessness globally,” study author Rebecca Barry told us. Barry is postdoctoral fellow at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. “We were hoping to find the overall current and lifetime prevalence of AMH conditions in this population.” [More]

A new study published in JAMA Open Network looked at the association of benzodiazepine treatment for sleep disorders with a drug overdose risk among young people. “Benzodiazepines are a treatment option for sleep disorders,” study author Greta A. Bushnell told us. “However, overdose is a potential concern with benzodiazepines, particularly when used with other central nervous system depressants such as opioids. [More]