Research Highlights | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Research Links Adolescent Substance Use to Adult Brain Volumes

April 10, 2019 | This research: Revealed associations between nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana use during two periods of adolescence and smaller gray matter volume in two brain areas at age 25. Supports a hypothesis...

Science Highlight

Cues give clues in relapse prevention

April 8, 2019 | Scientists at NIDA's intramural research labs in Baltimore, Maryland have shown that discriminative stimuli can control the incubation of drug craving, even in the absence of conditioned stimuli.

NIDA Notes

Methadone Maintenance Treatment During Incarceration Has Long-Term Benefits

April 4, 2019 | This study reported: Prisoners who received methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) during incarceration were more likely than prisoners who did not receive MMT to engage in the treatment after being released...

NIDA Notes

Interim Buprenorphine Alleviates Psychiatric Symptoms in Waitlisted OUD Patients

March 27, 2019 | This study reported: Interim treatment with buprenorphine significantly improved the psychiatric symptoms of people awaiting comprehensive treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Buprenorphine treatment, even without concurrent psychosocial counseling, may...

Science Highlight

The Genius of Chemogenetics

March 14, 2019 | Some NIDA-funded scientists have just published findings in the journal Science showing the development of a new, groundbreaking chemogenetics technology for modulating brain function in a remote, precise and ultra-sensitive...

Science Highlight

The brain in pain

March 13, 2019 | NIDA-funded researchers identified a critical role for an internal brain opioid network called the dynorphin-kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system.

Nora's Blog

Prenatal and Early Childhood Brain Development: The HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study

| En español

March 11, 2019 | The NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) initiative is helping to fund an ambitious research project called the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study. This study, which will...

NIDA Notes

Transcription Factor E2F3a Mediates Cocaine’s Effects on Gene Expression and Addiction-Related Behaviors

February 28, 2019 | NIDA-supported researchers have shown that increased levels of a single protein in the brain's reward center are indispensable for producing some of cocaine's addiction-like effects in animals. Their findings highlight...

NIDA Notes

A Promising Alternative to Opioid Pain Medications

| En español

February 12, 2019 | This research shows: An experimental compound with a dual action at two opioid receptors may provide powerful pain relief without many of opioids' harmful side effects. The compound may also...

NIDA Notes

Disruption of Serotonin Contributes to Cocaine’s Effects

February 5, 2019 | This research: Traced the effects of cocaine-induced disruption of serotonin regulation in the ventral pallidum and orbitofrontal cortex. Suggests that these effects may contribute to drug-seeking and cocaine-associated cognitive impairments...

Science Highlight

The mystery of serotonin’s role in behavior

January 31, 2019 | While selective serotonin uptake inhibitors comprise the major class of modern antidepressants, the role of serotonin in reward function remains poorly understood.

NIDA Notes

New Studies Clarify Risk Factors for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

January 8, 2019 | These studies: Identified factors that affect the risk for and severity of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Suggest that reducing expectant mothers’ polysubstance use during buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder...

Nora's Blog

NIDA's Scientific Findings & Achievements of 2018

January 7, 2019 | Here I want to highlight just a few of the many outstanding developments in basic science, new therapeutics, and epidemiology and prevention research from the year that just ended.

Science Highlight

New Insights for Astrocytes

January 3, 2019 | Scientists at NIDA's Intramural Research Program have just published a study suggesting that ventral midbrain astrocytes are physiologically distinct from astrocytes in other parts of the brain.

Nora's Blog

Monitoring the Future Survey Results Show Alarming Rise in Teen Vaping

December 17, 2018 | The results of the 2018 MTF survey, released today (December 17), contain a mix of encouraging news and warning signals. Notably, the survey this year contained a major shock: a...

Nora's Blog

New Funding Opportunities in Response to the Opioid Crisis

December 10, 2018 | Today, NIDA is releasing several new funding opportunity announcements related to the NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term ℠) Initiative.

Nora's Blog

World AIDS Day 2018

November 30, 2018 | World AIDS Day, is a good time to reflect on some of the spectacular successes of NIH-funded science at reducing the impact of HIV, as well as how lessons learned...

NIDA Notes

Integrated Intervention Benefits People Who Inject Drugs and Have HIV

| En español

November 27, 2018 | In this international trial: Researchers demonstrated the effectiveness of an integrated intervention designed to help people who inject drugs and have HIV overcome obstacles to health care. Participants who received...

Science Highlight

New findings related to cell functions and calcium deficiency; may impact substance use disorders

November 16, 2018 | A new paper just published in Cell Reports describes, for the first time, a novel pathological mechanism that may contribute to a variety of disease states.

Science Highlight

Stopping marijuana use improves memory

November 5, 2018 | A new study suggests that one month of abstinence from cannabis improves working memory in adolescents and young adults, with most of the improvement happening in the first week.

NIDA Notes

Cocaine-Induced Increase in an Immune Protein Promotes Addiction Behaviors in Mice

October 31, 2018 | This research found that: Cocaine produces a portion of its rewarding effects by increasing levels of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in the brain’s reward center. Treatments that prevent G-CSF signaling...

Nora's Blog

In Memoriam—Herbert Kleber

October 22, 2018 | With the passing of Herbert Kleber on October 5, the field of addiction research has lost a true giant—one of its biggest thinkers as well as one of the most...

Science Highlight

Compound identified as possible medication target for cocaine use disorder

October 22, 2018 | NIH-funded scientists have now identified a compound that shows promise in reducing self-administration of cocaine in mice.

Science Highlight

Research suggests benzodiazepine use is high while use disorder rates are low

October 18, 2018 | A recent analysis suggests that benzodiazepine use disorders are relatively rare among the adults who use benzodiazepine medications, even if they are misusing them.

NIDA Notes

Prescription Opioid Misuse Treatment Leverages Mindfulness To Amplify Natural Rewards

October 17, 2018 | This research suggests that: Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) reduces opioid misuse among chronic pain patients. MORE shifts patients' attention away from drug cues and toward cues for natural rewards. Dr...

Nora's Blog

New NIDA Research Reveals the Power of Social Reinforcers

| En español

October 15, 2018 | Medication is a crucial part of treating addiction—but by itself, a pill or an injection may not be sufficient. Social support has long been known to be an important factor...

NIDA Notes

Switching to Reduced-Nicotine Cigarettes May Aid in Quitting Smoking

October 10, 2018 | This research suggests that: Smokers who switch to cigarettes with very low nicotine content may experience mild and transient increases in some withdrawal symptoms. Cigarettes with reduced nicotine will be...

Science Highlight

Brain ensembles that tune on or off to social exploration

October 9, 2018 | An international team of scientists led by NIDA utilized miniature fluorescence microscopes to record calcium activities from hundreds of excitatory neurons in the mPFC in the brains of mice, while...

Nora's Blog

Recent Research Sheds New Light on Why Nicotine is So Addictive

| En español

September 28, 2018 | Nicotine does not produce the kind of euphoria or impairment that many other drugs like opioids and marijuana do. People do not get high from smoking cigarettes or vaping. Yet...

Nora's Blog

The HEALing Communities Study: Using Science to Address the Opioid Crisis

| En español

September 19, 2018 | The public health emergency of opioid misuse and addiction affects millions of Americans and requires innovative scientific solutions. Today, during “National Prescription Opioid and Heroin Awareness Week,” we are sharing...