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Goofballing of Opioid and Methamphetamine: The Science Behind the Deadly Cocktail
Drug and alcohol dependence is a serious global issue. Current treatments for opioid dependence vary in effectiveness, and there are no consistently effective treatments for methamphetamine use disorder.
Polysubstance Use Plays a Key Role in Midlife Structural Brain Alterations in Long-term Cannabis Users
A study found long-term cannabis users had older brain ages and thinner brain regions. However, these effects were no longer significant when accounting for long-term use of other drugs like tobacco and alcohol.
Latent patterns of polysubstance use among people who use opioids: A systematic review
Polysubstance use (PSU) is common among people who use opioids, yet its definition and measurement vary. This review classifies and describes these patterns to help inform overdose prevention and harm reduction.
Specific polysubstance use patterns predict relapse among patients entering Opioid Use Disorder treatment
This study found that polysubstance use is common among people with opioid use disorder. It explored daily drug use patterns before treatment, revealing subgroups of polysubstance use that may predict relapse.
Polysubstance Use in Early Adulthood: Patterns and Developmental Precursors in an Urban Cohort
This study investigated the prevalence and patterns of polysubstance use from adolescence to early adulthood. It also identified childhood risk factors predicting different types of polysubstance use in young adulthood.
Adolescence is a Sensitive Period for Prefrontal Microglia to Act on Cognitive Development
Depleting prefrontal microglia in adolescent mice caused lasting changes in the prefrontal cortex's cognitive functions and synaptic structures. These findings highlight microglia's role in brain maturation.
Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain: What We’ve Learned and Where the Data are Taking Us
Adolescent alcohol use, especially binge drinking, is a major public health concern. Research highlights how alcohol impacts the still-developing teenage brain, increasing risks for negative health and social outcomes.
Brain network dysfunctions in addiction: A meta-analysis of resting-state functional connectivity
Substance use and behavioral addictions share symptoms like compulsive behavior and loss of control. This study will compare brain activity in different addictions to understand their unique features and shared origins.
Contextualizing Adolescent Structural Brain Development: Environmental Determinants and Mental Health Outcomes
Brain development continues throughout adolescence, with gray matter decreasing and white matter increasing. Environmental factors and individual differences also shape this development, influencing well-being and mental health.
Drugs, Guts, Brains, but Not Rock and Roll: The Need to Consider the Role of Gut Microbiota in Contemporary Mental Health and Wellness of Emerging Adults
Emerging adults aged 18-25 show unique gut microbiome vulnerability, which influences their mental health due to brain development and stress responses. This period is crucial for interventions to promote long-term well-being.
Making the Sentencing Case: Psychological and Neuroscientific Evidence for Expanding the Age of Youthful Offenders
Brain science shows that young adults' brains are still developing, impacting their behavior. Sentencing youth as fully adult contradicts scientific evidence of continued development and potential for rehabilitation beyond age 18.
Positive and Negative Risk-Taking in Adolescence and Early Adulthood: A Citizen Science Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Adolescents' sensation-seeking desires drive both negative risks, like reckless driving, and positive risks, like helping others. This study explores how sensation seeking connects to these behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roper and Race: the Nature and Effects of Death Penalty Exclusions for Juveniles and the “Late Adolescent Class”
The Supreme Court banned the death penalty for those under 18 in 2005 due to evolving standards and scientific evidence of immaturity. This decision could extend to 18-20 year olds, which would also reduce racial bias in sentencing.
Socioeconomic Status, BMI, and Brain Development in Children
Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds face negative health and academic outcomes. This study will examine how body mass index (BMI) influences the relationship between socioeconomic status and brain development.
Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down: Neural Processing of Social Feedback and Links to Social Motivation in Adolescent Girls
This study explored how adolescent brains respond to peer feedback, focusing on areas related to threat, reward, and control. Researchers found brain activation patterns differed with social avoidance and approach motivations.