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National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Funded News

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 5-May-2025 17:09 ET (5-May-2025 21:09 GMT/UTC)

Medicaid unwinding linked to disruptions in opioid addiction treatment

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The massive national effort to return the Medicaid enrollment process to its pre-pandemic rules starting in April 2023 may have disrupted the care of people receiving treatment for opioid addiction, especially in the states that had the largest drops in Medicaid enrollment during the "unwinding" process.

Journal: JAMA Network Open
Funder: NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse

Medicaid unwinding disrupted kids’ and young adults’ access to chronic disease medicine

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Children and young adults taking medication for chronic conditions such as depression, asthma and epilepsy experienced interruptions to their medication more often in states that had the biggest drops in Medicaid enrollment during the recent “unwinding” process.

Journal: PEDIATRICS
Funder: NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, University of Michigan

Substance use accelerates brain aging through distinct molecular pathways, groundbreaking study reveals

Genomic Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research from UTHealth Houston reveals that substance use disorders accelerate biological aging in the brain through substance-specific molecular mechanisms. The study, published in Genomic Psychiatry, identified distinct genetic and biological pathways that contribute to premature aging in individuals with alcohol, opioid, and stimulant use disorders, offering potential targets for future therapeutic interventions.

Journal: Genomic Psychiatry
Funder: NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, John S. Dunn Foundation

Study finds psychedelics can reverse neuroimmune interactions that boost fear

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study suggests that fear and the immune system are connected in previously unknown ways. Researchers at Mass General Brigham found that the immune system can influence stress and fear behaviors by changing how brain cells communicate.

Journal: Nature
Funder: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH/National Institute of Mental Health, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Basic Science Research Program funded by the NRF of Korea/Ministry of Education, Human Frontier Science Program, Gemeinnützige Hertie-Stiftung foundation, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, NIH/National Institutes of Health, American Cancer Society, International Progressive MS Alliance, Leopoldina Research Fellow Grant of the German Academy of Sciences, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Ministry of Education, The Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital

A ‘dopamine detox’ is too simplistic, new study finds

Northwestern University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Dopamine is the brain’s motivational spark, driving us to chase what feels good, say scrolling another reel on social media, and steer clear of what doesn’t, like touching a hot stove. But scientists haven’t fully understood how dopamine helps us learn to avoid bad outcomes — until now.

A new study from Northwestern University shows that dopamine signals in two key brain areas involved in motivation and learning respond differently to negative experiences, helping the brain adapt based on whether a situation is predictable or controllable.

While previous research has shown that dopamine can respond to negative experiences, this is the first study to track how those signals evolve over time as animals move from novices to experts in avoiding them.

Journal: Current Biology
Funder: NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH/National Institute of Mental Health

Single-dose psychedelic boosts brain flexibility for weeks, peer-reviewed study finds

Genomic Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the University of Michigan have demonstrated that a single dose of a psychedelic compound significantly improves cognitive flexibility in mice for at least three weeks after administration. This groundbreaking finding suggests potential therapeutic applications for conditions characterized by cognitive rigidity, including depression, PTSD, and Alzheimer's disease.

Journal: Psychedelics
Funder: NIH/National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, University of Michigan

Tusi (a mixture of ketamine and other drugs) is on the rise among NYC nightclub attendees

Society for the Study of Addiction
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study published in the scientific journal Addiction estimates that in 2024, 2.7% of electronic dance music-nightclub attending adults in New York City (NYC) used Tusi in the past year, with higher use among Hispanic people and people who use other drugs.

Journal: Addiction
Funder: NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse

Do “harm reduction” interventions for substance use lower or raise trust in government?

Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A paper by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center suggests that public perception of governmental support for comprehensive drug policies, including harm reduction, is a postive predictor of trust in local government.

Journal: Harm Reduction Journal
Funder: NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse

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