It might be possible to block pleasure receptors for both smoking and drinking with one pharmaceutical swoop. Heavy drinkers report drinking less alcohol after taking the anti-smoking drug— Chantix . Researchers took a drug already out on the market for smoking cessation and tried it on smokers who also drink heavily. The reduction in drinking was quite promising. Talk to your doctor if you think you have a drinking problem Jennifer Mitchell PhD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of California at San Francisco, led a study to understand the smoking cessation d...

Why is it that some children develop emotional or behavioral problems? The answer is complex but new research may help us better predict who will have problems so they can be addressed earlier.

Teen drug abuse of prescription opioids is a problem. Parental monitoring, proper disposal after they’re no longer needed for medical purposes and honest education could help reduce the abuse. Researchers gathered data that suggests nonmedical use of prescription drugs among high school seniors needs intervention. The possibility of more serious drug abuse is also prevalent. Properly store and dispose of prescription opioids to prevent abuse. Sean Esteban McCabe PhD., research professor at the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center, led a team to evaluate the p...

Depressive symptoms may be present in patients with hepatitis C before they begin treatment. But research suggests that the hepatitis C drug, interferon, also contributes to depression.

After a first heart attack, patients may find they are in need of sedatives to cope with anxiety or to help them sleep. Such sedatives may actually be associated with an increased risk of another heart attack within the initial year.

Not all people who look like they didn’t hear what a person said to them are consciously choosing to ignore the negative words. There may be a natural unconscious decision the brain is making to not register those negative words. Researchers tested language processing in the brain with bilingual and single language participants. Results show that the unconscious brain can keep certain information from a person through a primal trigger against negative language being processed. It may be necessary to repeat yourself when relaying emotions Guillaume Thierry PhD., professor ...

Stimulants are a first line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They can have side effects, and researchers are still exploring how stimulants might affect future medical treatments. A small study looked at the safety and side effects for children taking Vyvanse . The types of side effects were different for children who had never taken a stimulant before, and the side effects were more severe than in children who had taken a stimulant in the past.  This early research urges other scientists to explore the idea that the safety of ADHD medications may...

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a loss of thinking skills that increases risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Areas of the brain are overactive in MCI, and new research shows that lowering the activity may improve memory. Higher levels of brain activity in the hippocampus, a brain region important for memory, are common in MCI. Using a drug to lower that brain activity led to better memory function for patients with MCI. Consult your physician if you notice any memory problems MCI is a loss of thinking and memory abilities that is more severe than normal aging and less severe than ...

Naltrexone can counteract the effects of heroine or alcohol and can be helpful for people trying to kick addiction. New research suggests it is helpful for people addicted to more than one drug.

By mid-life many women have experienced at least one episode of major depression or anxiety. These occurrences may not seem like a big deal, but research shows that such episodes are linked with lower Quality of Life.