The medication instead dulled her urges for the cocaine and alcohol that caused her to plow her car into a tree, spiral into ...

This post was coauthored by Gabriella P. Oettinger and Juan M. Dominguez, Ph.D. As we begin the new school year, the importance of understanding the challenges and risks that students face becomes ...

As a clinician who treats people with drug problems, I was spurred to ask these questions when NIDA dubbed addiction a “brain disease.” It struck me as too narrow a perspective from which to ...

For decades, Americans have been told a simple story about addiction: taking drugs damages the brain—and the earlier in life children start using substances, the more likely they are to progress ...

Drug addiction is a complex condition that affects individuals physically and psychologically. To fully comprehend this condition, it is essential to examine the interplay of biological, environmental ...

Within the brain, chemical neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine regulate mood, emotions and many physiological and behavioral processes. Their imbalance can contribute to anxiety, ...

Scientists have found that the process of adaptive myelination, which helps the brain learn new skills, can also promote addiction to opioids. Our brains, even in adulthood, continually adapt to what ...

This week, we are reporting on some promising treatments for two of the deadliest drugs in America: opioids and alcohol. William Brangham sat down with one of the nation’s leading researchers who is ...

Everyday human behavior is guided and shaped by the search for rewards. This includes eating tasty meals, drinking something refreshing, sexual activity and nurturing children. Many of these behaviors ...

Christian Luscher, a neuroscientist at the University of Geneva, presenting on addiction at the Allen Institute. (Allen Insitute Photo / Erik Dinnel) Christian Luscher has spent years trying to figure ...

You’ve probably felt it before: that euphoric feeling after biting into one of your favorite foods. Your eyes roll back, you ...