30 July 2021

• Dual-drug therapy shows promise for treating alcohol use disorder
  UCSF researchers have leveraged two new molecules, one of which is currently in clinical oncology trials, to devise a dual-drug therapy for alcohol use disorder (AUD), without the side effects or complications associated with current treatment regimens. The approach had highly successful results in mice and may be applicable to other drugs that are often abused. 
• Seniors rarely discuss their drinking with their doctors
  (HealthDay)—Plenty of seniors may struggle with problem drinking, but a new study shows that less than half of them discuss their alcohol use with their health care providers.
• Ease access to opioid addiction medication, new research suggests
  With overdose deaths surging during the COVID-19 pandemic, new findings from researchers at Oregon Health & Science University suggest easing access to a key medication to treat addiction.
• Physical pain is a key factor in alcohol consumption relapse after a period of abstinence
  The study has also shown changes in an area of the brain related to motivation for drug intake, and in a second experiment they have shown that the kappa-type opioid receptor (a protein) is key to causing these animals to relapse.
• Vaping and substance use were down for teens during COVID-19 lockdown, but researchers predict not for long
  When researchers at FIU's Center for Children and Families conducted a study to look at the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and substance use among teens, they expected substance use would increase.