Happy Nostalgia Amongst Teens Linked to Less Substance Use/Abuse
Razi Berry Teenagers with happy childhood memories are likely to drink less, take fewer drugs and enjoy learning, according to research published in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction Research & Theory. The findings, based on data from nearly 2,000 US high school students, show a link between how pupils feel about the past, present and future […]
A Molecule that May Stop Drug Cravings
Razi Berry Duke University researchers have developed a synthetic molecule that selectively dampens the physiological rewards of cocaine in mice. It also may represent a new class of drugs that could be more specific with fewer side effects than current medications. Synthetic molecule selectively dampens the physiological rewards of cocaine In mice treated with the […]
Brain Changes From Cannabis Use
Razi Berry A once understudied topic now shows a clear link between cannabis use and brain alterations, whereby chronic use may lead to poor conflict resolution skills. Development of neural circuits in youth The development of neural circuits in youth, at a particularly important time in their lives, can be heavily influenced by external factors—specifically […]
Syphilis Invades Rural America, and a Fraying Health Safety Net is Failing to Stop it
Razi Berry When Karolyn Schrage first heard about the “dominoes gang” in the health clinic she runs in Joplin, Mo., she assumed it had to do with pizza. Turns out it was a group of men in their 60s and 70s who held a standing game night — which included sex with one another. They […]
Hypnosis may Offer Genuine Alternative to Painkillers
Razi Berry A project led by psychologist Dr Trevor Thompson of the University of Greenwich found that hypnosis is more effective with people who are especially amenable to suggestion. But it also found that those who are moderately suggestible – essentially most people – saw a 29% drop in pain. New research shows that hypnosis […]
40% of Antibiotic Prescriptions May be Inappropriately Prescribed
Razi Berry Outpatient healthcare providers inappropriately prescribed antibiotics to 40 percent of patients in a major Veterans Affairs healthcare system, a higher figure than in previous studies examining outpatient antibiotic use, according to a new study appearing in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), the journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control […]
Unisex Non-Hormonal Birth Control Pill on the Horizon
Razi Berry Birth control options aren’t great. For women, most options require using hormones that cause common side effects such as weight gain, metabolic disturbances, nausea, and headaches. For men, the options are fairly dismal, condoms. With condoms having a failure rate high enough to warrant the constant recommendation of an added birth control method, […]
Sugar Addiction: Are you Addicted?
Refined Crystalline Substance with Coarse Consequences Whether or not it influences our individual food choices, there is a growing cultural understanding that sugar is an unhealthy part of the diet. We’re talking about the refined crystalline substance that comes in soda, cookies and other refined, packaged products. Not the natural sugar that comes in fruit, […]