Research Briefs

Reports data on the prevalence of substance use among college students with ADHD, comparing those who received ADHD treatment with those who did not.

Describes research that has led to the development of a new tool, a new radiotracer, for studying the neurobiology of depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and stimulant abuse.

Describes a new chemical tracer that binds specifically to cannabinoid receptors making it potentially useful in future research to clarify the relationship between the receptors and drug abuse.

Describes a study showing that cocaine, which increases dopamine levels, also can tap into an intracellular dopamine reserve pool.

Describes a study investigating the use of the antidepressant bupropion as a potential therapy for methamphetamine addiction.

Summarizes research on the effects of long-term regular cocaine abuse on the cardiovascular system in African Americans.

Reports on research showing that newborns whose mothers abused methamphetamine during pregnancy showed lower rates of fetal growth as compared with unexposed newborns.

Highlights the work of investigators who discovered key ways in which morphine may accelerate the progression of AIDS in animal studies.

Describes a study of unemployed methadone patients and the use of assertive outreach and motivational techniques to improve the patients’ employment outlook.

Highlights results from a pilot study suggesting that lofexidine, an anti-hypertensive medication, can enhance success rates among patients taking maintenance naltrexone to avoid opioid relapse.