April 2012
While viewing images of cigarettes, smokers reported milder cravings when they shifted their focus from the pleasures of smoking to its harmful effects. Brain imaging showed a correlation between the reduc¬tions in craving and altered activity levels in regions associated with emotional regulation and reward.

Well-Known Mechanism Underlies Benzodiazepines' Addictive Properties

April 2012
New research establishes that benzo¬diazepines cause addiction in a way simi¬lar to that of opioids, cannabinoids, and the club drug GHB. The discovery opens the door to design¬ing new benzodiazepines that counteract anxiety but are not addictive.

Physical Activity Reduces Return to Cocaine Seeking in Animal Tests

April 2012
Two independent animal studies suggest that aerobic exercise might help cocaine abusers establish and maintain abstinence.

Home Visits by Nurses to Low-Income First-Time Mothers Yield Enduring Benefits

April 2012
A program involving home visits by nurses to low-income first-time mothers, starting during pregnancy and extending into the sec¬ond year of their children’s lives, has a positive and long-lasting impact on fami¬lies. Children who participated in the program were less likely than others to report having used alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana at age 12.

In Animals, Receptor Puts Brakes on Nicotine Consumption

March 2012
New research suggests that differences in tobacco consumption reflect, in part, differences in the functional efficacy of a specific type of receptor in a pathway of the brain. In animal studies, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors with the α5 subunit played a key role in producing aversive responses to nicotine, thereby dissuading further consumption of the drug.

Individual Differences in Decisionmaking Style May Predict Teen Problems

December 2011
Reports on the relative influence of genes versus environment on adolescents’ choices that involve delayed gratification.

Stimulant Abusers' Regard for Future Improves With Memory Training

December 2011
Researchers correlate stimulant abusers’ improved performance on a memory training exerc ise with reductions in delay discounting.

Resting Brain Studies Shed New Light on Vulnerabilities

November 2011
Individuals with weak signaling in a nicotine-sensitive brain circuit were more vulnerable to nicotine dependence than those with stronger signaling, according to a study conducted while the subjects’ brains were in a resting state. A second resting-state study finds that the same circuit appears to mediate dependence associated with a genetic risk factor for smoking.

Nanotechnology Powers Smart Skin Patch

November 2011
An in vitro test demonstrates the potential of a programmable skin patch that will enable physicians to tailor transdermal medication doses to match patients' fluctuating needs.

Disruption of Neuron Production in Adult Rats Increases Cocaine Taking

November 2011
Drug abuse may diminish production of new neurons in the brain’s hippocampus and thereby increase vulnerability to drug addiction.

NIDA Notes Articles: Featured Articles

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Cognitive Strategy Reduces Craving by Altering Brain Activity