addiction
What leads to compulsive alcohol use? With new experiments into binge drinking, researchers are finally getting answers
Nov. 22, 2019—New study from neuroscientists at Vanderbilt provides initial answers to long-standing scientific questions on what causes the transition from moderate to compulsive alcohol consumption – and what makes some drinkers particularly vulnerable to developing alcohol use disorders.
Women’s hormones play role in drug addiction, higher relapse rates
Feb. 8, 2019—But long before female-specific medications are available, treatment centers could use the information in this study to educate women about their stronger mental connections to places and objects.
Immune system emerges as partner in opioid cravings fight
Sep. 5, 2018—There’s promise in specific immune system peptides—amino acid compounds that signal cells how to function. In this case, they may be affecting brain activity and, by extension, drug cravings.
Investigators find that bile acids reduce cocaine reward
Aug. 30, 2018—The discovery that high levels of bile acids appear to blunt cravings for cocaine could lead to new treatments for addiction.
Study reveals opioid patients face multiple barriers to treatment
Jul. 12, 2018—In areas of the country disproportionately affected by the opioid crisis, treatment programs are less likely to accept patients paying through insurance of any type or accept pregnant women, a new Vanderbilt study found.
Virtual reality world offers drug addicts low-risk place to just say ‘no’
Mar. 19, 2018—Opioid addicts and others battling compulsion around drugs or alcohol are using a new high-tech, low-risk method to practice saying no—through virtual reality.
Silence, denial keeps America steeped in opioid addiction, Kennedy says
Mar. 14, 2018—Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy advocated for better treatment of mental health issues and spoke candidly about his struggles during a Chancellor's Lecture Series discussion on Tuesday.
Gift supports addiction medicine training program
Feb. 8, 2018—The 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health, “Facing Addiction in America,” leaves little question about the growing problem of addiction.
VCAR science day shines light on addiction’s power
Oct. 19, 2017—Fatal drug overdoses in Davidson County more than doubled in the past four years and now exceed the death rates for homicides and motor vehicle accidents, yet few people with addiction can obtain the treatment they need, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry said Tuesday.
An immune regulator of addiction
Aug. 4, 2017—Although drug addiction is classically studied in a neuron-centric way, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that the immune system also plays a critical role.
Protocol standardizes care for pregnant women on opiates
Feb. 16, 2017—Complications related to opioid abuse occur in 54,000 pregnancies annually in the United States, and Tennessee ranks among the top 10 states in the number of opioid-dependent pregnant women.
New center will examine addiction at molecular level, develop treatments
Aug. 17, 2016—Vanderbilt University researchers from diverse scientific disciplines are joining forces to help crack the stubborn mysteries of addiction through the new Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research.