Exposure to cigarette smoke in the womb may interfere with the brain‘s reward system, and make children more vulnerable to addictions.
Addiction
Viewpoint: Defining Obesity as a Disease May Do More Harm Than Good
The label is supposed to improve awareness and treatments for the condition, but similar proclamations about alcoholism and other addictions haven’t been so successful.
Drug War Blocking Potential Treatments for Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Journal Claims
Potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and many other illnesses are being blocked by anti-drug laws, according to a new editorial review published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience.
‘Crack Babies’ Don’t Necessarily Turn Into Troubled Teens
Exposure to crack cocaine in the womb does not increase the risk of later criminal behavior or school dropout — although the drug may have some lasting effects on behavior and development, according to a new review of the research.
If Drinking Starts at Puberty, It’s More Likely to Lead to Alcohol Problems
Taking your first drink in your early teens may put you at greater risk of developing alcohol problems later on, according to new research.
Viewpoint: My Case Shows What’s Right — and Wrong — With Psychiatric Diagnoses
Over the course of my life, I have been given no fewer than five different diagnoses for mental illnesses, under the diagnostic system laid out in psychiatry’s “bible,” the DSM. But it was a sixth diagnosis— one that …
New Test Distinguishes Physical From Emotional Pain in Brain for First Time
Beer’s Taste Alone Can Trigger Desire for Drink
The latest research shows that even the taste of beer is sufficient to activate the brain‘s pleasure circuits.
Why New York’s Latest Campaign To Lower Teen Pregnancy Could Backfire
To lower teen pregnancy rates in the city, the mayor is relying on fear, guilt and shame. But how effective are such approaches in changing behavior?
Q&A: What the Brain Reveals About the Self — And Self Control
With the Obama administration planning a major initiative to map the brain, there’s more attention focused on what all of that new information will mean for how we see ourselves and how we take moral and legal responsibility for …
Are You Happy? You Might Have Hypocretin to Thank
Move over dopamine, there’s a new “pleasure” molecule that could broaden our understanding of the chemistry of joy, laughter, addiction and even anger.
Mental Illness Increases Risk of Being Homicide Victim
Study highlights surprising rate of victimization of the mentally ill
U.N. Report Suggests Some Autism & Addiction Treatments Are Akin to Torture
So-called treatments for drug users and the disabled in some places of the world—including the U.S.— are far from helpful, says a new United Nations (U.N.) report.