County jail inmates who receive medication to treat their opioid addiction have a lower risk of overdose after their release, a new study reports. They’re also significantly more likely to continue their addiction treatment, researchers reported Sept. 10 in The New England Journal of Medicine. “These findings demonstrate the importance of providing medications to treat opioid use disorder in correctional settings,” Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said in a news release. “Offering effective opioid treatment to people in jail is a critical step toward addressing the opioid crisis, promoting recovery, saving lives and reducing reincarceration,” added Volkow, whose agency funded the research. “It’s a win-win for public health.” The opioid epidemic contributed to more than 80,000 deaths in 2024, and there tends to be a higher proportion of people with opioid abuse disorder in jail compared to the general population, researchers said in background notes. Medications like buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone are known to be effective in helping people break their opioid addiction, but they are available in only about 13% of U.S. jails, researchers said. For this study, researchers analyzed data from 6,400 people with probable opioid use disorder incarcerated in seven Massachusetts county jails between September 2019 and December 2020. In 2018, Massachusetts passed a law enacting a four-year pilot program to provide opioid addiction medications to…  read on >  read on >

Your beauty rest might be protecting your brain health as well, a new study says. Seniors with chronic insomnia might experience a faster decline in their memory and thinking skills as they age, researchers reported today in the journal Neurology. Chronic insomniacs had a 40% higher risk of developing dementia or suffering a decline in their cognitive skills, compared to those who get better sleep, the study showed. That’s the equivalent of an additional 3.5 years of brain aging, researchers said. “Insomnia doesn’t just affect how you feel the next day — it may also impact your brain health over time,” said lead researcher Dr. Diego Carvalho, a sleep medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “We saw faster decline in thinking skills and changes in the brain that suggest chronic insomnia could be an early warning sign or even a contributor to future cognitive problems,” he said in a news release. For the new study, researchers tracked for more than five years 2,750 seniors (average age: 70), all of whom started out in good brain health. About 16% of the participants had chronic insomnia, defined as trouble sleeping at least three days a week for three months or more. The participants took thinking and memory tests each year. Some also had brain scans to look for signs of brain aging, including damaged…  read on >  read on >

Your beauty rest might be protecting your brain health as well, a new study says. Seniors with chronic insomnia might experience a faster decline in their memory and thinking skills as they age, researchers reported today in the journal Neurology. Chronic insomniacs had a 40% higher risk of developing dementia or suffering a decline in their cognitive skills, compared to those who get better sleep, the study showed. That’s the equivalent of an additional 3.5 years of brain aging, researchers said. “Insomnia doesn’t just affect how you feel the next day — it may also impact your brain health over time,” said lead researcher Dr. Diego Carvalho, a sleep medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “We saw faster decline in thinking skills and changes in the brain that suggest chronic insomnia could be an early warning sign or even a contributor to future cognitive problems,” he said in a news release. For the new study, researchers tracked for more than five years 2,750 seniors (average age: 70), all of whom started out in good brain health. About 16% of the participants had chronic insomnia, defined as trouble sleeping at least three days a week for three months or more. The participants took thinking and memory tests each year. Some also had brain scans to look for signs of brain aging, including damaged…  read on >  read on >

Cases of self-harm involving 6- to 12-year-olds have risen sharply, and researchers warn that common household products are often involved. Their findings appear in the Sept. 8 issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Researchers analyzed more than 1.5 million reports made to U.S. poison control centers from 2000 to 2023.  While overall substance exposures in kids rose more than 50%, the number of cases linked to suspected suicide or self-harm intent increased up to fourfold, said study co-author Dr. Hannah Hays, chief of toxicology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center. “These cases were far more likely to result in serious medical outcomes or hospitalization for these children,” Hays told CNN. Reports of suspected self-harm among 11-year-olds increased by 398% since 2000, and by 343% among 12-year-olds, the study found. The products most often involved? Pain relievers, antihistamines, cold medicines, vitamins and other available household substances were commonly used. “With increased access comes increased exposures to all things,” Hays said, noting that the presence of more medications and toxic substances in homes raises potential risks. Hays also said the decision-making and planning parts of a child’s brain are still developing, which can make kids more impulsive.  That, combined with easy access to medications and other toxic substances, can increase the likelihood…  read on >  read on >

Cases of self-harm involving 6- to 12-year-olds have risen sharply, and researchers warn that common household products are often involved. Their findings appear in the Sept. 8 issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Researchers analyzed more than 1.5 million reports made to U.S. poison control centers from 2000 to 2023.  While overall substance exposures in kids rose more than 50%, the number of cases linked to suspected suicide or self-harm intent increased up to fourfold, said study co-author Dr. Hannah Hays, chief of toxicology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center. “These cases were far more likely to result in serious medical outcomes or hospitalization for these children,” Hays told CNN. Reports of suspected self-harm among 11-year-olds increased by 398% since 2000, and by 343% among 12-year-olds, the study found. The products most often involved? Pain relievers, antihistamines, cold medicines, vitamins and other available household substances were commonly used. “With increased access comes increased exposures to all things,” Hays said, noting that the presence of more medications and toxic substances in homes raises potential risks. Hays also said the decision-making and planning parts of a child’s brain are still developing, which can make kids more impulsive.  That, combined with easy access to medications and other toxic substances, can increase the likelihood…  read on >  read on >

“Flower power” psychedelic drugs might be a potential cure for modern anxiety, new research suggests. A single dose of LSD helped people suffering from clinical anxiety in a new clinical trial. Anxiety patients experienced rapid, significant and durable relief following a single treatment with MM120, an oral pharmaceutical formulation of the psychedelic drug LSD, researchers recently reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Their anxiety subsided within days, with the effect lasting for at least three months. These results occurred even though patients did not receive any therapy or counseling during their trip, researchers said. Instead, monitors were in the room simply to ensure their safety. “What was unique about this study was that they were administering the psychedelic without concomitant psychotherapy,” said Nehal Vadhan, co-director of the Center for Psychedelics Research and Treatment at Northwell Health in Hempstead, N.Y. “I definitely think psychedelics are a viable treatment for the future,” added Vadhan, who reviewed the findings. For the new study, a team led by Dr. Reid Robison of Cedar Clinical Research in Draper, Utah, randomly assigned 198 adults ages 18 to 74 with generalized anxiety disorder to receive one of four different doses of MM120 – 25, 50, 100 or 200 micrograms – or a placebo. The trial was intended to help determine the best LSD dose to use in larger-scale and…  read on >  read on >

“Flower power” psychedelic drugs might be a potential cure for modern anxiety, new research suggests. A single dose of LSD helped people suffering from clinical anxiety in a new clinical trial. Anxiety patients experienced rapid, significant and durable relief following a single treatment with MM120, an oral pharmaceutical formulation of the psychedelic drug LSD, researchers recently reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Their anxiety subsided within days, with the effect lasting for at least three months. These results occurred even though patients did not receive any therapy or counseling during their trip, researchers said. Instead, monitors were in the room simply to ensure their safety. “What was unique about this study was that they were administering the psychedelic without concomitant psychotherapy,” said Nehal Vadhan, co-director of the Center for Psychedelics Research and Treatment at Northwell Health in Hempstead, N.Y. “I definitely think psychedelics are a viable treatment for the future,” added Vadhan, who reviewed the findings. For the new study, a team led by Dr. Reid Robison of Cedar Clinical Research in Draper, Utah, randomly assigned 198 adults ages 18 to 74 with generalized anxiety disorder to receive one of four different doses of MM120 – 25, 50, 100 or 200 micrograms – or a placebo. The trial was intended to help determine the best LSD dose to use in larger-scale and…  read on >  read on >

A single dose of LSD eased anxiety symptoms for many folks and the benefits lasted up to three months, a new study reports. The findings were published Sept. 4 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers tested several doses of LSD in nearly 200 patients with moderate-to-severe anxiety. At four weeks, patients receiving the two highest doses had significantly lower anxiety scores compared to those given smaller doses or a placebo, The Associated Press reported. By 12 weeks, the effects were still strong: 65% of patients taking the most effective dose (100 milligrams) continued to see improvements, and nearly half were considered to be in remission, according to the study. “It’s possible that some people may need re-treatment,” said lead author Dr. Maurizio Fava, psychiatrist-in-chief at Mass General Brigham Hospital in Boston. Fava is an adviser to MindMed, the company developing the drug. “How many retreatments, we don’t know yet,” Fava said, “But the long-lasting effect is quite significant.” Unlike many psychedelic studies, which combine treatment with hours of talk therapy, this trial solely tested LSD under professional supervision.  Researchers say this approach makes it easier to understand whether the drug itself provides the benefit. Still, the study had some limitations. Most patients correctly guessed whether they had taken LSD or a placebo. That undercuts the “blinding” considered key to objectively establishing treatment…  read on >  read on >

A single dose of LSD eased anxiety symptoms for many folks and the benefits lasted up to three months, a new study reports. The findings were published Sept. 4 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers tested several doses of LSD in nearly 200 patients with moderate-to-severe anxiety. At four weeks, patients receiving the two highest doses had significantly lower anxiety scores compared to those given smaller doses or a placebo, The Associated Press reported. By 12 weeks, the effects were still strong: 65% of patients taking the most effective dose (100 milligrams) continued to see improvements, and nearly half were considered to be in remission, according to the study. “It’s possible that some people may need re-treatment,” said lead author Dr. Maurizio Fava, psychiatrist-in-chief at Mass General Brigham Hospital in Boston. Fava is an adviser to MindMed, the company developing the drug. “How many retreatments, we don’t know yet,” Fava said, “But the long-lasting effect is quite significant.” Unlike many psychedelic studies, which combine treatment with hours of talk therapy, this trial solely tested LSD under professional supervision.  Researchers say this approach makes it easier to understand whether the drug itself provides the benefit. Still, the study had some limitations. Most patients correctly guessed whether they had taken LSD or a placebo. That undercuts the “blinding” considered key to objectively establishing treatment…  read on >  read on >

Folks who start using weed to cope with anxiety, depression or pain might end up with a worse mental state than before, a new study says. People self-medicating with marijuana had higher levels of paranoia, anxiety and depression, researchers reported recently in the journal BMJ Mental Health. By comparison, those using weed for “fun” or “curiosity” had lower scores for paranoia and anxiety, results showed. “Our study provides vital evidence on how the reason someone first starts using cannabis can dramatically impact their long-term health,” lead researcher Edoardo Spinazzola said in a news release. He’s a research assistant at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London. “This research suggests that using cannabis as a mean to self-medicate physical or mental discomfort can have a negative impact on the levels of paranoia, anxiety and depression,” Spinazzola said. People using weed to self-medicate also tended to use more than those imbibing recreationally, researchers found. For the study, researchers surveyed nearly 3,400 former and current cannabis users 18 and older living in the London area. Participants were asked the reasons for their first and continued use of marijuana, and also answered questions related to their mental health. Each week, the average participant consumed 206 units of THC, the compound in weed that causes intoxication, researchers said. That’s roughly 10 to 17 joints a week,…  read on >  read on >