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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
80 articles
Newest firstIntroduction Regular cannabis use is associated with attenuated neural reward signaling, primarily measured through monetary or drug-cue tasks. Yet, minimal research has studied functional positive face processing in inhibitory control contexts, particularly amongst cannabis-using adolescent and young adults. The present study seeks to investigate functional response differences in whole-brain and ventral striatal…
Open article record in new tab ↗Opioid use disorder (OUD) remains a major public health crisis, underscoring the urgent need for safer and more effective treatments. Cannabinoid CB2 receptor (CB2R) agonists show therapeutic promise for neuropsychiatric disorders and pain, with minimal psychoactive effects by themselves, but their potential in treating OUD is not well defined. Here, we report that MRI-2594, a novel, highly selective CB2R agonist,…
AbstractThe central endocannabinoid system, particularly the in vivo cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor signaling, presents a promising target for treating eating disorders. However, its precise role in appetite control remains unclear. This study aimed to determine how CB1 receptor signaling contributes to key aspects of appetite regulation, specifically anticipatory food reward responses and inhibitory control. F…
Open article record in new tab ↗AbstractObjectiveCannabis–nicotine co-use is common and may affect cessation outcomes, yet whether recent cannabis exposure alters nicotine’s acute effects in humans remains unclear. We examined whether recent, non-daily cannabis exposure modulates the acute subjective effects of intravenous (IV) nicotine.MethodsWe pooled data from 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies using IV nicotine to isolate…
Open article record in new tab ↗Purpose of review Addiction has traditionally been framed as a disorder of negative affect and impaired downregulation of distress, yet disturbances in positive emotional experience and regulation are equally fundamental to the development and persistence of substance use disorders (SUDs). This review synthesizes clinical and psychophysiological evidence documenting the impact of addictive substances on positive e…
Open article record in new tab ↗Background Impaired inhibitory control has been observed in regular cannabis users. Theories suggest that regular cannabis use is maintained by reward-driven behaviour, which may be underpinned by adaptations in neural reward and inhibitory control systems, thus increasing vulnerability to dependency. Aims This study investigated neural correlates of cannabis cue-specific inhibitory control in regular cannabis use…
Childhood callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with a neurocognitive response style of high reward and low punishment sensitivity, which may make these children particularly vulnerable to substance misuse. However, the mechanisms explaining the link between CU traits and substance use are poorly understood. This study investigated the mediating influences of reward and punishment sensitivity on the assoc…
Rationale Despite the critical role of choice processes in substance use disorders, the neurobehavioral mechanisms guiding human decisions about drugs remain poorly understood. Objectives We aimed to characterize the neural encoding of subjective value (SV) for cannabis versus non-drug rewards (snacks) in people who use cannabis on a near-daily/daily frequency (PWUCF) and assessed the impact of cannabis and snack…
Open article record in new tab ↗Dopamine D2 receptor (D2R)-mediated signalling is involved in reward, motivation and alcohol use disorder. Perturbation of the D2R system may influence an individual's response to alcohol. Alternative splicing of the D2R gene generates two isoforms: D2 long form (D2L) and D2 short form (D2S). It is unclear whether differences in the expression of D2L and D2S influence alcohol's effects. Here we examined if altered…
Cannabis use disorder (CUD) affects ~22-million people globally and is characterised by difficulties in cutting down and quitting use, but the underlying neurobiology remains unclear. We examined resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between regions of interest (ROIs) of the addiction neurocircuitry and the rest of the brain in 65 individuals with moderate-to-severe CUD who reported attempts to cut down or…
The use of morphine for pain management often leads to the development of tolerance and addiction, posing significant challenges in clinical practice. This study aims to achieve sustained morphine-induced analgesia while mitigating tolerance and reward development by targeting CB2 receptors. In this investigation, male and female C57Bl/6 mice, both wild-type and CB2 knockout, received various doses of morphine or…
Open article record in new tab ↗Deficits in impulse control are observed in several neurocognitive disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), substance use disorders (SUDs), and those following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Understanding brain circuits and mechanisms contributing to impulsive behavior may aid in identifying therapeutic interventions. We previously reported that intact lateral habenula (LHb) function is necessar…
Open article record in new tab ↗The increasing prevalence of cannabis use during pregnancy has raised medical concerns, primarily related to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which readily crosses the placenta and affects fetal brain development. Previous research has identified dopaminergic alterations related to maternal THC consumption. However, the consequences that prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) has on striatum-based processing during reward…
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a significant health problem, and trauma exposure is a known risk factor for the escalation of substance use. However, the shared neural mechanisms through which trauma is associated with substance use are still unknown. Therefore, we systematically review neuroimaging studies focusing on three domains that may contribute to the overlapping mechanisms of SUD and trauma-reward salien…
Importance Glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthesis enzyme associated with the function of other neurotransmitter receptors, such as the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and cannabinoid receptor 1. However, the role of GAD67 in the development of different abused drug-induced reward behaviors remains unknown. In order to elucidate the mechanisms of substance use diso…
Rationale For decades, cannabis has been the most widely used illicit substance in the world, particularly among youth. Research suggests that mental health problems associated with cannabis use may result from its effect on reward brain circuit, emotional processes, and cognition. However, findings are mostly derived from correlational studies and inconsistent, particularly in adolescents. Objectives and methods…
Open article record in new tab ↗Converging findings have established that the endocannabinoid (eCB) system serves as a possible target for the development of new treatments as a complement to opioid-based treatments. Here, we show in male and female mice that enhancing levels of the eCB, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), through pharmacological inhibition of its catabolic enzyme, monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), either systemically or in the ventral…
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease. Although there are some FAD-approved medicines for controlling smoking, the relapse rate remains very high. Among the factors that could induce nicotine relapse, stress might be the most important one. In the last decades, preclinical studies have generated many new findings that lead to a better understanding of stress-induced relapse of nicot…
Open article record in new tab ↗Heavy maternal alcohol drinking during pregnancy has been associated with altered neurodevelopment in the child but the effects of low-dose alcohol drinking are less clear and any potential safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy is not known. We evaluated the effects of prenatal alcohol on reward-related behavior and substance use in young adulthood and the potential sex differences therein. Participants were…
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