The role of the gut-brain axis in alcohol use disorders

With opioid overdose deaths rising in the United States, this 2019 review presents a biopsychosocial approach, that connects social and biological theories related to the addiction crisis, to help develop more effective preventative strategies. With genetic and epigenetic factors (those associated with brain reward pathways and impulsivity) known to predict addiction vulnerability, as well as […]

Hakimian et al. (2019) developed a new model of chronic opioid exposure that allows self-administration of opioids followed by periods of extinction, to mimic addiction in humans. Using this model, this study demonstrated that a diet high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) can ameliorate oxycodone-seeking behaviors in the absence of drug availability and […]