Understanding Impacts of SNAP Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program at Farmers' Markets: Findings from a 13 State RCT.

Disparities in healthy food access and consumption are a major public health concern. This study reports the findings from a two-year randomized control trial conducted at 77 farmers' markets (FMs) in 13 states and the District of Columbia that sought to understand the impact of fruit and vegetable (FV) incentive vouchers, randomly issued at varied incentive levels to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, for use at FMs. Measures included FV and overall household food purchasing; FV consumption; food insecurity; health status; market expenditure; and demographics.

Effect of a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program on Children's Fruit and Vegetable Consumption.

Introduction: Most children in families with low income do not meet dietary guidance on fruit and vegetable consumption. Fruit and vegetable prescription programs improve access to and affordability of health-supporting foods for adults, but their effect on dietary behavior among children is not known. The objective of this study was to describe the extent to which exposure to a fruit and vegetable prescription program was associated with changes in consumption among participants aged 2 to 18.

Predictors of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Use at Farmers' Markets With Monetary Incentive Programming.

Purpose: Healthy food incentive program implementation targeting people receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is supported by the federal Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) grant program. This study examined factors contributing to increased SNAP use at farmers' markets with an FINI-funded incentive program.

Design: Implementation evaluation.

A Pediatric Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program Increases Food Security in Low-Income Households.

Objective: To assess change in household food security associated with participation in a pediatric fruit/vegetable prescription program.

Methods: The researchers analyzed clinic-based, fruit/vegetable prescription program data for 578 low-income families, collected in 2013-2015, and calculated changes in food security (summative score; high/low/very low; and individual US Department of Agriculture measures).

Results: Of participating households, 72% increased their summative score over the course of the program.

Initial d2 dopamine receptor sensitivity predicts cocaine sensitivity and reward in rats.

The activation of dopamine receptors within the mesolimbic dopamine system is known to be involved in the initiation and maintenance of cocaine use. Expression of the D2 dopamine receptor subtype has been implicated as both a predisposing factor and consequence of chronic cocaine use. It is unclear whether there is a predictive relationship between D2 dopamine receptor function and cocaine sensitivity that would enable cocaine abuse.

Stimulation of adenosine receptors in the nucleus accumbens reverses the expression of cocaine sensitization and cross-sensitization to dopamine D2 receptors in rats.

Adenosine receptors co-localize with dopamine receptors on medium spiny nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons where they antagonize dopamine receptor activity. It remains unclear whether adenosine receptor stimulation in the NAc restores cocaine-induced enhancements in dopamine receptor sensitivity. The goal of these studies was to determine whether stimulating A(1) or A(2A) receptors in the NAc reduces the expression of cocaine sensitization.