Genetic associations between orexin genes and phenotypes related to behavioral regulation in humans, including substance use.

The hypothalamic neuropeptide system of orexin (hypocretin) neurons provides projections throughout the neuraxis and has been linked to sleep regulation, feeding and motivation for salient rewards including drugs of abuse. However, relatively little has been done to examine genes associated with orexin signaling and specific behavioral phenotypes in humans. Here, we tested for association of twenty-seven genes involved in orexin signaling with behavioral phenotypes in humans.

What apps and websites do those in treatment for substance-related problems use to help them in their recovery? A cross-sectional study of products and use patterns.

Background: Given the global burden of substance use disorders (SUD), innovations in methods to achieve sustained recovery are critical. Digital health products (e.g.

The Role of Friendship in Mediating and Moderating the Relationship Between Exposure to Gendered Racism and Mental Health among Young Women of Color.

Young women of color frequently face discrimination, reflecting the intersecting societal influences of sexism and racism. Although friendships play a significant role in women's lives, there is a lack of research on the role of friendships in navigating exposure to gendered racial discrimination (in-person and social media) and associated mental health. This study investigated the extent to which the content of friendship conversations (i.

Emerging medications and pharmacological treatment approaches for substance use disorders.

Medications to treat substance use disorders remain suboptimal or, in the case of stimulants and cannabis, non-existent. Many factors have contributed to this paucity, including the biological complexity of addiction, regulatory challenges, and a historical lack of enthusiasm among pharmaceutical companies to commit resources to this disease space. Despite these headwinds, the recent opioid crisis has highlighted the devastating consequences of SUDs for both individuals and society, stimulating urgent efforts to identify novel treatment approaches.

Etiology and correlates of alcohol misuse in early midlife.

Background: Early midlife individuals (ages 30-40) experience demographic shifts that may influence the remainder of adult life. Although new or persistent alcohol misuse is common during this period, early midlife is understudied in alcohol use literature. We examined the heritability of alcohol misuse; the associations between alcohol misuse and sociodemographic factors, physical health, and well-being; and whether these associations were robust in cotwin comparisons.

Parents' perspectives and behaviors regarding their child's access to alcohol: Variation by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and neighborhood.

Background: Setting rules about alcohol use and minimizing its availability in the home are known effective parent-level strategies for reducing underage drinking risk. However, parents' restrictions and their perceptions of their child's alcohol access have rarely been considered in combination (e.g.

Patient perceptions of lisdexamfetamine as a treatment for binge eating disorder: An exploratory qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Lisdexamfetamine (LDX) is the only medication to have gained FDA approval for the treatment of binge eating disorder (BED). LDX treatment is generally effective at reducing binge eating symptoms but is associated with several unwanted side effects. How BED patients perceive the therapeutic efficacy vs.

Elucidating the alcohol-sleep-hangover relationship in college students using a daily diary approach.

This daily diary study expands knowledge of the pharmacological alcohol-sleep relationship using a multilevel modeling approach. The interplay between alcohol and sleep on hangover susceptibility is also explored. College students (n = 337; 52 % female) provided 2976 days of self-reported alcohol use.

An examination of Black-White disparities in repeat nonfatal opioid overdose incidents, fatal drug overdose, and all-cause mortality in Detroit, Michigan.

Background: There has been an approximately 38 percent increase in overdose deaths for Black men since 2015 yet estimates vary between major metropolitan areas. It is crucial to examine local data to inform community-driven harm reduction and overdose prevention services. We used administrative data to examine the effect of demographic characteristics and repeated nonfatal opioid overdoses (NFOO) on drug-related and all-cause mortality.

Drinking firsts at home and with parental knowledge: Racial/ethnic differences in associations with later alcohol outcomes among underage youth.

Background: Prior research has shown that early alcohol experiences, such as age of initiation and speed of progression between drinking milestones, vary across racial/ethnic groups. To inform culturally tailored prevention efforts, this longitudinal study examined racial/ethnic differences in the associations of drinking firsts at home and with parental knowledge with alcohol use outcomes among underage youth.

Methods: The study included baseline and five follow-up surveys, collected every 6 months, from California adolescents (ages 12-16 years at baseline).

Drinking motives and alcohol sensitivity mediate multi-dimensional genetic influences on alcohol use behaviors.

Background: Genetic influences account for a substantial proportion of individual differences in alcohol use behaviors (AUBs). However, multiple distinct sets of genes are linked to different AUBs, which may explain their dramatic variability in risk factors and manifestations. In this study, we explore whether intermediate neurobiological traits and alcohol-related cognitions mediate the relationship between polygenic scores (PGS) and multiple AUBs, with the aim to better understand processes captured by different genetic profiles.

Protocol for live neuron imaging analysis of basal surface fraction and dynamic availability of the dopamine transporter using DAT-pHluorin.

Surface availability of the dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) critically influences DA transmission. Here, we present a protocol that describes the preparation of mouse ventral midbrain neurons, the expression of a new optical sensor, DAT-pHluorin, and the utilization of this sensor to analyze the surface availability of DAT in live neurons via fluorescent microscopy. This approach allows quantitative measures of basal surface DAT fraction under genetic backgrounds of interest and live trafficking of DAT in response to psychoactive substances.

Examining the Impact of Simultaneous Alcohol and Cannabis Use on Alcohol Consumption and Consequences: Protocol for an Observational Ambulatory Assessment Study in Young Adults.

Background: There is significant conflicting evidence as to how using cannabis while drinking alcohol (ie, simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use) impacts alcohol volume consumed, patterns of drinking, and alcohol-related consequences. The impact of simultaneous use on drinking outcomes may be influenced by several within-person (eg, contextual) and between-person (individual) factors.

Objective: This study was designed to examine naturalistic patterns of alcohol and cannabis use to understand how simultaneous use may impact drinking outcomes.

Naloxone vending machines in county jail.

Introduction: The overdose epidemic in the United States has intensified following the introduction of illicitly manufactured fentanyl to drug markets with recent estimates indicating 110,000 deaths in 2022 and longer-term trends adversely impacting national life expectancy. A period of incarceration has been identified as a critical touchpoint for overdose prevention given its strong association with risk of overdose. In this paper we describe efforts funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant to design and implement naloxone vending machines that provide free naloxone within county jails to returning citizens and those visiting county jail facilities.

Refining the scope of genetic influences on alcohol misuse through environmental stratification and gene-environment interaction.

Background: Gene-environment interaction (G × E) is likely an important influence shaping individual differences in alcohol misuse (AM), yet it has not been extensively studied in molecular genetic research. In this study, we use a series of genome-wide gene-environment interaction (GWEIS) and in silico annotation methods with the aim of improving gene identification and biological understanding of AM.

Methods: We carried out GWEIS for four AM phenotypes in the large UK Biobank sample (N = 360,314), with trauma exposure and socioeconomic status (SES) as moderators of the genetic effects.

Associations between e-cigarette marketing exposure and vaping nicotine and cannabis among U.S. adults, 2021.

Introduction: Little is known about the influence of e-cigarette marketing on cannabis vaping behaviors. This study examined the associations between e-cigarette marketing exposure and nicotine and cannabis vaping among adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included a U.

Use of harm reduction strategies by individuals with a history of incarceration: A short report using baseline data collected from the STAMINA clinical trial.

Background: Due to the considerably heightened risk of overdose immediately following jail or prison release, expansion of harm reduction interventions for citizens returning to the community after an incarceration episode should be of utmost concern. However, there are no studies examining the adoption and use of harm reduction among this population. This short report examines the use of individual-level harm reduction strategies (HRS) among people who use drugs, comparing those who have lifetime histories of incarceration with those who do not.

Characteristics of Students Participating in Collegiate Recovery Programs and the Impact of COVID-19: An Updated National Longitudinal Study.

The goals of the present study were to describe the development of the first national longitudinal study of collegiate recovery programs (CRP) students; provide an updated characterization of CRP students' demographics, past problem severity, and current recovery-related functioning; and examine the perceived impact of COVID-19 on CRP students' recovery. Universities and community colleges with CRPs across the United States and Ontario, Canada, were invited to partner on this project. Launched in fall 2020, three cohorts of participants were recruited.

Associations between e-cigarette marketing exposure and vaping nicotine and cannabis among U.S. adults, 2021.

Importance: Vaping has become an increasingly common method for consuming nicotine and cannabis, a trend potentially influenced by e-cigarette marketing. However, little is known about the influence of e-cigarette marketing on cannabis vaping behaviors.

Objective: To examine the associations between e-cigarette marketing exposure and nicotine and cannabis vaping behaviors among adults.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol use disorder symptoms: Testing interactions with polygenic risk.

The purpose of this study was to test whether COVID impact interacts with genetic risk (polygenic risk score/PRS) to predict alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms. Participants were  = 455 college students (79.6% female, 51% European Ancestry/EA, 24% African Ancestry/AFR, 25% Americas Ancestry/AMER) from a longitudinal study during the initial stage (March-May 2020) of the pandemic.

A multivariate twin study of the genetic association between present moment attention and subjective wellbeing.

Considerable evidence supports the role of present-moment attention, a central feature of mindfulness, in subjective wellbeing maintenance and enhancement. Yet it is not clear why such a relation exists. This study examined the genetic and environmental contributions of present-moment attention to subjective wellbeing.