New treatment techniques that can help those who struggle with substance abuse are always welcome news to those impacted by addiction. One of the most exciting developments in addiction treatment is neurofeeedback therapy. Based on biofeedback, which has been in use for decades, this therapy has been shown to help people with post-traumatic stress disorder, …
Don’t say you haven’t been warned. New research has found that even casual marijuana use causes critical changes in the brains of young people from which they may never recover and should prompt President Barack Obama to rethink a view he expressed in January about marijuana being no more dangerous than alcohol, one scientist said. The first-of-its-kind study on recreational marijuana, published April 16 …
Even Casual Marijuana Use Harms Young Brain, Study Finds Read More »
When consumed in substantial amounts, alcohol produces changes in the brain and body that normally help deter additional drinking. However, some people don’t seem to react as strongly to the negative effects of alcohol and therefore have greater chances of continuing their consumption to excess. In a study published in April 2014 in the journal …
Neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury is a mental health condition that sometimes arises in the long-term aftermath of a physical injury that results in brain damage. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) classifies this condition along with other types of neurocognitive disorder in the reference text for mental health professionals called the Diagnostic and …
Understanding Neurocognitive Disorder Due to Traumatic Brain Injury Read More »
Much remains unraveled about the gunman who opened fire at the Fort Hood military base, slaying three and gravely wounding 16 others before killing himself. But when officials mentioned that Army Spec. Ivan Lopez might have post-traumatic stress disorder, concern erupted about stigmatizing the complex condition suffered by millions.
Risky behavior is the general term used to describe actions that increase a person’s chances of experiencing harmful or unwanted, short- or long-term life outcomes. People with a tendency toward such actions have heightened odds of getting involved in substance use. In turn, substance use is itself a risky behavior that can produce seriously damaging …
A recent study provides evidence of the changes in the brain that follow cocaine use. The study shows that cocaine can trigger rapid growth of new brain cells in mice that impact learning and memory related to drug-seeking behaviors.
Concussions were a major news topic in 2013. In August, the National Football League (NFL) came to a $795-million settlement with more than 18,000 former players seeking compensation for concussion-related brain injuries. The NFL is the most watched and most lucrative of the country’s professional sports leagues, so the lawsuit and eventual settlement shined a …
Researchers have found that about half of the variation in how likely we are to become addicted is based on our genetics. For those who have never experienced addiction first hand, it can be easy to blame it on a lack of willpower. If addicts can see the damage they are doing to themselves and …
Teens and adults who participate in contact sports have substantially heightened chances of experiencing concussions and other forms of significant brain injury. In some individuals, brain injury leads to the onset of a progressively worsening form of brain degradation called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). In a study published in August 2013 in the journal Neurology, …
New Information on Sports-Related Brain Injuries in Teens and Adults Read More »