Introduction Over 1/3 of adults in the United States are considered obese, defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥30, and an additional 1/3 are considered overweight, defined as BMI ≥25. Obesity is one of the leading public health problems in the United…
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling psychiatric disorder that develops after an exposure to a severe traumatic event. According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-5 diagnostic criteria, a traumatic event is defined as exposure to actual…
Introduction How did doctors become complicit in the worst opioid epidemic in US history, and why are they continuing to prescribe copious opioids despite increased national awareness of the dangers associated with these drugs? In other words, how did healers…
Introduction The use of intoxicating addictive substances by adolescents may lead to serious adverse cognitive, mental health, psychosocial, and medical consequences, as well as negatively impact normal adolescent brain development. Thus, substance use among adolescents is a major health concern.…
There are a variety of behavioral treatments with established evidence for treating substance use disorders (SUDs). These include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based approaches, contingency management, motivational interventions, mindfulness-based treatments, and marital and family therapies. Additionally, self-help organizations/mutual help groups can…
Disclosure Statement Dr. Heinzerling has received research support and study medication, but no salary, from Alkermes, Medicinova, and Denovo pharmaceuticals. Pain is defined as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in…
Acknowledgments Supported by NIH grants DA041226, AA026006, and AA023669 (LR) and T32 DA007272 (AV). Introduction Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic, relapsing condition, characterized by continued use despite a host of harmful medical, psychological, and social consequences. AUD and…
Disclosures Dr. Danovitch has no conflicts of interest to report. Dr. Gorelick receives royalties from UpToDate for articles about cannabis Introduction Cannabis is a flowering plant containing a class of lipophilic hydrocarbons called “cannabinoids.” The stem, leaves, and flowers from…
Introduction Definition and Epidemiology of Opioid Use Disorder . Opioid use disorder is a chronic, relapsing disease marked by loss of control over opioid use (e.g., heroin or prescription opioids such as oxycodone or hydrocodone) despite social, psychological, or medical…
Just for fun, check out the last five to ten years of “ 10 Breakthrough Technologies ” published in the MIT Technology Review. In most years, well over half of the discoveries in each list have clear relevance to health…