Q&A — Behavioral neuroscientist Marina Wolf Changes in neural connections due to substance use and withdrawal are long-lasting, and craving can peak well into abstinence. Understanding this process could inspire drugs to support recovery. “Relapse is a part of recovery”: That’s a common refrain among professionals who treat substance use disorders. Many people who have completed treatment...
Eric Tennant with his wife, Becky, and daughter, Amiya. (Becky Tennant) ~~~~~ Six months after a West Virginia man died following a protracted battle with his health insurer over doctor-recommended cancer care, the state’s Republican governor signed a bill intended to curb the harm of insurance denials. West Virginia’s Public Employees Insurance Agency enrolls nearly 215,000 people — state...
Farming animals for fur is not only cruel but also provides an ideal environment for viruses to mix and cross over into humans Reporting for this story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. A sharp, musky scent rushes over me as I step out of the taxi outside Mr. Wang’s house near Tong’erpu, in China’s northeastern Liaoning province. It’s one of the country’s largest fur-trading centers. Wang...
Mattel has launched Autistic Barbie. Because children with autism should be visible, including to themselves. ‘Every child deserves to see themselves in Barbie.’ So goes Mattel’s blurb. It is a theme of our times: being visible, seeing ourselves, coming-out into the light. Launched in the domain of what is called ‘sexuality,’ it is now a general possibility with multiple pathways. And everything...
Scientists are taking a multipronged approach to tackle this dangerous carrier of dengue, yellow fever and other noxious viruses Deep in northwestern Africa, a high-pitched hum pierces the moist forest. It is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, laying its eggs inside water-filled tree holes and feeding on various animals, posing little danger to any person it encounters. But that is a scene from the...
Only a small percentage of people with substance use disorder seek treatment, but millions of people discuss their experiences with drugs in online communities. vladans/iStock via Getty Images ~~~~~ When you think of tools for studying substance use and addiction, a social media site like Reddit, TikTok or YouTube probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Yet the stories shared on...
