A new study suggests that fear and the immune system are connected in previously unknown ways. Researchers at Mass General Brigham found that the immune system can influence stress and fear behaviors by changing how brain cells communicate.

Dopamine is the brain’s motivational spark, driving us to chase what feels good, say scrolling another reel on social media, and steer clear of what doesn’t, like touching a hot stove. But scientists haven’t fully understood how dopamine helps us learn to avoid bad outcomes — until now.

A new study from Northwestern University shows that dopamine signals in two key brain areas involved in motivation and learning respond differently to negative experiences, helping the brain adapt based on whether a situation is predictable or controllable. 

While previous research has shown that dopamine can respond to negative experiences, this is the first study to track how those signals evolve over time as animals move from novices to experts in avoiding them. 

A new study published in the scientific journal Addiction estimates that in 2024, 2.7% of electronic dance music-nightclub attending adults in New York City (NYC) used Tusi in the past year, with higher use among Hispanic people and people who use other drugs.  

A paper by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center suggests that public perception of governmental support for comprehensive drug policies, including harm reduction, is a postive predictor of trust in local government. 

Cannabis use has been increasing during pregnancy, according to researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Previous research has observed that past-month cannabis use has more than tripled among pregnant women in the U.S. from 2002-2020 with self-reported cannabis use rising from 1.5 percent to 5.4 percent over the 18 years of tracking data.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a new rule to limit nicotine in cigarettes and certain other tobacco products, like cigars and pipe tobacco, which would be a major step in addressing the public health concerns of smoking and tobacco use in the United States. In the following Q&A, Jonathan Foulds, professor of public health sciences and of psychiatry and behavioral health at the Penn State College of Medicine, discussed the role of research in public policy making and what the science says about the benefits of lowering nicotine levels in tobacco products.