Opioid Research WVU (IMAGE) West Virginia University Caption Scientists still know little about how opioid overdoses affect the brain and cognition. WVU School of Medicine researchers Erin Winstanley and James Mahoney performed a systematic review of journal articles that tackle the topic. They found that while evidence exists to support a link between overdose, cognitive impairment and brain abnormalities, more research is needed in this area. Credit WVU Photo Illustration/Aira Burkhart Usage Restrictions None License Original content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.