Research News Roundup: October 23, 2025

Journal: npj Dementia, 2025, doi: 10.1038/s44400-025-00037-9

Authors: Monique J. Brown, & Josie Zhang

Abstract:

The aims of this study were to determine the mediating role of marijuana use in the association between ACEs and SCD and the potential differences by race/ethnicity and sexual orientation. Data were obtained from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N = 21,132). Mediation analysis was used to determine the mediating role of marijuana use between ACEs and SCD. Adjusted analyses controlled for sociodemographic and health status confounders. Overall, there was a direct association between ACEs and marijuana use (β = 0.300, p < 0.001), marijuana use and SCD (β = 0.003, p < 0.001); and between ACEs and SCD (β = 0.016, p < 0.001). Marijuana use mediated the association between ACEs and SCD in the overall population (β = 0.001, p < 0.001). Specifically, marijuana use mediated the association between ACEs and SCD among heterosexual (β = 0.001, p = 0.001) and White (β = 0.001, p < 0.001) respondents. Future research should examine additional pathways between ACEs and SCD, especially for racial/ethnic and sexual minoritized populations.
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Journal: Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.dadr. 2025.100385

Authors: Kara R. Skelton, Stacey E. Iobst, & Sara E. Benjamin-Neelon

Abstract:

Objective: Despite increased recreational cannabis legalization (RCL) in the US in recent years, little is known about cannabis advice received at prenatal care visits. We aimed to examine cannabis screening and counseling occurring at prenatal care visits, including adherence of advice to current clinical guidelines and variations by RCL status.

Methods: In this repeated cross-sectional study, we used 2017-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data for 9 states to calculate weighted prevalence estimates of cannabis screening and advice received during prenatal care. We also examined adherence to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology’s clinical guidelines for cannabis use during pregnancy, including variations across RCL and self-reported prenatal cannabis use via chi-squared tests.

Results: In the sample (weighted N = 742,491), 20.53 % received cannabis advice that was adherent to clinical guidelines. Women in states with RCL more frequently reported being asked about cannabis use (78.66 % vs. 62.30 %; P < 0.001), and reported being advised against cannabis use during pregnancy (44.29 % vs. 37.06 %; P < 0.001) and lactation (31.03 % vs. 25.50 %; P < 0.001) at a prenatal care visit than women residing in states without RCL. Similarly, women in states with RCL more frequently reported being advised to use cannabis prenatally (2.96 % vs 1.45 %, P < 0.001). Women who reported any prenatal cannabis use were more likely to report being advised to use cannabis at a prenatal care visit in comparison to those who did not report prenatal cannabis use (10.10 % vs 1.16 %, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Given the variations in cannabis screening and advice occurring at prenatal care visits, findings underscore the importance of clinical practice that is consistent with current guidelines.

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Journal: JAMA Network Open, 2025, doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen. 2025.37678

Authors: Brendan Saloner, Peter J. Fredericks, Lauren Byrne, Adrienne Hurst, Lindsey Kerins, Eric G. Hulsey, Julie Rwan, & Sachini Bandara

Abstract:

Importance: People may not call 911 or visit the emergency department (ED) after a nonfatal overdose (NFOD), particularly when a layperson has already administered naloxone. Understanding service-engagement patterns can improve postoverdose care.

Objective: To examine service use following an NFOD.

Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional study of a telephone survey included adults who used cocaine, opioids, or methamphetamines in the prior 12 months. Respondents were recruited from harm-reduction, treatment, and social services organizations in New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, and New Mexico from January 2023 to August 2024.

Exposure: Experience with an NFOD in the prior 12 months.

Main outcomes and measures: The main outcomes were use of naloxone, calls to 911, and ED visits following an NFOD and self-reported reasons for not calling 911. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) were calculated to examine factors associated with each outcome and categorized free-response reasons if not engaging in care.

Results: Among the 2097 participants (median [IQR] age, 42 years [34-52 years]; 1165 males [55.6%]), 538 (25.7%) had experienced at least 1 NFOD in the prior year. During the most recent NFOD, use of naloxone was reported by 430 of 524 survivors (82.1%), calls to 911 were reported by 328 of 535 survivors (61.3%), and visits to the ED were reported by 253 of 538 survivors (47.0%). In multivariable regressions of survivors of overdose, 911 was more likely to have been called at the most recent overdose event by people who resided in New Jersey (vs Wisconsin) (AOR, 3.24 [95% CI, 1.40-7.47]; P = .01), by non-Hispanic Black people (compared with non-Hispanic White people) (AOR, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.08-2.97]; P = .02), and by people who used drugs a few times a month at the time of the interview (vs no drug use) (AOR, 3.83 [95% CI, 1.23-12.00]; P = .02). The most commonly reported reasons for not calling 911 were that the person regained consciousness without naloxone (n = 61 [28.6%]) or that a bystander administered naloxone (n = 57 [26.8%]). Among those with a 911 call, visits to the ED were more common among Black individuals (AOR, 2.89 [95% CI, 1.11-7.54]; P = .03). Most people (n = 150 [61.5%]) received take-home naloxone in the hospital, and approximately one-fifth or fewer reported receiving buprenorphine (n = 57 [21.9%]) or methadone (n = 42 [16.2%]) before discharge.

Conclusions and relevance: In this cross-sectional study of survivors of drug overdose, fewer than half of recent overdose events did not culminate in a visit to the ED. These results suggest that policies to improve postoverdose outcomes must simultaneously focus on people who engage with emergency medical services and on those who do not seek formal medical care.

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Journal: Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.xjmad .2025.100149

Authors: Amy M. Yule, Ann Lee Kim, Katy Burns, Mira Stone, Sylvia Lanni, & Timothy E. Wilens

Abstract:

Objective: We examined the impact of treatment of young people with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BPD) on risk for subsequent substance use disorder (SUD).

Methods: Patients aged 16–30 years seen at Mass General Brigham between 02/16/15 and 07/14/23 with MDD or BPD and no history of SUD were included. Diagnoses were determined using electronic health record data (billing codes, problem lists, patient-reported outcome measures, and other proxies of diagnosis(es)). Patients were treated or untreated based on pharmacological and/or psychosocial treatment following the onset of MDD/BPD and prior to SUD onset. Groups were matched on propensity scores (1:1) and compared on the development of SUD using a Cox regression model.

Results: A total of 3601 and 796 patients (mean age 22.6 ± 4.3 years) were identified with no SUD and MDD or BPD, respectively. Final analysis of matched patients with and without treatment included 1666 with MDD and 314 with BPD. The most common treatment was pharmacologic only for MDD (89.3 %) and BPD (94.3 %). Overall, there was no significant difference in the development of SUD between those treated and not treated for MDD (HR=1.06 [0.84, 1.32], p = 0.63) nor those treated and not treated for BPD (HR=0.80 [0.49, 1.30], p = 0.37). However, longer duration of treatment for both MDD and BPD was associated with a significant reduction in risk for SUD. There was a 2.1 % risk reduction for each additional cumulative month of treatment for MDD (HR=0. 979 [0.976, 0.981], p < 0.001) and a 2.6 % risk reduction for each additional cumulative month of treatment for BPD (HR=0.974 [0.968, 0.979], p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Longer treatment duration for young people with MDD and BPD is associated with decreased SUD risk.

To read the full text of the article, please visit the publisher’s website.