CAAS researchers have launched a study testing MDMA, known as ecstasy or molly, and talk therapy as a treatment for PTSD and alcohol use disorder in military veterans.

Congratulations to CAAS Assistant Professor David Zelaya for winning the APA Division 45 Emerging Professional – Contributions to Service Award!

Overdose deaths have declined 27% in 2024. "This progress is encouraging, but it's fragile." Read more from CAAS Professor Alexandria Macmadu's conversation with The Wall Street Journal.

CAAS faculty Chris Kahler and Mollie Monnig were quoted in an article by Every Day Health about the effects of drinking on the brain.

Dr. Rohsenow, a professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences and associate director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, was quoted in The New York Times for her research on hangovers.

Hayley Treloar Padovano, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, talks with Times about how to relax and unwind without drinking alcohol.

The research, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, aims to uncover how alcohol and HIV disrupt gut bacteria and contribute to chronic health issues like heart disease.

Hayley Treloar Padovano, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, talks with Women's Health about how to untangle alcohol from your social life.

As the US Surgeon General calls for cancer warning labels for alcohol, Professor Christopher Kahler says drinkers are often unaware of recommended daily alcohol limits. Easily available serving size info for different types of alcohol is key.

With the first state-sanctioned overdose prevention center about to open in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University epidemiologist Brandon Marshall explained how researchers will measure its impact.

As holiday festivities get underway, the American Heart Association asked Dr. Christopher Kahler what advice he gives to people trying to stay sober or not over-drink.

Lauren Micalizzi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and Ian Martin, Business Systems Analyst at Together We Can Addiction Recovery & Education Society had the winning pitch among 21 pitches.

The lack of integration of addiction treatment with other health care services presents distinct challenges for people with higher levels of OUD treatment needs who require SNF care. Since inpatient SUD treatment programs are not currently classified as medical facilities, a status that some in the SUD treatment sector defend to avoid increased regulation and cost, they do not address medical and rehabilitation needs as part of their services. Medically-enhanced addiction treatment programs should be options for people with OUD.

Cutting back on drinking can be a real challenge, but CAAS Professors Suzanne Colby and Christopher Kahler say goal-setting to reduce your alcohol consumption is a big deal. "The most important step to cutting back is to set an intention," Dr. Kahler says.

Overdose deaths are increasing, despite efforts by governments to address illicit drug use and implement public health approaches. A significant reason is the increasing prevalence of xylazine (tranq), an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist and central nervous system depressant present in the fentanyl drug supply.

It’s imperative that we further our knowledge and understanding on smoking as a harm reduction strategy, and begin to identify and promote safer, evidence-based methods people can utilize while smoking to reduce health risks.

The findings are meant to educate everyone, but the average reader has no idea how to interpret the complex jargon.

Now in its second year, Babson SUD Sprint (formerly L-SPRINT) is a 6-day bespoke program in entrepreneurship and commercialization for researchers and inventors tackling substance use disorders (SUD)/drug addiction, taught at the world’s #1 college for entrepreneurship.

"I have no doubt that Dr. Boyle has an outstanding career ahead of her as a scientist in the field of addictions research."

We all understand the dangers of smoking—but the debate over vapes, nicotine pouches and other tobacco alternatives rages on: Can vaping really save lives? Or are nicotine alternatives a slippery slope: a dangerous gateway to lifelong substance use? Professors Jasjit Ahluwalia and Jennifer Tidey discuss their takes on a harm reduction and how it applies to the modern nicotine landscape.

The debate over vapes, nicotine pouches and the quest to reduce the global scourge of tobacco-related diseases and fatalities.

Over his 50 years at Brown University, Professor Peter Monti has not only been witness to a sea change in our understanding of addictive disorders, but has contributed to that understanding with his research and leadership. At the School of Public Health’s 10th anniversary, he reflects on the decades of work defining Brown’s public health legacy.

Robert Swift, MD PhD recently joined Bear in Mind, the Brown Psychiatry Podcast, for part 1 of a discussion on substance use disorders.

Dr. Molly Magill and colleagues recently published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Melissa Pielech and Robert Miranda, in conjunction with co-authors and the Society of Behavioral Medicine, published a policy position statement advocating for allocating funds from opioid settlement lawsuits towards expansion of youth substance use treatment.

Patricia Cioe and colleagues Publish Manuscript on App-Delivered Mindfulness Training to Reduce Anxiety in People with HIV who Smoke

Dr. Jasjit S. Ahluwalia has been awarded the 2023 Health Equity SIG Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine's annual scientific meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. This year's meeting takes place April 26-29.

David G. Zelaya was appointed to serve on the American Psychological Association's Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA).

Safety, feasibility, and acceptability of MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of co-occurring alcohol use disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder in veterans.

Rachel Cassidy recently was interviewed about the potential for the FDA's newly announced nicotine reduction policy to affect smokers. "We don't want to create a prohibition on nicotine. What we want is for people to shift from combustible cigarettes, which are incredibly harmful — they kill half the people who use them past the age of 40 — to other forms of nicotine which are far less harmful," Cassidy said.

Researchers at JCOIN’s Brown University Clinical Research Center, developed the Prescription Drug Abuse Policy System (PDAPS).

Drs. Gunn, Aston, and Metrik published a review paper, "Patterns of cannabis and alcohol co-use: Substitution versus complementary effects" in Alcohol Research: Current Reviews. (image credit: Jorge Láscar, Wikimedia Commons)

CAAS Senior Research Assistant Jake Tempchin will matriculate this fall at the University of Memphis in pursuit of a PhD in clinical psychology. He will study with Dr. Jim Murphy, focusing on behavioral economics, motivational interviewing, and the implementation of interventions to reduce harms experienced from substance use.

Led by Dr. Patricia Cioe, the lab now has its very own Facebook page.

Dr. David Zelaya recently published "Psychometric validation and extension of the LGBT people of Color Microaggressions Scale with a sample of sexual minority BIPOC college students" in the journal Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Dr. Zelaya's research provides further rigorous statistical support and evidence for researchers and clinicians to use the LGBT People of Color Microaggressions Scale. Additionally, findings from the study allows for more nuanced ways to capture the frequency (i.e., within the past year and lifetime) and appraisal of stress associated with intersectional forms of discrimination.

Dr. Christy Capone and colleagues recently published primary outcomes of an RCT funded by the DoD examining a psychotherapy focused on trauma-related guilt and shame in post-9/11 veterans. Results found that Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction (TrIGR) resulted in significant reductions in guilt and PTSD and depressive symptoms as compared to Supportive Care Therapy. The research appears in the journal Depression and Anxiety.

Matthew Meisel had a paper accepted for publication in the journal BMC Psychology. In the manuscript, in a sample of emerging adults who never attended 4-year college, the authors found that most of the sample experienced some form of education-based stigma and discrimination and that these experiences were associated with worse mental health symptoms.

Peter M. Monti, Ph.D., will step down from the role of director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies (CAAS)

Dr. Lauren Micalizzi, along with Brown University co-authors, recently published their manuscript "A psychometric assessment of the Brief Situational Confidence Questionnaire for Marijuana (BSCQ-M) in juvenile justice-involved youth" in Addictive Behaviors.

Highlights of the manuscript include: the study provided the first test of the psychometric properties of the BSCQ-M; findings indicated a three-factor structure; BSCQ-M scores showed convergent validity with past 30-day cannabis use; and the BSCQ-M can be implemented quickly and effectively among justice involved youth.

Interested in how neuroscience is relevant to wellness, flourishing & human rights?

Dr. Patricia Cioe and her study team are excited to welcome their new Research Assistant, Sophie Lazar, to CAAS!