Healio (8/28, Herpen) reports a study found that “among seven cognitive domains, alcohol-related cognitive impairment had a more significant impact on cognitive control during a delayed recall task compared with matched controls.” According to study results, “no other cognitive domains showed a significant difference between those with ARCI and matched controls.” The data also show “that 20% of patients in the ARCI group had an unspecified neurocognitive phenotype and 45% had a neurocognitive etiology of unspecified nature.” Researchers concluded, “Our results suggest a specific memory pattern linked to excessive alcohol use, which can help clinicians distinguish alcohol-related cognitive impairment from other neurocognitive disorder etiologies.” The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Alcohol-related cognitive impairment significantly impacts delayed recall tasks,” Robert Herpen, MA, Healio, August 29, 2025

HealthDay (8/28, Edwards) reports a study found that “teens who feel connected to their school may be better protected from depression linked to bullying.” Researchers observed that “school connectedness – feeling safe, included and supported at school – significantly reduced the risk of depression for teens who had recently been bullied, but not for those bullied earlier in childhood.”

According to the study: “11.9% of participants experienced bullying at both ages 9 and 15 (long-term);” 43% said they “experienced bullying only at age 9, while 5.7% reported bullying only at age 15;” and “those bullied both in childhood and adolescence had the highest depression and anxiety scores, with average anxiety levels of 6.9 on an 18-point scale and depression scores of 4.7 out of 15.

Importantly, extracurricular activities did not significantly buffer anxiety or depression symptoms, suggesting that feeling connected within the school environment itself plays a larger role.” The study was published in BMC Public Health.

Related Links:

— “School Connection May Protect Teens From Depression Linked To Bullying,” I.Edwards, HealthDay, August 28, 2025

The AP (8/27, Ungar) reports that nonalcoholic (NA) beers and mocktails are fueling a “booming industry” as people are trying to reduce their drinking for health reasons, in addition to “the rising number of young adults forgoing alcohol altogether.” A typical beer has about 5% alcohol by volume, while “NA drinks are only allowed to have up to 0.5%, about the same as a ripe banana.” A recent online survey conducted by researchers at Stanford University “found that the vast majority of people who drink both beverages say NA drinks help them reduce their alcohol use.” Nevertheless, health experts warn that “nonalcoholic beverages aren’t for everyone, especially if they might trigger cravings for alcohol. These so-called NA drinks are meant to mimic alcohol in many ways, such as appearance, smell and taste.”

Related Links:

— “Nonalcoholic beer and mocktails can help people stay sober or drink less, but are not for everyone,” Laura Ungar, Associated Press, August 27, 2025

Psychiatric News (8/27) reports a study found that “individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) treated in primary care with a collaborative care model (CoCM) focused on medications for OUD experienced a greater reduction in nonmedical use of opioids than those receiving collaborative care that only treats co-occurring mental health symptoms.” Researchers found that “at three months, patients receiving the OUD-focused CoCM had an average of 1.44 days using opioids compared with 3.98 days among those receiving standard CoCM; at six months, patients in the intervention group had 0.72 days using opioids compared with 3.92 days in the control group. Scores on the MCS improved in both groups, but there was no statistical difference.” The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Collaborative Care for Opioid Use Disorder in Primary Care,” John C. Fortney, PhD; Anna D. Ratzliff, MD, PhD; Brittany E. Blanchard, PhD, JAMA Psychiatry, August 20, 2025

HealthDay (8/26, Solomon) reports, “Few teens with depression receive treatment, with disparities seen based on residence, gender, and race, according to a study.” The investigators “found that 19.2 percent of adolescents experienced [major depressive episodes], but only 47.5 percent received treatment within the past year.” Researchers found “there were significantly lower odds of receiving specialist treatment for adolescents in rural areas versus their urban counterparts.” The findings were published in PLOS Mental Health.

Related Links:

— “Less Than Half of Teens With Major Depression Receive Treatment,” Lori Solomon, HealthDay, August 26, 2025

Modern Healthcare (8/26, Perna, Subscription Publication) reports, “State legislators are moving quickly to regulate artificial intelligence in healthcare, particularly in the mental health arena.” With “federal legislation of AI unlikely during President…Trump’s administration, states are moving ahead with their own laws as the hype over the technology permeates all areas of healthcare.” States such as “Illinois, Nevada and Texas have already passed a handful of laws.” According to Modern Healthcare, “consulting firm Manatt Health said there are more than 250 additional AI bills under consideration across 46 states that could use these early adopters as a roadmap.”

Related Links:

— “States move legislation on AI-enabled mental health, prior auth,” Gabriel Perna, Modern Healthcare, August26 , 2025

Psychiatric News (8/26) reports “more than 70% of mental health apps do not mention any crisis hotline, and only one in seven mentions the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a study” found. The research also found that “a sizable minority of apps that mention alternative crisis hotlines link to ones that don’t work.” The findings were published in Psychiatric Services.

Related Links:

— “Mental Health Apps and Crisis Support: Exploring the Impact of 988,” Bridget Dwyer, B.S., Jane Mikkelson, B.A., James Burns, B.S., Valeria Diaz-Pacheco, B.S., M.S., and John Torous, M.D., M.B.I., Psychiatric Services, August 21, 2025

The New York Times (8/25, Hoffman) reports, “As fentanyl propelled overdose deaths to ever more alarming numbers several years ago, public health officials throughout the United States stepped up a blunt, pragmatic response.” More states “authorized needle exchanges, where drug users could get sterile syringes as well as alcohol wipes, rubber ties and cookers.” As a result, “by mid-2023, overdose deaths began dropping.

Last year, there were an estimated 80,391 drug overdose deaths in the United States, down from 110,037 in 2023, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” However, “states and communities are turning away from harm reduction strategies” after President Trump last month issued an “executive order that included a blast at harm reduction programs.”

Related Links:

— The New York Times (requires login and subscription)

MedPage Today (8/25, Firth) reports a systematic review and meta-analysis of 99 studies found that “cannabis products containing high concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the main psychoactive compound in marijuana – were linked to psychosis, schizophrenia, and addiction.” Researchers observed that “70% of the nontherapeutic studies (i.e., those not attempting to treat a medical condition or symptom) showed an unfavorable association with psychosis or schizophrenia and 75% found a relationship to cannabis use disorder (CUD).

Anxiety and depression appeared to be worsened in 53% and 41% of such studies, respectively, with even higher rates when studying healthy individuals specifically.” The researchers noted the findings complement those of prior systematic reviews in “reinforcing the conclusion that higher THC concentrations increase the risk for adverse mental health outcomes.” The review was published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Psychiatric News (8/22) reported a study found that “nonfatal firearm injuries raise the risk of mental and substance use disorders (SUD).” The researchers used data from Marketscan “to compare claims from 2007 with claims from 2019.” They observed “a higher prevalence of diagnoses before injury among survivors but not among family members relative to controls.” Specifically, they found that “after nonfatal firearm injury, psychiatric disorders increased among survivors, including 77% for mood disorders, 146% for trauma-related disorders, 57% for anxiety disorders, and 73% to 305% for psychotic, neuropsychiatric, and other disorders.” They also found that SUD diagnoses “rose after firearm injury, including 99% for tobacco use disorder, 186% for alcohol use disorder, and 49% to 195% for opioid, cannabis, sedative, stimulant, and other substance use disorders.” The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders After Nonfatal Firearm Injury,” Katherine A. Koh, MD, MSc1; Mia Giuriato, BBA, MA3; Chana A. Sacks, MD, MPH JAMA Psychiatry, August 20, 2025 (Access Required)