Addiction News

The latest addiction stories, each synthesized from multiple sources with added background and context.

Broad fentanyl-class vaccine shields against illicit analogs

Researchers report a novel vaccine concept that trains the immune system to recognize a broad fentanyl drug class rather than a single molecule by using a redesigned hapten attached to a carrier protein. In mice, the modified vaccine produced antibodies that bound fentanyl and several dangerous analogs (carfentanil, acetylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl) while ignoring morphine and other opioids, shifted fentanyl away from the brain into the blood, and prevented respiratory depression following exposure, indicating strong protection against overdose. The approach is intended as a safety net rather than a cure for addiction and translation to humans remains to be tested; researchers also plan broader testing and clinical trials, and they released the work patent-free.

2 months ago•Source: PsyPost

addiction

24.45 min•6 months ago

When loneliness meets status: a path to online shopping addiction

A study published in Deviant Behavior traces a four-stage sequence: loneliness prompts private coping through compensatory shopping, which then evolves into conspicuous consumption for social validation, culminating in online shopping addiction. Loneliness alone is not a direct cause; the chain leading to status signaling increases addiction risk. The research surveyed 364 Taiwanese online shoppers and used path analysis, but acknowledges limitations like cross-sectional data and cultural scope. The authors suggest longitudinal, cross-cultural work and platform-specific analyses to deepen understanding of how digital environments amplify these dynamics.

via PsyPost