December 31, 2025
2 min read
Key takeaways:
- The body of evidence is growing for safety, efficacy of various psychedelics to address mental health.
- Health organizations committed to finding non-opioid solutions to medical, psychiatric issues.
New guidelines for blood-based biomarkers, the impact of hormone replacement therapy, and risks for cognitive decline with red meat consumption were among the top Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairment stories for 2025.
Addiction, depression, cognition: How GLP-1s may benefit the brain
Leading off Healio’s in-depth coverage of GLP-1s across the medical field, experts from the Alzheimer’s Association, Harvard Medical School and other stakeholders weighed in on the potential of GLP-1s to address psychiatric symptoms such as eating disorders, depression and addiction. The consensus was that more clinical trials on the direct and indirect effects of GLP-1s were needed. Read more.
FDA issues draft guidelines for non-opioid solutions to chronic pain
In September, the regulatory body offered its latest updates for clinicians to steer patients toward safe and effective non-opioid treatments and to curb prescription-related opioid misuse. Read more.
American Society of Anesthesiologists shares guidance for safe nonanesthetic ketamine use
Ronald L. Harter
Earlier this year, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) released new guidance on the safe use of ketamine for nonanesthesia purposes, such as the treatment of mental health disorders, according to an organization press release. We discussed this new guidance with ASA immediate past president Ronald L. Harter, MD, FASA. Read more.
Psilocybin motivates personality changes among adults with alcohol use disorder
Researchers from NYU Grossman published findings suggesting that psilocybin-assisted therapy encouraged an environment where patients with alcohol use disorders were able to calm themselves, become more extroverted and embrace more openness in communication. Also, David J. Hellerstein, MD, of Columbia University shares his Perspective. Read more.
Binge drinking rates higher in adolescents exposed to alcohol marketing
Data compiled by Jon-Patrick Allem, PhD, MA, of Rutgers School of Public Health and colleagues suggested exposure to digital alcohol marketing correlated with increased odds of recent alcohol use, binge drinking and susceptibility to drink. Read more
Cannabis use exacerbates impact of childhood trauma on paranoia risk
A cross-sectional study that examined 4,736 adults found that cannabis amplifies the effects of childhood trauma while acting as a key driver of paranoia, according to Giulia Trotta, PhD, research assistant at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, and colleagues. Read more.
Brazil issues nationwide alert on methanol poisoning
In October, the Brazilian Ministry of Health informed its citizens about the dangers of methanol poisoning after publicizing more than 200 suspected cases, most of which occurred in São Paulo. Julia Sader Ferreira, MD, and Robert Glatter, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, probe methanol’s risks in this contributed article. Read more.
Fruit flies may help to develop new treatments for cocaine use disorder
Adrian Rothenfluh
This summer, new research from Adrian Rothenfluh, PhD, associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine of University of Utah, among others, posited that fruit flies may hold the key to treat humans with cocaine use disorder. Read more.
Q&A: APA enjoins DEA to maintain telehealth access for controlled medications
Shabana Khan
In January, the DEA announced new rules to make permanent expanded telehealth access established during the COVID era, particularly for individuals on controlled medications. The APA weighed in by offering a series of recommendations to reduce administrative burdens related to the rules. We spoke with Shabana Khan, MD, of the American Psychiatric Association, to find out more. Read more.
Buprenorphine likely to curb emergency care visits for opioid use disorder
According to data published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, individuals with opioid use disorder treated with buprenorphine reported less frequent emergency-related visits than untreated patients. The results showed that an extended-release formulation of the drug was particularly effective. We spoke with study author Sabrina Gaiazov, MPH, of Indivior about the results. Also, Justin Todd of AddictionResource.net shares his Perspective. Read more.
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