New research shows that a specific mind-body therapy, Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), increases the brain’s response to natural, healthy rewards while also decreasing the brain’s response to opioid-related cues. The study, published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, examined data from four experiments involving 135 adults who took opioids daily for chronic pain. The study […]

When Ivan Pavlov was measuring dog slobber at the turn of the 20th century, he could not have imagined all the ways his classical conditioning research would shape the future of scientific discovery. Today, there is substantial research suggesting that conditioned behaviors—such as smoking after a meal—sustain unhealthy habits.  It follows that by preventing the […]

As the opioid crisis escalates, the science behind addiction remains poorly understood. To address this need, researchers at University of Utah Health devised a system that allowed zebrafish, a small tropical fish, to self-administer doses of hydrocodone, an opioid commonly prescribed to people for pain. After one-week, the fish had increased their drug-seeking behavior, even […]

Eric Garland, associate dean for research at the University of Utah College of Social Work, has received two prestigious multi-million dollar grants to investigate the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement treatment for chronic pain and opioid misuse. The grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense will look at whether this […]