Media and Education Activities

Press Releases

January 22, 2008 -- NIH Announces New Initiative in Epigenomics. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will invest more than $190 million over the next five years to accelerate an emerging field of biomedical research known as epigenomics. The NIH is making this a priority in its research portfolio, taking it on as an NIH Roadmap initiative. Grant applications are now being accepted for research on epigenome mapping centers, epigenomics data analysis and coordination, technology development in epigenetics, and discovery of novel epigenetic marks in mammalian cells.

January 29, 2008 -- Does the Desire for Drugs Begin Outside Awareness? NIDA Research Reveals Subconscious Signals Can Trigger Drug Craving Circuits. Using a brain imaging technology called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), scientists have discovered that cocaine-related images trigger the emotional centers of the brains of patients addicted to drugs -- even when the subjects are unaware they've seen anything. The study, published January 30 in the journal PLoS One, was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Articles of Interest

December 11, 2007, Associated Press—"Study: Overall Teen Drug Use Declining"--Mention of 2007 Monitoring the Future Survey.

January 3, 2008, Newsweek, "The Anti-Drug Drugs"—Interviews with Dr. Nora Volkow and NIDA grantee Dr. Thomas Kosten about vaccines to treat cocaine and nicotine addiction.

January 7, 2008, WAMU/NPR Radio, "Kojo Nnamdi Show"—Interviews with Dr. Frank Vocci and NIDA grantee Dr. Thomas Kosten about vaccine to treat cocaine addiction.

January 9, 2008, Time, "A Drug to End Drug Addiction"—Interviews with Dr. Frank Vocci and NIDA grantee Dr. Thomas Kosten about vaccine to treat cocaine addiction.

January/February, 2008, Eating Well magazine, "Change the Way You Think About Food"—Interview with Dr. Nora Volkow about the brain's response to food, and obesity/food addiction.

February 7, 2008, Wall Street Journal, "When Mixing Medications Can Be Deadly"—Interview with Dr. Nora Volkow about the potential serious consequences of combining prescription medications.

March 3, 2008, Newsweek, "The Hunt for An Addiction Vaccine"—Cover story on addiction that included interviews with Dr. Nora Volkow, Dr. Frank Vocci, and NIDA grantees Dr. Thomas Kosten and Dr. Tom McLellan.

March 17, 2008, National Public Radio/Talk of the Nation, "Brain Enhancers: 'Professor's Little Helper'?"—Interview with Dr. Nora Volkow about performance enhancing drugs. < p>April 9, 2008, Des Moines Register, "Meth slips, medication abuse soars, expert says"—interview with Dr. Timothy Condon about prescription drug abuse.

Dr. Frank Vocci, Director, DPMCDA, was interviewed by Deborah Shelton of the Chicago Tribune in late December 2007 on medications to assist quitting smoking.

Dr. Frank Vocci was interviewed by Neil Scott of the radio program Recovery Coast to Coast on office-based treatment of opiate addiction on February 1, 2008.

Dr. Frank Vocci was interviewed by Dr. Jill Adams on the NIDA medications development program for an article in the March 7, 2008 issue of Science.

Dr. Frank Vocci participated in a Buprenorphine Roundtable with the press on February 22, 2008.

Dr. Frank Vocci was interviewed by Julia Lyon of the Salt Lake Tribune on February 22, 2008 on methamphetamine addiction and pharmacotherapies.

Dr. Frank Vocci was interviewed by Alison Knopf of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly on February 25, 2008 as a follow up to the Buprenorphine Summit meeting.

Dr. Frank Vocci was interviewed by Jeneen Interlandi of Newsweek on multiple occasions for the cover story of February 26, 2008 on substance Abuse and the search for treatments.

Dr. Frank Vocci was interviewed by Maggie Koerth-Baker of MSNBC website on medications to treat addiction on March 3, 2008.

Dr. Joseph Frascella, Director, DCNBR, conducted an interview for the show "The Real Life Survival Guide", a show on WNPR, Connecticut Public Radio on the topic of addiction science, March 4, 2008.

Dr. Joseph Frascella conducted an interview for Dining Out Magazine on the issue of "food addiction" on March 5, 2008.

March 10, 2008. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly (Vol 20[10]) "Sex-Methamphetamine Fusion Issues Complicate Recovery If Not Addressed" Interview with Steven Grant, Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Branch.

January 7, 2008. Steven Grant, Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Branch, DCNBR was interviewed on the internet talk radio program "One Hour at a Time" on the VoiceAmerica Health & Wellness Channel. The topic was the biological and brain basis of addition and how they effect treatment.
http://www.modavox.com/VoiceAmericaHealth/

January 31, 2008. Steven Grant, Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Branch, DCNBR was interviewed by Gonzalo Moriera for a radio show on RTP (Radio and Television from Portugal) regarding Methamphetamine abuse.

January 31, 2008. Steven Grant, Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Branch, DCNBR was interviewed by NIH Radio regarding the NIDA-supported publication by A.R. Childress and colleagues on "Limbic Activation by "Unseen" Drug and Sexual Cues" (PLOS One 3(1) e1506, 1-7, 2008)

David A. Gorelick, M.D., Ph.D., a senior investigator in the Office of the Scientific Director, IRP, was quoted on the use of anti-drug vaccines in a January 1, 2008 article in the Houston Chronicle newspaper.

Brain Awareness Week

On March 12 - 13, 2008, Dr. Roger Sorensen, DBNBR, participated in Brain Awareness Week at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Middle school students were invited to the "Welcome To Roger's Party" exhibit booth for an interactive discussion on the physical and societal harms of alcohol and drug abuse. The students also played a "party game" during which they attempted to navigate an obstacle course while wearing Fatal Vision prism goggles that simulate the impaired visuomotor performance that can result from excessive alcohol or drug use.

Drs. Allison Chausmer and David Thomas (DBNBR, BCSRB) participated at Brain Awareness Week activities held at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, located at the Walter Reed Medical Center, Washington DC, March 12th-13th, 2008. A total of 750 school children from Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia schools attended this event. NIDA staff played the educational computer game, Who Wants to be a NIDA Neuroscientist, with the children. David Thomas led the development of the computer-based version of this game. Drs. Jane Acri and Dave White, DPMCDA, also participated.

Upcoming Confernences/Exhibits

American Psychiatric Association 161st Annual Meeting Washington, DC	May 3-8, 2008
NIDA Blending Conference Cincinnati, OH	June 2-3, 2008
Joint Conference of the State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS) and the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) Orlando, FL	June 22-25, 2008
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 23rd National Conference National Harbor, MD	June 26-July 1, 2008