Advances in drug and alcohol research最新文献

{"title":"Profile of risk factors for people who inject drugs among a sample at high risk of HIV/AIDS in Kigali, Rwanda.","authors":"Samuel Habimana, Zephon Lister, Emmanuel Biracyaza, Aflodis Kagaba, Albert Ndagijimana, Stefan Jansen, Eugene Rutembesa, Susanne Montgomery","doi":"10.3389/adar.2026.16156","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2026.16156","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The increasing prevalence of people who inject drugs (PWID) among populations at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has become a critical public health concern, particularly in Africa. This issue is associated with substantial health-related effects among populations at high risk for HIV/AIDS. Hence, our study aimed to analyze the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, alcohol and substance dependence, and depressive symptoms among populations at high risk for HIV.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study with 480 respondents living in Kigali, Rwanda, who self-identified as being at high risk for HIV/AIDS and were recruited via snowball sampling. Chi-square bivariate analyses were used to explore associations with PWID status. Variables that were significant in the bivariate analyses were included in a multivariate logistic regression model, in which adjusted odds ratios were used to determine factors associated with PWID status. A 95% confidence interval and a 5% significance level were used to evaluate statistical associations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 480 respondents, 86.25% reported symptoms of depression, and 31.5% were identified as PWID. Notably, 78% were male and were between 18 years and 45 years of age. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that participants with substance dependence [aOR = 3.547; 95% CI (1.159-10.857)] and those who used marijuana [aOR = 3.261; 95% CI (1.380-7.708)] were more likely to be PWID than their counterparts. Furthermore, individuals with depressive symptoms [aOR = 4.50; 95% CI (2.55-7.96), p = 0.018] were also more likely to be PWID than their counterparts.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this study indicated that substance use and alcohol-related behaviors, as well as mental health concerns such as depressive symptoms, were significantly associated with injecting drug use. The findings support the promotion of harm-reduction and prevention strategies that incorporate mental health programs for populations at high risk for HIV.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"6 ","pages":"16156"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13679292/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149225482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distinct contributions of mu opioid and CB2 cannabinoid receptors to neuroimmune and behavioral responses.","authors":"Berhanu Kibret, Emmanuel S Onaivi, Venkatanarayanan Sharma","doi":"10.3389/adar.2026.16646","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2026.16646","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Marijuana (cannabis) and cannabinoids are getting global medical and recreational approvals in this era of the opioid epidemic. Both opiates and cannabis are often co-abused, and their use increases the risk of opioid and cannabis use disorders (OUDs and CUDs), and dependency. Opioid and cannabinoid systems share many neuromodulating and pharmacological effects by activating opioid and cannabinoid receptors, respectively. Inflammation is increasingly implicated in many diseases, and mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and CB2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2R) have been linked to neuroinflammation. The hypothesis that changes in MOR and CB2R mediated behavioral and cytokine alterations are associated with their roles in inflammation was tested here. Naïve male C57Bl/6J as wild type, MOR KO mice with deletion of MOR, DAT-<i>Cnr2</i> cKO mice with deletion of CB2R from dopamine neurons and CX3Cr1-<i>Cnr2</i> cKO mice with deletion of CB2R from microglia were used in the study. Nociception was assessed using tail-flick latency, followed by ELISA to quantify levels of cytokines and chemokines in the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions of the animals. MOR KO, DAT-<i>Cnr2</i>, and CX3Cr1-<i>Cnr2</i> conditional knockout mice exhibited distinct behavioral and neuroimmune phenotypes, marked by genotype- and region-specific alterations in cytokines and chemokine. CX3Cr1-<i>Cnr2</i> cKO mice had reduced tail-flick sensitivity compared to MOR KO, DAT-<i>Cnr2</i> cKO, and wild-type controls. These findings suggest that MOR deletion and cell-specific loss of CB2Rs in dopamine neurons or microglia distinctly affect nociceptive functions, alongside immune signaling changes. Targeting components of the eCBome and opioid systems may offer novel therapeutic strategies for inflammation-linked chronic pain.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"6 ","pages":"16646"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13461565/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148727376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cholesterol and docosahexaenoic acid likely protect against alcohol-induced constriction of cerebral arteries via a common pathway.","authors":"Shiwani Thapa, Steven Mysiewicz, Alex M Dopico, Anna N Bukiya","doi":"10.3389/adar.2026.16302","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2026.16302","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Binge alcohol drinking is significantly associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular dysfunction. Within cerebral artery smooth muscle, alcohol inhibits calcium- and voltage-gated potassium (BK) channels of large-conductance, leading to cerebrovascular constriction. Administration of high-cholesterol diet or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation independently protects against alcohol-induced constriction of cerebral arteries. However, whether these interventions act additively or through a shared mechanism(s) remains unclear. Here, we examined the combined effects of cholesterol and DHA dietary supplementation <i>in vivo</i> and their combined administration <i>ex vivo</i> on alcohol-induced changes in rat cerebral artery diameter. DHA dietary supplementation <i>in vivo</i> and application to rat cerebral arteries <i>ex vivo</i> did not further modify protective action of high-cholesterol diet and cholesterol-enrichment, respectively. Lack of additivity may point to a shared mechanism(s) that drives cholesterol- and DHA-driven protection against alcohol constriction of cerebral arteries. Considering a prior report of BK channel α-subunit (slo1) residue tyrosine 450 mediating cholesterol protection against alcohol cerebrovascular action, we probed slo1Y450 role in DHA protection against alcohol effect on cerebral artery diameter. DHA protection against alcohol-induced constriction vanished in cerebral arteries harvested from male slo1Y450F knock-in mice. Yet DHA protection against alcohol was still present in arteries harvested from female slo1Y450F knock-in mice. Combined with previous observations, our current findings identify slo1Y450 as a potentially shared target involved in a sexually dimorphic pathway between alcohol effect on cerebral artery diameter and its sensitivity to cholesterol- and DHA-driven interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"6 ","pages":"16302"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13423736/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148655033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying an initial set of core components for perinatal cannabis use harm reduction counseling: An application of the Consensus on Relevant Elements (CORE) process.","authors":"Ariana M Albanese, E Ruby Cramer, Hannah E Frank, Brooke G Rogers","doi":"10.3389/adar.2026.15935","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2026.15935","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cannabis use during pregnancy or lactation is a key topic in healthcare today. It is recommended that patients abstain from perinatal use and healthcare providers are encouraged to discuss use with patients. However, some perinatal individuals continue to use even once educated about the risks. For them, a nuanced approach to counseling that goes beyond warnings of risks is required to promote health and maintain trust. Harm reduction, which views any reduction in harm as a clinical success, is the best evidence-based practice for these patients. However, the essential elements (core components) of this approach have not yet been identified. This limits the approach's readiness for wider implementation, as it is critical that essential elements are maintained during intervention adaptation and scaling. We used the Consensus on Relevant Elements process to generate an initial list of core components for harm reduction counseling of cannabis using-pregnant and breast-feeding patients. We identified five core components within two domains. Within the domain of provider training, the provider 1) is skilled at facilitating conversation, and 2) is educated about cannabis use. Within the domain of patient-facing work, the provider 3) educates patients about cannabis safety and recommendations, 4) screens for cannabis, and 5) provides a brief harm reduction intervention. Future work to achieve a broader consensus of the core components of this approach should be undertaken to confirm these findings. This work serves as an important first step towards equipping healthcare providers to promote health for perinatal cannabis-using patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"6 ","pages":"15935"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13111171/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147790502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A two-factor structure for cannabis use disorder identification test and its associations with demographic factors and cannabis use motives.","authors":"Nadine Heckel, Carlos Nordt, Etna J E Engeli, Patricia Dürler, Marcus Herdener","doi":"10.3389/adar.2026.16094","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2026.16094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cannabis use is linked to the risk of developing a Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD), which can often be chronic. Early identification of problematic cannabis use is crucial to lower the risk of CUD and associated adverse effects. However, the factor structure of the widely used Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT) remains ambiguous. Furthermore, the impact of age and gender on CUD assessed with CUDIT is unknown. Exploring cannabis use motives has been proposed to better understand susceptibility to CUD. This study aims to clarify the CUDIT's factor structure, its links to cannabis use motives, and the influence of age and gender on CUD.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>We analyzed data from 3454 people who use cannabis (20.5% women; mean age = 30.31 years), collected from a Swiss online survey. Participants were categorized into four groups: younger men, younger women, older men, older women. Principal Component Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis tested the factor structure of the revised CUDIT version (CUDIT-R). Structural Equation Modeling explored whether the influence of use motives on the CUDIT-R factors differs between demographic groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results suggest that the CUDIT-R scale is best represented by two factors: Use Intensity (Cronbach's <math><mrow><mi>α</mi></mrow> </math> = 0.71) and Awareness of Problematic Use (Cronbach's <math><mrow><mi>α</mi></mrow> </math> = 0.72). Use Intensity was lowest for younger women, and younger participants were more aware of negative effects. Gender, age, and use motives uniquely relate with both CUDIT-R factors, highlighting the CUDIT-R's potential to guide early identification and treatment of individuals at risk for CUD.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"6 ","pages":"16094"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12989445/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147476322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular and biochemical correlates of frontal lobe white matter degeneration in humans with alcohol use disorder.","authors":"Suzanne M de la Monte, Ming Tong, Greg Sutherland","doi":"10.3389/adar.2026.15431","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2026.15431","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Alcohol-related brain damage caused by heavy alcohol misuse is associated with cognitive-motor impairment and white matter (WM) degeneration. Oligodendrocytes and myelin are major targets, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely characterized, particularly in humans.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study investigates the nature of oligodendrocyte dysfunction in anterior frontal lobe tissue from humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD), focusing on molecular and biochemical pathologies that may underlie WM ARBD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cores of fresh frozen human postmortem frontal lobe WM from adults with AUD or no history of substance use disorder (N = 6/group) were analyzed with duplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, multiplex immunoassays, and multiplex RNA hybridization panels.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>AUD anterior frontal lobe WM tissue exhibited myelin loss with significant changes in oligodendrocyte/myelin glycoprotein immunoreactivity and mRNA expression, increased glial fibrillary acidic protein, and reduced expression of mRNA transcripts encoding upstream components of the insulin and insulin-like growth factor networks, aspartyl-asparaginyl-β-hydroxylase, and the Notch signaling pathway. In contrast, neuroinflammatory mediators and Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers were largely unaffected.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Human AUD anterior frontal lobe WM pathology is accompanied by significant alterations in oligodendrocyte and astrocyte function, with alterations in Notch and insulin/IGF signaling. The findings provide new information on the mechanisms of AUD-mediated WM degeneration as well as potential strategies for diagnosing ARBD in humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"6 ","pages":"15431"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12971536/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147437946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HALT: Relapse prevention to resilience.","authors":"Daniel Kretchman","doi":"10.3389/adar.2025.15477","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2025.15477","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The impact of compulsive behaviors (aka addictions), whether substance- or behavioral-based, is substantial. The acronym HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) has long been used in recovery. This paper provides a discussion of the history and basic concept, with application for relapse prevention and increasing resilience for mental health. It further offers a rationale for expanding this skill set with new and easily applied contextual domains. Using a familiar tool as a building block provides a framework for helping individuals with current or past compulsive behaviors, and for those assisting them. This may decrease relapse incidents which impact the individual and society.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"5 ","pages":"15477"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12827198/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146055248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex differences in reward network activation are linked to problematic substance use among high-risk adolescents.","authors":"Olivia K Murray, Paola P Mattey-Mora, Joseph Aloi, Sydney Lovins, Michael P Smoker, Leslie A Hulvershorn","doi":"10.3389/adar.2025.14591","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2025.14591","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adolescents with externalizing (EXT) disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder-characterized by impulsivity and rule-breaking, are at elevated risk for substance use disorders (SUDs), partly due to deficits in risky decision-making. Sex differences in this association are understudied. Neuroimaging research shows females and males with EXT disorders exhibit different brain activation patterns during risky decisions. This study will explore how these sex differences relate to the development of problematic substance use in youth with EXT disorders.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A total of 115 (78 males, 37 females) drug-naive adolescents with EXT psychopathology performed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) during magnetic resonance imaging to assess risky decision-making brain activation. Then, participants and their guardians completed questionnaires at 6-month intervals to assess problematic substance use. Statistical analyses evaluated sex differences in brain activation-both parametrically modulated and unmodulated-within <i>a priori-</i>selected regions associated with risky decision-making and problematic substance use, using Cox proportional hazards models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Higher modulated brain activation (as explosion probability increased) during the choice phase contrast, Choose Inflate-Choose Win, was associated with a lower hazard of problematic substance use in the right nucleus accumbens (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.68, 95% CI [0.49, 0.94], <i>p</i> = 0.01). This association was significant for females, but not for males, with the hazard ratios being significantly different between sexes. In the right nucleus accumbens, higher unmodulated choice phase activation in males was associated with lower hazard of problematic substance use (HR = 0.60, 95% CI [0.37, 0.97], <i>p</i> = 0.03); and in the right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, higher unmodulated activation in this same contrast in females was associated with a lower hazard of problematic substance use [HR = 0.49, 95% CI (0.24, 0.97), <i>p</i> = 0.03].</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study offers insight into sex differences in risky decision-making neural mechanisms and SUD risk among youth with EXT disorders. Our findings suggest typical risk signaling in the reward-processing network (nucleus accumbens and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex) may protect against substance use, particularly in females with EXT disorders. These findings emphasize the need for further sex-specific research and interventions for youth with EXT disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"5 ","pages":"14591"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12711589/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145805464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular and biochemical pathologies in human alcohol-related cerebellar white matter degeneration.","authors":"Suzanne M de la Monte, Ming Tong","doi":"10.3389/adar.2025.15342","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2025.15342","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Alcohol use disorder (AUD) marked by heavy chronic or binge alcohol consumption, causes cerebellar and white matter (WM) atrophy with cognitive-motor impairments. Major pathological features of alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) include alterations in WM integrity with myelin loss, and cerebellar degeneration with neuronal loss.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study characterizes molecular and biochemical oligodendrocyte-related pathology in cerebellar tissue from donors with AUD to better understand the mechanisms of ARBD in humans.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cores of cerebellar vermis, including cortex and underlying WM from adult human postmortem AUD and control brains, were processed for RNA and protein analyses using duplex and multiplex panels.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>AUD cerebellar WM had significant alterations in immature and mature oligodendrocyte protein and mRNA expression, and reduced expression of hepatocyte growth factor, Akt and GSK-3β signaling molecules, and Notch pathway activation. Moreover, the only significant AUD-related alteration in cerebellar cytokine/chemokine expression was reduced IL-16 immunoreactivity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Human AUD WM degeneration is associated with oligodendrocyte dysfunction, which mechanistically could be mediated by impairments in insulin/IGF signaling through Akt/GSK-3β or Notch pathway activation. Future studies should focus on the non-invasive detection and monitoring of AUD-related oligodendrocyte pathology through the analysis of cell-type-specific exosomes isolated from peripheral blood.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"5 ","pages":"15342"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12620835/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145552069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prenatal environmental exposures and brain development: studies with baboons and other nonhuman primates.","authors":"Igor Y Iskusnykh, Shiwani Thapa, Victor V Chizhikov, Anna N Bukiya","doi":"10.3389/adar.2025.14858","DOIUrl":"10.3389/adar.2025.14858","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During pregnancy, the fetal brain undergoes rapid development and is highly sensitive to environmental influences. Understanding the intricate processes that underlie fetal brain development will be critical for advancing maternal-fetal health and mitigating the risks associated with developmental brain disorders. Nonhuman primate (NHP) animal models provide a unique and highly translational platform for studying brain development during pregnancy due to the close anatomical, physiological, and behavioral resemblance of these animals to humans. Our review explores the use of NHP models in elucidating key milestones of prenatal brain maturation and the mechanisms that govern typical and atypical development. We further examine the impact of environmental insults on fetal brain development, including air pollution, infection, ionizing radiation, and exposure to toxicants, and highlight the ways in which these factors can disrupt brain development and neural circuitry, leading to long-term cognitive and behavioral deficits. Recent studies demonstrate that the baboon (<i>Papio hamadryas</i>) animal model provides a fruitful yet underused translational model for research related to environmental adverse effects on pregnancy. Lastly, we review the effects of drugs of abuse on the developing fetal brain, highlighting the underlying biological mechanisms identified through clinical and laboratory studies. A combined approach offers a comprehensive understanding of the vulnerabilities of the developing nervous system, informing new strategies for the treatment and prevention of neurodevelopmental disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":72092,"journal":{"name":"Advances in drug and alcohol research","volume":"5 ","pages":"14858"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12375511/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144980716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}