For the first time in years, there’s good news about the U.S. drug overdose crisis - the federal data shows that drug-related deaths have been declining steadily for seven consecutive months. While awareness campaigns and improved access to treatment programs are credited for this progress, experts believe changes in the illicit drug market may also be playing a critical role.

The Role of Fentanyl Potency

Anne Milgram from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) revealed that since 2021, fentanyl, which is an opioid up to 100 times more potent than morphine, has been showing reduced potency. She attributes this to government efforts to disrupt Mexican cartels and international drug supply chains. Just last year, DEA testing found that half of counterfeit pills contained life-threatening levels of fentanyl. Now, that number has dropped to 50 per cent.

Additionally, life-saving drugs like Narcan (a drug overdose reversal medication) are more widely available now, and medications that reduce opioid cravings are gaining traction. Public awareness campaigns warning about fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills have also made an impact.

Harm Reduction Programs Making a Difference

Harm reduction efforts, such as syringe exchange programs and fentanyl test strips, are proving effective in saving lives. Meanwhile, stricter enforcement targeting the chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl has made its production more costly and less common.

Outreach workers are noticing shifts in drug use patterns. Fentanyl is increasingly being diluted or mixed with other substances, like xylazine—a veterinary tranquilizer that can cause severe skin ulcers but may also reduce the risk of overdose in certain cases. Unlike fentanyl, which can lead to repeated use throughout the day, xylazine’s sedative effects can make people less likely to consume more fentanyl immediately.

The spread of stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine is another factor. While these drugs carry their own risks, they are generally less deadly than fentanyl. Some opioid users report that methamphetamine helps them avoid fentanyl by satisfying cravings or providing distraction. This shift could be contributing to the decline in fentanyl-related deaths.

According to the CDC, overdose deaths dropped to 97,000 in the 12 months ending in June, a 14.5 per cent decrease compared to the previous year. Nonfatal overdoses are also decreasing in many states. However, the progress is uneven. Fatal overdoses among Black Americans increased between 2022 and 2023, while they declined among white Americans. Geographically, Eastern and Midwestern states have seen the sharpest declines, possibly due to their earlier experience with fentanyl. In contrast, overdose deaths continue to rise in several Western states where fentanyl is a newer threat.

A Long Road Ahead

While the recent decline is promising, the overdose crisis is far from over. Thousands of lives are still being lost, and the battle against drug-related deaths requires ongoing vigilance and adaptation.

We all at some point of our life thought if we had a delete button to erase the bad memories, haven't we? Now, this dream may come true. When I first came across this news, the first thing that came to my mind was the animated film The Boss Baby, where babies are sent from a baby corporate to ensure that people choose babies over pets. The baby is smart, witty, and works as a spy and once the job is done, the baby goes back to the baby corporate. When the baby is gone, the staff from the company comes with a magic wand and erases everyone's memories with the baby. It is like the baby never existed for the parents or the family in the first place. Now, scientists have discovered a way to potentially erase memories, though it is to weaken the hold of traumatic memories by reactivating positive ones.

A new study published in PNAS, titled Aversive memories can be weakened during human sleep via the reactivation of positive interfering memories suggests that erasing memory may become a real possibility. If so, this might be a breakthrough that could have wide-reaching impact for treating mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety and depression.

Replacing The Bad With The Good

The basis of the research is a simple but powerful idea: when you recall a negative memory, can you weaken it by immediately linking it with something positive? This theory was put to the test by an international team of scientists who worked with 37 participants in a controlled lab setting.

Participants were first asked to associate random, made-up words with disturbing or aversive images. These images came from recognized databases and included visuals such as injuries and dangerous animals. This created a mental link between the neutral words and negative feelings.

Sleep Intervention

Once the participants have formed these unpleasant association, the next step is to sleep. This is the non-rapid eye movement or the NREM sleep. This is a crucial phase for memory consolidation. However, before this step, the researchers have attempted to "reprogram" half of the negative associations by linking the same nonsense words with pleasant images. It could be the peaceful landscapes or smiling faces.

When in the second night, the nonsense words were replayed to the participants as audio while they were in NERM sleep, their brain activity too was monitored. The monitoring happened using the electroencephalography (EEG). Interestingly, when positive images had been paired with the words earlier, the EEG showed a spike in theta-band activity. This is a brainwave that associates with emotional memory processing.

What Were The Results?

When the participants were asked to recall their memories the next day — and even several days later — a noticeable shift had taken place. Those nonsense words that had been "interfered with" by positive associations no longer triggered the same strong negative memories. In fact, participants were more likely to spontaneously recall the positive images instead. They also showed a more positive emotional bias when evaluating those memories.

In the researchers’ words, the study demonstrated that “a noninvasive sleep intervention can thus modify aversive recollection and affective responses.”

While the findings are promising, the researchers also noted that this was a controlled laboratory experiment. The emotional impact of viewing upsetting images in a lab is not the same as experiencing real-life trauma. True traumatic memories, especially those tied to lived experiences, may be much more resistant to this kind of memory editing.

That said, this approach builds on earlier findings that the brain naturally replays memories during sleep to reinforce them. If this process can be gently influenced — perhaps even without the sleeper knowing — it could someday become part of therapy for those struggling with difficult memories.

While the research still is in its early stage, it does add to the idea that our brains are not static storage banks. “Our findings open broad avenues for seeking to weaken aversive or traumatic memories,” the researchers said.

While being on medication for mental health was looked down upon, many people have educated themselves and helped others find the help they need. These medications like anxiety meds, antidepressants etc., were revolutionary for many people who have suffered from these mental health issues for years with no help. However, new study shows a concerning link between Antidepressants and sudden risk of cardiac death. A new study presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting suggests a link between antidepressant use and a higher risk of sudden cardiac death.

This study looked at a lot of information about people who died and whether they were taking antidepressant medicines. According to the European Society of Cardiology 30th March press release, there might be a link between using these mood-lifting drugs and a higher chance of experiencing a very serious heart problem called sudden cardiac death. This is when the heart unexpectedly stops working due to a heart-related issue. The researchers carefully examined death records and medication use to see if there was a pattern.

Does The Affect Vary According To The Duration Of The Medicine?

One of the key findings of the study was that the more time people took antidepressants, the more their risk will be. The researchers explains that people who had been on these medications for a longer time appeared to have a greater risk of sudden cardiac death.

So, does this mean, we should stop taking these meds even for a short period of time? No, but the study does show how the longer people took the medicine, the higher their chance of a cardiac event has become. This finding highlights the importance of considering the long-term effects of antidepressant use and potentially monitoring heart health, especially for those who have been on these drugs for many years.

Other Factors To Consider

The increased risk associated with antidepressant use appears to be more pronounced in younger age groups compared to older adults.

Younger Adults (30-39)

Antidepressant use for one to five years tripled sudden cardiac death risk in this age group. Longer use (six+ years) increased it fivefold compared to non-users, suggesting higher cardiac sensitivity.

Middle-Aged Adults (50-59)

Antidepressants doubled sudden cardiac death risk with one to five years of use. Six or more years quadrupled the risk compared to peers not taking these medications, indicating a substantial heart risk elevation.

Older Adults (70-79)

Antidepressant use for one to five years increased sudden cardiac death risk by 83%. Longer use (six+ years) doubled the risk, suggesting a less dramatic but still significant increase compared to younger groups.

The researchers are still trying to figure out exactly why antidepressants might increase the risk of sudden cardiac death. One idea is that the drugs themselves might have side effects that can affect the heart's rhythm or function. Another possibility is that people who need to take antidepressants might already have more severe underlying health problems, including heart issues, and the longer they are on the medication, the more these underlying conditions might progress.

The press release also issued a statement saying that until this study is published in a well-respected medical journal after going through peer review, the results should be interpreted with caution. Further research and confirmation from other studies are necessary to fully understand the relationship between antidepressant use and the risk of sudden cardiac death.

Ever wondered why some people live well past 100 with their minds sharp and bodies still moving? While external factors like your lifestyle choices, diet, and exercise are important for a long life, science also shows that your genetic makeup may also play an important role for how long you live.

Thomas Perls, who is a professor of geriatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine and direct of the New England Centenarian Study (NECS) explains that longevity can, in fact, be inherited. This is especially the case when we talk about living past 100 years old.

What Makes One A Centenarian?

In the United States, around 1 in every 5,000 people is a centenarian. This means anyone who lives at least 100 years of age. Among them, a striking number are women, making them to be 85% of the total centenarian population. What sets these people apart is not their lifestyle but something beyond the external factors.

As per Perls, centenarians tend to age more slowly and push back age-related diseases like heart conditions, diabetes, or diseases like heart conditions, diabetes, or dementia until their 90s or beyond. This slow aging process is a key to their biological trait among those who reach extremely old age.

Is There A Genetic Link?

Getting to your 90s, Perls says, is roughly 30 percent due to genetics and 70 percent due to lifestyle. But if you’re aiming for 110—the elite club of supercentenarians—that flips: genetics likely accounts for up to 70 percent of your chances.

So, yes, picking the right parents (or grandparents) does matter. NECS has shown that centenarians often come from families where siblings and even parents lived exceptionally long lives. These families seem to carry genetic variations that protect them from aging-related diseases, allowing their bodies to function well even in old age.

One example is Celia, a 102-year-old NECS participant who still played complex Chopin pieces on the piano at public events. She wasn't an exception—many centenarians in the study live independently well into their late 90s or early 100s.

But, Are Genes All?

While you cannot change your DNA, but you can adopt habits that can increase your odds or living a healthier and a longer life. Perls recommends adding these to your routine:

Manage stress: Chronic stress accelerates aging. Finding healthy ways to cope—whether through meditation, community, or hobbies—can slow that process.

Eat smart: A plant-heavy diet with limited meat (ideally only once a week) helps maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of chronic illnesses.

Don’t smoke: Smoking is still one of the leading preventable causes of early death.

Exercise regularly: A mix of aerobic and strength training exercises helps maintain muscle, which is essential as you age.

The Older The Better Or The Older The Sicker?

While the common belief is that the older you get, the sicker you become, however, many centenarians reach old age mostly have lived a healthy lives. This is in contrast to people who develop chronic illness in their 60s or 70s. While centenarians often reach their 90s without a major health condition and experience only a short period of illness before their deaths.

This is why the concept of NECS is so valuable. This was funded by the National Institute on Aging, the William M. Wood Foundation, and the Martin and Paulette Samowitz Family Foundation. The study has tracked more than 2,000 centenarians, identifying not only genetic patterns but lifestyle commonalities.