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University of Utah secures funds for ultrasound addiction treatment

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University of Utah secures funds for ultrasound addiction treatment


SALT LAKE CITY — Could an ultrasound help cure addiction? A team of researchers at the University of Utah think so.

Professor of Psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Dr. Brian Mickey is leading an effort to utilize ultrasound machines to target addiction pathways in the brain.  

“We’re going to the source of the problem,” Mickey told KSL NewsRadio. That source, he said, is deep brain circuits known to cause addiction. “The device can deliver the ultrasound’s generation into these deep brain areas, very precisely.” 

According to a press release, Mickey’s team’s ultimate goal is to “develop this approach into an individually targeted therapeutic intervention [for addiction].” 

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Global health non-profit organization Wellcome Leap awarded their team over two million dollars in funding for these efforts. 

“Addictions are brain illnesses …” Mickey said in a press release. “Many psychiatric problems … are caused by [brain circuit] malfunction. This project is an example of our mission to understand how [dysregulated] these neural circuits are … And to develop novel, circuit-targeted interventions that return the brain to a healthy state.” 

Mickey said they’re starting with patients who have a high probability of opioid dependency. They hope to be able to treat others as well. 

Mickey thinks this treatment will be especially helpful for people who have tried other ways of breaking their addiction but haven’t had success.

“For people who don’t respond to current, available approaches and for people who’ve had multiple relapses this could be an approach that works in a completely different way,” Mickey said. 

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New NBA Draft Intel: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Utah

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New NBA Draft Intel: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Utah


On the Sean O’Connell Show, Krysten Peek joined the show to talk about all things NBA Draft, and she brought some incredible insight and intel. If you haven’t listened, make sure you do here:

If you don’t have a chance to listen, here are the different insights she brought:



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Utah suicide rates twice national average, Summit County Health Department says

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Utah suicide rates twice national average, Summit County Health Department says


Summit County Health Director Phil Bondurant said the early 2026 survey found men are suffering with significant mental and behavioral health challenges between the ages of 10 and 44. In the U.S., Bondurant said, suicide is the second leading cause of death, behind unintentional injury.

“It’s the eighth leading cause of death nationally across all ages of men,” he said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” June 8. “When we look at this in Utah, we are two times the national average in suicides, and when you look at men, three of the four suicides in the state of Utah are men.”

He said that’s disproportionate to women. Roughly 31 out of 100,000 suicide deaths in Utah are men while less than 9 deaths per 100,000 are women.

FULL INTERIVEW: Summit County Health Department Phil Bondurant

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Bondurant said those statistics are related to men feeling isolated, experiencing depression and uncertainty about the future. But, he said the health department has worked to develop programs to break the stigma around men’s mental health and help people access care.

“It’s important that we remember that connection, conversation, help and support, just like our physical health, when we’re not feeling well or we break a bone, we go to the doctor, and they do what they do to help us get better and help our bodies mend,” he said. “Our mental health is the same way, we need to take care of it.”

He said uninsured residents that need help can call the health department and speak with the behavioral health team.

There is also a 24-hour 988 crisis hotline for people who need help or know someone who needs help. Utahns can also download the SafeUT app to speak with licensed counselors, submit safety tips and confidential help.

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Adventure travel draws families to Moab, Utah, as Americans stay closer to home

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Adventure travel draws families to Moab, Utah, as Americans stay closer to home


Family adventure travel bookings are up 106% annually from 2025, says Explore Worldwide. Domestic travel remains strong, so much so that Expedia calls this the “Stay Home Summer” as searches for cities near national parks and domestic beaches jump meaningfully….



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