Alcoholism

An intervention refers to the process coordinated by a specialist, through which a person with a severe alcohol problem is determined to accept the fact that he or she is in serious need of alcohol rehab.

Recovery from generates a series of alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which most alcohol addicts cannot handle, unless they benefit from professional assistance. Moreover, treating alcohol addiction can be a very complex process, depending on a series of factors specific to each individual. For these reasons, the persons who have an alcohol addiction problem are strongly recommended to enter an inpatient alcohol rehab program.

The benefits of joining an alcohol rehab program are numerous. The most notable one is, of course, the effective treatment of an individual’s alcohol addiction. Each individual’s particular needs and problems represent a critical factor in making a choice of the most appropriate alcohol rehab program, a choice that only a specialist at a rehab center can make. Some people may even require a certain combination of alcohol rehab techniques in order to ensure effective treatment.

An alcohol rehab center can provide patients with alcohol problems with many services, according to the seriousness of their condition. A comprehensive alcohol rehab program includes recreation therapy, individual, group and family therapy, art therapy, and so forth. Furthermore, patients with coexisting disorders can receive integrated treatment that will effectively cure both diseases. The strategies used to engage patients in alcohol rehab and determine them to stay in the treatment program are also important services provided by rehab centers, as many people decide to leave the treatment prematurely, which leads to reoccurrence of their problems.

The duration of a patient’s stay in an alcohol rehab center depends on his or her particular problems; however, the typical time frame is that of up to six weeks. This may seem like a long time to many people, which is why the rehab center you choose should be able to offer comfortable treatment and relaxing conditions for their residents.

If you are looking for a great alcohol rehab program please visit this link.

Additional Resources How To Locate An Alcohol Rehabilitation Center In California By Paul Johnson, Thu Dec 8th Alcohol rehab in California refers to the centers that helppeople in California to get rid of the menace of alcoholism. Prevalence of alcoholism is increasing in California thereforemore Read more...

Additional Resources The Basics Of Alcohol Abuse By Paul Johnson, Thu Dec 8th Alcohol consumption is not necessarily a problem. We've allheard that drinking should be done in moderation. And, whilemany of us are able to control our drinking (whether social ornot), others Read more...

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And again, thank you to those contributing daily to our Alcoholism Website, especially regarding "alcohol problem".

Acute Alcohol Intoxication Impairs the Hematopoietic Precursor Cell Response to Pneumococcal Pneumonia
Conclusions: Alcohol inhibits the hematopoietic precursor cell response to pneumonia, which may serve as a mechanism underlying the granulocytopenia and impaired host defense in alcohol abusers with bacterial pneumonia. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Effects of Alcohol Taxes on Alcohol-Related Mortality in Florida: Time-Series Analyses From 1969 to 2004
Conclusions: Increased alcohol taxes are associated with significant and sizable reductions in alcohol-attributable mortality in Florida. Results indicate that 600 to 800 lives per year could be saved if real tax rates were returned to 1983 levels (when the last tax increase occurred). Findings highlight the role of tax policy as an effective means for reducing deaths associated with chronic heavy alcohol use. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): 12-Month Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial in a Polish Emergency Department
Conclusions: Data suggest that improvements in drinking outcomes found in the assessment condition were not because of assessment reactivity, with both the screened and intervention conditions demonstrating greater (although nonsignificant) improvement than the assessed condition. Only those in the intervention condition showed significant improvement in all outcome variables from baseline to 12-month follow-up. Although group by time interaction effects were not found to be significant, these findings suggest that declines in drinking measures for those receiving a brief intervention can be maintained at long-term follow-up. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Reduced Resource Optimization in Male Alcoholics: N400 in a Lexical Decision Paradigm
Conclusions: These results suggest a reduced flexibility in the cognitive networks and a lack of resource optimization in alcoholics. The reduced attenuation of N400 during the primed condition in the alcohol dependent subjects may reflect an inability to engage similar neuronal substrates associated with semantic relatedness as seen in the controls. As diminished N400 attenuation during priming is observed in both alcoholics and high risk subjects, it may be a marker of risk and a good endophenotype for alcoholism. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Preventive Effect of Oral EGCG in a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Mouse Model
Conclusions: In a murine model, oxidative stress appears to play an important role in ethanol-induced embryonic growth retardation. EGCG can prevent some of the embryonic injuries caused by ethanol. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Alcohol-Induced Exacerbation of Ischemic Brain Injury: Role of NAD(P)H Oxidase
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that NAD(P)H oxidase may play an important role in exacerbated ischemic brain injury during chronic alcohol consumption. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Liver Disease and HPLC Quantification of Disialotransferrin for Heavy Alcohol Use: A Case Series
Conclusions: Liver abnormalities, but not necessarily cirrhosis, are common in individuals with poor chromatographic separation of transferrin glycoforms, which might lead to false-positive results on CDT testing. However, the chromatographic-based assay can detect this issue, minimizing the reporting of false positives, but not necessarily assisting in valid detection of heavy drinking. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Individual Differences in Problem Drinking Among Tribal Members From One First Nation Community
Conclusions: The findings support the theory that personality traits and psychosocial learning are important determinants of problem drinking in First Nation people and Caucasians. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Percentage of Subjects With No Heavy Drinking Days: Evaluation as an Efficacy Endpoint for AlcoholClinical Trials
Conclusions: PSNHDD appears to be a clinically informative end point measure, especially when used with a grace period, and is as sensitive as most traditional outcome measures in detecting differences between the medication and placebo groups. Nonetheless, these findings should be replicated in other clinical data sets, particularly with medications that work via different mechanisms. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Familial Loading for Alcoholism and Offspring Behavior: Mediating and Moderating Influences
Conclusions: Findings support previously proposed but untested pathways in etiologic models of alcoholism and show the potentially important role of active parenting in reducing the expression of inherited vulnerability to alcoholism in childhood. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Fetal Alcohol Exposure Increases Mammary Tumor Susceptibility and Alters Tumor Phenotype in Rats
Conclusions: These data indicate that alcohol exposure in utero increases susceptibility to mammary tumorigenesis in adulthood and suggest that alterations in the IGF and E2 systems may play a role in the underlying mechanism. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Role of Microglia in Ethanol's Apoptotic Action on Hypothalamic Neuronal Cells in Primary Cultures
Conclusions: These results suggest that ethanol's apoptotic action on hypothalamic neuronal cells might be mediated via microglia, possibly via increased production of TNF-[alpha]. Furthermore, cAMP reduces TNF-[alpha] production from microglia to prevent ethanol's neurotoxic action. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Irreversible Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency in Alcoholic Rats Without Chronic Pancreatitis After Alcohol Withdrawal
Conclusions: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency was irreversible in alcoholic rats without CP after alcohol withdrawal. It may be attributed to reduced pancreatic CCK, long-standing fatty infiltration, ultramicrostructure injuries in pancreatic acinar cells, and aging. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Efficacy and Safety of Baclofen for Alcohol Dependence: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Conclusions: Baclofen, a GABAB agonist, represents a possible new pharmacotherapeutic approach to alcohol dependence. Despite encouraging preclinical data and prior positive clinical trials with baclofen in Italy, the current trial did not find evidence that baclofen is superior to placebo in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Additional clinical trial work is necessary to establish whether baclofen does or does not have therapeutic efficacy in alcohol dependence and, if it does, what factors are predictive of response. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Measurement of Serum, Liver, and Brain Cytokine Induction, Thiamine Levels, and Hepatopathology in Rats Exposed to a 4-Day Alcohol Binge Protocol
Conclusions: A single 4-day bout of binge EtOH exposure alone was insufficient to induce the expression of 7 cytokines in blood, liver, or 6 brain regions of wild-type Wistar rats. Alternative interpretations for elevations in brain Cho in response to a 4-day binge EtOH treatment are therefore necessary and may include induction of cytokines not measured herein or other noninflammatory mechanisms. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Disability Associated With Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
Conclusions: This review identified the main patterns of disability associated with AUD. However, there was considerable variability, and data on less prominent patterns were fragmented. Further and systematic research is required for increasing the knowledge on disability related to AUD and for application of interventions for reducing the associated burden. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Impact of Maternal Age on the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Attention
Conclusion: These findings are consistent with previous findings that children born to older alcohol-using women have more deleterious effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on other neurobehavioral outcomes. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Gender-Related Influences of Parental Alcoholism on the Prevalence of Psychiatric Illnesses: Analysis of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions
Conclusions: Interactions between gender and parental alcoholism were specific to certain disorders but varied in their effects, and in general female children of women with alcoholism appear at greatest risk for adult psychopathology. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Sociodemographic Predictors of Pattern and Volume of Alcohol Consumption Across Hispanics, Blacks, and Whites: 10-Year Trend (1992–2002)
Conclusion: The only common trend between 1992 and 2002 across both genders and 3 ethnic groups was a rise in the proportion of drinkers. There was also a rise in drinking 5 or more drinks in a day (Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics) and drinking to intoxication (Whites and Blacks), but this was limited to those reporting such drinking at least once a month. The reasons for these changes are many and may involve complex sociodemographic changes in the population. It is important for the field to closely monitor these cross-ethnic trends in alcohol consumption. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Gender Differences in Alcohol Treatment: An Analysis of Outcome From the COMBINE Study
Conclusions: This gender-focused analysis found that alcohol-dependent women responded to naltrexone with COMBINE's Medical Management, similar to the alcohol-dependent men, on a wide range of outcome measures. These results suggest that clinicians can feel comfortable prescribing naltrexone for alcohol dependence in both men and women. In this study, it is also notable that fewer women than men reported receiving any alcohol treatment prior to entry into the COMBINE study. Of note, women tend to go to primary health care more frequently than to specialty substance abuse programs for treatment, and so the benefit we confirm for women of the naltrexone and MM combination has practical implications for treating alcohol-dependent women. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study With Quetiapine as Adjunct Therapy With Lithium or Divalproex in Bipolar I Patients With Coexisting Alcohol Dependence
Conclusions: The efficacy of quetiapine in the treatment of bipolar disorder is already well established. In this study, however, quetiapine added to lithium or divalproex did not result in significantly greater improvement compared with placebo in measures of alcohol use and dependence in patients with bipolar I disorder and alcohol dependence. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Role of the Flushing Response in the Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption and Insulin Resistance
Conclusions: The amount of drinking associated with the development of IR in flushers was lower than in nonflushers. Additionally, no positive effect of moderate drinking on IR was observed in flushers. The findings support acetaldehyde-derived mechanisms in the development of alcohol-related IR. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Quantitative EEG in Patients With Alcohol-Related Seizures
Conclusions: A QEEG with slightly reduced alpha amplitude supports a clinical diagnosis of ARS. An abnormally slow QEEG profile and asymmetry in the temporal regions indicates ES. QEEG predicted the clinical diagnosis better than standard EEG. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Region-Specific Induction of FosB/ΔFosB by Voluntary Alcohol Intake: Effects of Naltrexone
Conclusion: Our results suggest that chronic voluntary ethanol intake induces FosB/[Delta]FosB IR in a subregion-specific manner which involves the activation of endogenous opioid system. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Implementation of NIAAA College Drinking Task Force Recommendations: How Are Colleges Doing 6 Years Later?
Conclusions: Many colleges offer empirically supported programs for high-risk drinkers, but few have implemented other strategies recommended by NIAAA to address student drinking. Opportunities exist to reduce student drinking through implementation of existing, empirically based strategies. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Cholinergic Mediation of Alcohol-Induced Experimental Pancreatitis
Conclusion: These results demonstrate key roles for the cholinergic system in the mechanisms of alcoholic pancreatitis. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Effects of a Novel Cognition-Enhancing Agent on Fetal Ethanol-Induced Learning Deficits
Conclusions: These results suggest that ABT-239 administered prior to training can improve retention of acquired information by FAE offspring on more challenging versions of hippocampal-sensitive learning tasks. Further, the differential effects of ABT-239 in FAE offspring compared to controls raises questions about the impact of fetal ethanol exposure on histaminergic neurotransmission in affected offspring. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Ethanol Alters the Osteogenic Differentiation of Amniotic Fluid-Derived Stem Cells
Conclusions: These results suggest that transient exposure of AFSCs to ethanol during early differentiation enhances osteogenic differentiation of the cells. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Interaction of Gestational and Postnatal Ethanol Experience on the Adolescent and Adult Odor-Mediated Responses to Ethanol in Observer and Demonstrator Rats
Conclusions: The method of ethanol re-exposure plays an important role in prolonging the odor-mediated effects of fetal exposure. While ethanol odor-specific exposure through social interaction is important, additional factors such as the pairing of retronasal and hematogenic olfaction with ethanol's intoxicating properties appear necessary to achieve persistence in both sexes. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Alcohol and Hepatitis C Virus–Interactions in Immune Dysfunctions and Liver Damage
Hepatitis C virus infection affects 170 million people worldwide, and the majority of individuals exposed to HCV develop chronic hepatitis leading to progressive liver damage, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular cancer. The natural history of HCV infection is influenced by genetic and environmental factors of which chronic alcohol use is an independent risk factor for cirrhosis in HCV-infected individuals. Both the hepatitis C virus and alcohol damage the liver and result in immune alterations contributing to both decreased viral clearance and liver injury. This review will capture the major components of the interactions between alcohol and HCV infection to provide better understanding for the molecular basis of the dangerous combination of alcohol use and HCV infection. Common targets of HCV a...
Letter to the Editor in Regard to Baek, Lee, and Kwon (2010): "Influence of Dissolved Oxygen Concentration on the Pharmacokinetics of Alcohol in Humans"
(Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Oxygenated Alcohol – Sober Faster!
(Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Acute and Chronic Alcohol Exposure Impair the Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells and Enhance the Pulmonary Inflammatory Response
Conclusions: Acute alcohol exposure impairs pulmonary efferocytosis, whereas exposure to chronic alcohol is only associated with impaired efferocytosis following LPS-induced lung injury. Both forms of alcohol exposure are associated with increased alveolar neutrophil numbers in response to LPS. The acute effects of alcohol on efferocytosis appear to be mediated, at least in part, by RhoA-independent activation of ROCK. Further studies are needed to dissect the differences between the effects of acute and chronic alcohol exposure on efferocytosis and to determine the effects of alcohol on alternative activators of ROCK. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Decreased Pulmonary Inflammation Following Ethanol and Burn Injury in Mice Deficient in TLR4 but not TLR2 Signaling
Conclusions: These data suggest that TLR4 signaling is a crucial contributory component in the exuberant inflammation after ethanol and burn injury. However, TLR2 does not appear to play a vital role in the aberrant pulmonary inflammation. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Laboratory Models Available to Study Alcohol-Induced Organ Damage and Immune Variations: Choosing the Appropriate Model
This article summarizes the various laboratory models of alcohol abuse that are currently available and are used to study the mechanisms by which alcohol abuse induces organ damage and immune defects. The strengths and weaknesses of each of the models are discussed. Integrated into the review are the presentations that were made in the symposium "Methods of Ethanol Application in Alcohol Model[mdash]How Long is Long Enough" at the joint 2008 Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) and International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) meeting, Washington, DC, emphasizing the importance not only of selecting the most appropriate laboratory alcohol model to address the specific goals of a project but also of ensuring that the findings can be extrapolated to alcohol-induced dise...
Genetic Variation of the Ghrelin Signaling System in Females With Severe Alcohol Dependence
Conclusion: Taken together, the genes encoding the ghrelin signaling system cannot be regarded as major susceptibility genes for female alcohol dependence, but is, however, involved in paternal heritability and may affect other reward- and energy-related factors such as smoking and BMI. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Ghrelin Receptor Antagonism Decreases Alcohol Consumption and Activation of Perioculomotor Urocortin-Containing Neurons
Conclusions: These findings indicate that the action of ghrelin on the regulation of alcohol consumption may occur via the pIIIu. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Quercetin and Ethanol Attenuate the Progression of Atherosclerotic Plaques With Concomitant Up Regulation of Paraoxonase1 (PON1) Gene Expression and PON1 Activity in LDLR−/− Mice
Conclusions: Based on these findings, we conclude that quercetin and moderate ethanol significantly inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis by up regulating the hepatic expression of the antiatherogenic gene, PON1, with concomitant increased serum PON1 activity. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Differential Changes in MAP Kinases, Histone Modifications, and Liver Injury in Rats Acutely Treated With Ethanol
Conclusions: There were distinct differences in the behavior of the activation of the 3 MAP kinases and histone modifications after acute short exposure of liver to ethanol in vivo. Although all 3 MAPKs were rapidly activated at 1 hour, the necrosis, occurring at 4 hours, correlated to sustained activation of ERK1/2. Transient activation of p38 is associated with rapid phosphorylation of histone H3, whereas prolonged activation of ERK1/2 is correlated to persistent histone H3 acetylation. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Withdrawal Severity After Chronic Intermittent Ethanol in Inbred Mouse Strains
Conclusion: The chronic intermittent exposure paradigm is sufficient to elicit differential withdrawal responses across nearly all strains. Data from the high-dose groups correlated well with withdrawal data derived from prior acute (single high dose) and chronic continuous (for 72 hours) ethanol withdrawal studies, supporting the influence of common genes on all three responses. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Motivation for Alcohol Becomes Resistant to Quinine Adulteration After 3 to 4 Months of Intermittent Alcohol Self-Administration
Conclusions: We have developed a novel and technically simple hybrid operant/IAA model in which quinine-resistant motivation for alcohol is evident after an experimentally tractable period of time (3 to 4 months vs. 8 months). Quinine dramatically reduced sucrose and water intake by IAA rats, indicating that continued responding for alcohol in IAA rats despite adulteration with the normally aversive quinine might reflect maladaptive or compulsive motivation for alcohol. This model could facilitate identification of novel therapeutic interventions for pathological alcohol seeking in humans. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Effects of Alcohol Cue Exposure on Response Inhibition in Detoxified Alcohol-Dependent Patients
Conclusions: The urge to drink presumably reduced participants' self-control, and this interfered with their ability to inhibit responding. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Ethanol Alters Cell Fate of Fetal Human Brain-Derived Stem and Progenitor Cells
Conclusions: This study shows that ETOH alters the cell fate of neuronal stem and progenitor cells. These alterations could contribute to the mechanism for the abnormal brain development in FASD. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Delay Discounting Behavior and White Matter Microstructure Abnormalities in Youth With a Family History of Alcoholism
Conclusions: Youth with a family history of substance abuse have disrupted white matter microstructure, which likely contributes to less efficient cortical processing and may act as an intrinsic risk factor contributing to an increased susceptibility of developing AUD. In addition, FHP youth showed a trend toward greater impulsive decision making, possibly representing an inherent personal characteristic that may facilitate substance use onset and abuse in high-risk youth. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Interactions of Stress and CRF in Ethanol-Withdrawal Induced Anxiety in Adolescent and Adult Rats
Conclusions: In the production of anxiety-like behavior, adolescent rats have equal sensitivity with stress and lower sensitivity with CRF compared to adults. Further, adolescents had higher basal levels of CRF within the PVN and CeA and reduced CRF levels following repeated ethanol withdrawals. This reduced CRF within the CeA could indicate increased release of CRF, and future work will determine how this change relates to behavior. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Period 2 Gene Deletion Abolishes β-Endorphin Neuronal Response to Ethanol
Conclusions: These results suggest for the first time that the Per2 gene may be critically involved in regulating [beta]-endorphin neuronal function. Furthermore, the data revealed an involvement of the Per2 gene in regulating [beta]-endorphin neuronal responses to ethanol. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Milk Fat Globule EGF Factor 8 Attenuates Sepsis-Induced Apoptosis and Organ Injury in Alcohol-Intoxicated Rats
Conclusions: rmMFG-E8 attenuates sepsis-induced apoptosis and organ injury in alcohol-intoxicated rats. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Ethanol Enhances Taurine-Activated Glycine Receptor Function
Conclusion: Ethanol modulates taurine activation of GlyR function by a mechanism similar to that of the full agonist glycine. The lack of effect of ethanol at saturating taurine concentrations provides mechanistic information on alcohol actions at the GlyR. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Defective Translocation of PKCε in EtOH-Induced Inhibition of Mg2+ Accumulation in Rat Hepatocytes
Conclusions: Translocation of PKC[epsilon] isoform to the hepatocyte membrane is essential for Mg2+ accumulation to occur. Both acute and chronic ethanol administrations inhibit Mg2+ accumulation by specifically altering PKC[epsilon] translocation to the cell membrane. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Environmental Modulation of Alcohol Intake in Hamsters: Effects of Wheel Running and Constant Light Exposure
Conclusions: These results are evidence that exercise may offer an efficacious clinical approach to reducing EtOH intake. Also, predisposition for light-induced (or other) forms of circadian disruption may modulate the drive to drink. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Puberty-Dependent Sleep Regulation and Alcohol Use in Early Adolescents
Conclusions: From this study, it can be concluded that both puberty and sleep regulation are important factors in explaining alcohol use in early adolescence. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Moderating Effect of Religiosity on the Genetic Variance of Problem Alcohol Use
Conclusion: Religiosity appears to moderate the genetic effects on problem alcohol use during adolescence, but not during early adulthood. The reduced genetic variance for problem alcohol use in adolescence may be the consequence of greater social control in adolescence than in young adulthood. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Toward a Neurobehavioral Profile of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Conclusions: We used data from 2 sites of a multisite study and a broad neuropsychological test battery to determine a profile that could be used to accurately identify children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. Results indicated that measures of executive function and spatial processing are especially sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Recent Research on Impulsivity in Individuals With Drug Use and Mental Health Disorders: Implications for Alcoholism
This article reviews recent developments in our understanding of impulsivity as they relate to brain circuitry that might underlie these comorbid factors, focusing upon the clinical features of substance use (and dependence), bipolar disorder, and pathological gambling. Individuals who are affected by these disorders exhibit problems in several domains of impulsive behavior including deficient response or "motor" control, and the tolerance of prolonged delays prior to larger rewards at the expense of smaller rewards ("delay-discounting"). These populations, like alcoholic dependents, also exhibit impairments in risky decision-making that may reflect dysfunction of monoamine and catecholamine pathways. However, several areas of uncertainty exist including the specificity of impairments acro...
An fMRI Study of Number Processing in Children With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Conclusions: The data suggest that, whereas control children rely primarily on the fronto-parietal network identified in previous studies to mediate number processing, children with FAS/PFAS recruit a broader range of brain regions to perform these relatively simple number processing tasks. Our results are consistent with structural neuroimaging findings indicating that the parietal lobe is relatively more affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and provide the first evidence for brain activation abnormalities during number processing in children with FAS/PFAS, effects that persist even after controlling statistically for group differences in total intracranial volume and IQ. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Naltrexone Selectively Elevates GABAergic Neuroactive Steroid Levels in Heavy Drinkers With the ASP40 Allele of the OPRM1 Gene: A Pilot Investigation
Conclusions: Naltrexone increased ALLO levels among individuals with the Asn40Asp allele suggesting a potential neurosteroid contribution to the neuropharmacological effects of naltrexone among Asp40 carriers. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Trends in Alcohol-Related Traffic Risk Behaviors Among College Students
Conclusions: Alcohol-related traffic risk behaviors are quite common among college students and take a significant upturn when students reach the age of 21. Prevention strategies targeted to the college population are needed to prevent serious consequences of these alcohol-related traffic risk behaviors. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Developmental Trajectories of Impulsivity and Their Association With Alcohol Use and Related Outcomes During Emerging and Young Adulthood I
Conclusion: Findings highlight the developmental nature of impulsivity across emerging and young adulthood and provide an empirical framework to identify key covariates of individual changes of impulsivity. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Burden of Disease and the Cost of Illness Attributable to Alcohol Drinking—Results of a National Study
Conclusion: Our results confirm that alcohol is an important health risk factor in Portugal and a heavy economic burden for the health system, with hepatic diseases ranking first as a source of burden of disease attributable to alcohol. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Binge Drinking and Suboptimal Self-Rated Health Among Adult Drinkers
Conclusions: Binge drinking continues to be a serious public health concern. Frequent binge drinkers or binge drinkers who consume alcohol heavily are especially at risk of suboptimal self-rated health. Our findings underscore the importance of broad-based implementation in health care settings of screening for and brief interventions to address alcohol misuse, as well as the continuing need to implement effective population-based prevention strategies to reduce alcohol-related morbidity and mortality. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Alcohol Expectancies and Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Mediate the Association of Impulsivity With Alcohol Misuse
Conclusions: The hypothesized model was confirmed on a large sample of young adults and replicated on a sample of treatment-seeking substance abusers. Taken together, these findings shed further light on the mechanisms through which an impulsive temperament may convey risk for alcohol misuse. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Analgesic Effects of Ethanol Are Influenced by Family History of Alcoholism and Neuroticism
Conclusion: These findings support the conclusion that neuroticism and family history of alcoholism both influence the analgesic response of alcohol. Individuals with high N scores and FHP have the strongest response to ethanol analgesia particularly on the low exposure to alcohol. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Oseltamivir Treatment Prevents the Increased Influenza Virus Disease Severity and Lethality Occurring in Chronic Ethanol Consuming Mice
Conclusions: Despite the severe immune defect seen in chronic EtOH mice as well as the potential for EtOH to inhibit the conversion of oseltamivir into an active form, treatment with oseltamivir reduces viral shedding as well as disease severity. These data suggest that the combination of a limited adaptive immune response plus the anti-IAV drug oseltamivir is sufficient to curb high mortality and mediate resolution of IAVs in mice chronically consuming ethanol. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
A Sigh of Relief About Treating Influenza in Individuals With Alcohol-Use Disorders?
(Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Is the Full Version of the AUDIT Really Necessary? Study of the Validity and Internal Construct of Its Abbreviated Versions
Conclusions: The results obtained in this study confirm the validity of the abbreviated versions of the AUDIT for the screening of alcohol use disorders and show that their psychometric properties are as satisfactory as those of the 10-item AUDIT and the CAGE. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Changes in Sensation Seeking and Risk-Taking Propensity Predict Increases in Alcohol Use Among Early Adolescents
Conclusions: Results indicate the role of individual changes in disinhibitory traits in initial alcohol use in early adolescents. Specifically, findings suggest it is not simply initial levels of sensation seeking and risk-taking propensity that contribute to subsequent alcohol use but in particular increases in each of these constructs that predict greater odds of use. Future work should continue to assess the development of sensation seeking and risk-taking propensity in early adolescence and target these constructs in interventions as a potential means to reduce adolescent alcohol use. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Interactive Effects of Cumulative Stress and Impulsivity on Alcohol Consumption
Conclusions: Findings highlight the interactive relationship between stress and impulsivity with regard to hazardous drinking. The specific importance of cumulative traumatic stress as a marker for problem drinking is also discussed. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Pharmacologic Dissociation Between Impulsivity and Alcohol Drinking in High Alcohol Preferring Mice
Conclusions: Contrary to our hypothesis, none of the drugs tested here, while effective on either alcohol drinking or impulsivity, decreased both behaviors. These findings suggest that the genetic association between drinking and impulsivity observed in this population is mediated by mechanisms other than those targeted by the drugs tested in these studies. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Strain Differences in Behavioral Inhibition in a Go/No-go Task Demonstrated Using 15 Inbred Mouse Strains
Conclusions: The results of this study do support a link between innate level of impulsivity and response to ethanol and are consistent with a genetic basis for some measures of behavioral inhibition. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Control Yourself: Alcohol and Impulsivity
This article provides an overview of the rationale for the symposium, a synopsis of review and original research articles emanating from the symposium, and a description of the implications of the work and possible future research directions. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Behavioral and Biological Indicators of Impulsivity in the Development of Alcohol Use, Problems, and Disorders
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are a devastating public health problem. The construct of impulsivity is biologically based and heritable, and its various dimensions are relevant for understanding alcohol use. The goal of the current manuscript is to review recent behavioral and biological research examining various dimensions of impulsivity and their relation to AUDs from risk for initial use through dependence and relapse. Moreover, we also highlight key psychological variables including affective processes as they relate to current use and early indications of alcohol problems, as well as psychopathology, violence, and aggression in relation to AUDs. Each section includes a critical summary and we conclude the review with future directions focused on issues relevant to measurement, causali...
Acute Alcohol Effects on Inhibitory Control and Implicit Cognition: Implications for Loss of Control Over Drinking
Alcohol impairs inhibitory control, and it alters implicit alcohol cognitions including attentional bias and implicit associations. These effects are seen after doses of alcohol which do not lead to global impairments in cognitive performance. We review studies which demonstrate that the effects of alcohol on inhibitory control are associated with the ability of alcohol to prime alcohol-seeking behavior. We also hypothesize that alcohol-induced changes in implicit alcohol cognitions may partially mediate alcohol-induced priming of the motivation to drink. Based on contemporary theoretical models and conceptualizations of executive function, impulsivity, and the motivational salience of alcohol-related cues, we speculate on other aspects of cognition that may underlie alcohol's effects on a...
Insight Into the Relationship Between Impulsivity and Substance Abuse From Studies Using Animal Models
Drug use disorders are often accompanied by deficits in the capacity to efficiently process reward-related information and to monitor, suppress, or override reward-controlled behavior when goals are in conflict with aversive or immediate outcomes. This emerging deficit in behavioral flexibility and impulse control may be a central component of the progression to addiction, as behavior becomes increasingly driven by drugs and drug-associated cues at the expense of more advantageous activities. Understanding how neural mechanisms implicated in impulse control are affected by addictive drugs may therefore prove a useful strategy in the search for new treatment options. Animal models of impulsivity and addiction could make a significant contribution to this endeavor. Here, some of the more com...
Up-Regulation and Functional Effect of Cardiac β3-Adrenoreceptors in Alcoholic Monkeys
Conclusions: Chronic alcohol consumption down-regulates cardiac [beta]1- and up-regulates [beta]3-ARs, contributing to the abnormal response to catecholamines in ACM. The up-regulation of cardiac [beta]3-AR signaling enhances inhibition of LV myocyte contraction and relaxation and exacerbates the dysfunctional [Ca2+]i regulation and, thus, may precede the development of ACM. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Polymorphisms of Alcohol Dehydrogenase-1B and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-2 and the Blood and Salivary Ethanol and Acetaldehyde Concentrations of Japanese Alcoholic Men
Conclusions: The ADH1B/ALDH2 genotype affected the blood and salivary ethanol and acetaldehyde levels of nonabstinent alcoholics in a different manner from nonalcoholics, and clear effects of ADH1B genotype and less clear effects of ALDH2 were observed in the alcoholics. Alterations in alcohol metabolism as a result of alcoholism may modify the gene effects, and these findings provide some clues in regard to associations between the genotypes and the risks of alcoholism and UADT cancer. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Ethanol Acutely Modulates mGluR1-Dependent Long-Term Depression in Cerebellum
Conclusions: The results of the current study demonstrate that ethanol acutely suppresses parallel fiber LTD and may influence the mGluR-mediated slow current intracellularly. This study, plus previous evidence by Carta and colleagues (2006) and Belmeguenai and colleagues (2008), suggests significant actions of ethanol on mGluR-mediated currents and its dependent plasticity in brain. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
ERP and RT Delays in Long-Term Abstinent Alcoholics in Processing of Emotional Facial Expressions During Gender and Emotion Categorization Tasks
Conclusions: Our data demonstrate slower early processing of emotional facial stimuli in alcoholics that is unresolved by long-term abstinence and is most sensitively indexed by delayed P160 latency in LTAA. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Noninvasive Diagnosis of Large Esophageal Varices by Fibroscan: Strong Influence of the Cirrhosis Etiology
Conclusions: Etiology of cirrhosis has strong impact on LS cutoff for diagnosis of LOV. Studies should be performed with homogenous cirrhosis etiology. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Age of Drinking Onset as a Moderator of the Efficacy of Parent-Based, Brief Motivational, and Combined Intervention Approaches to Reduce Drinking and Consequences Among College Students
Conclusion: Results suggest the combination of a PBI and a peer-delivered BMI is an appropriate and efficacious way to reduce drinking and related consequences among individuals who initiated drinking earlier in adolescence and are at an increased risk of experiencing alcohol problems. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Age-Related Changes in Drinking Patterns From Mid- to Older Age: Results From the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study
Conclusions: Heavy drinking decreases with age, but we may see more frequent moderate drinking with current and upcoming cohorts of older adults. Components of quantity and frequency of drinking change differently. Composite measures of total alcohol consumption may not be adequate for describing relevant changes in drinking over time. A number of factors predicted patterns of change in drinking and warrant further exploration. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Acute Ethanol Effects on Brain Activation in Low- and High-Level Responders to Alcohol
Conclusions: Alcohol had differential effects on brain activation for low- and high-LR individuals within frontal and cingulate regions. These findings represent an additional step in the search for physiological correlates of a low LR and identify brain regions that may be associated with the low LR response. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Paradoxical Effects of Alcohol Information on Alcohol Outcome Expectancies
Conclusions: These observations are consistent with findings from cognitive research where familiarity in the absence of explicit memory can have an unconscious influence on performance. In particular, the exposure to these items in an informational format increases accessibility of the seen items even when the participants were told that they were myths. The findings have implications for the development of effective prevention materials. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
MAOA Interacts With the ALDH2 Gene in Anxiety–Depression Alcohol Dependence
Conclusion: We conclude that the MAOA and ALDH2 genes interact in ANX/DEP ALC. Although the MAOA gene alone is not associated with ANX/DEP ALC, we hypothesize that different variants of MAOA-uVNTR polymorphisms modify the protective effects of the ALDH2*2 allele on ANX/DEP ALC in Han Chinese in Taiwan. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Transcallosal White Matter Degradation Detected With Quantitative Fiber Tracking in Alcoholic Men and Women: Selective Relations to Dissociable Functions
Conclusions: This study revealed stronger alcohol effects for FA and radial diffusivity than axial diffusivity, suggesting myelin degradation, but no evidence for greater vulnerability to alcohol in women than men. The presence of brain-behavior relationships provides support for the role of alcoholism-related commissural white matter degradation as a substrate of cognitive and motor impairment. Identification of a double dissociation provides further support for the role of selective white matter integrity in specific domains of performance. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Inflexible and Indifferent Alcohol Drinking in Male Mice
Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the staged occurrence in mice of 2 distinct behavioral characteristics of alcoholism, i.e., inflexible and indifferent alcohol drinking. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Impact of Chronic Alcohol Ingestion on Cardiac Muscle Protein Expression
Conclusions: Based on the changes in proteins, we speculate modulation of cardiac muscle protein expression represents a fundamental alteration induced by chronic alcohol consumption, consistent with changes in myocardial wall thickness measured under the same conditions. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Chronic Ethanol Disrupts Circadian Photic Entrainment and Daily Locomotor Activity in the Mouse
Conclusions: These results confirm that chronic ethanol consumption and withdrawal markedly impair circadian clock photic phase-resetting. Ethanol also disturbs the temporal structure of nighttime locomotor activity and photic entrainment. Collectively, these results suggest a direct action of ethanol on the SCN clock. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Validity Study of Kessler's Psychological Distress Scales Conducted Among Patients Admitted to French Emergency Department for Alcohol Consumption–Related Disorders
Conclusions: This study confirms the good psychometric characteristics of Kessler's psychological distress scale. Even though similar performances were observed for K6/10, the brevity of the K6 makes it more suitable for use in EDs. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Genes Associated With Alcohol Abuse and Tobacco Smoking in the Human Nucleus Accumbens and Ventral Tegmental Area
Conclusions: The region-specific modulation of alcohol-sensitive gene expression by smoking may have important consequences for alcohol-induced aberrations within the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Physical Health and Drinking Among Medical Inpatients With Unhealthy Alcohol Use: A Prospective Study1
Conclusions: Among medical inpatients with nondependent unhealthy alcohol use and those who do not view their drinking as problematic, alcohol-attributable illness may catalyze decreased drinking. Brief interventions that highlight alcohol-related illness might be more successful. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
DUI Offenders Delay License Reinstatement: A Problem?
Conclusions: DUI offenders who delay reinstatement after they become eligible are high-risk drivers. Offenders who reinstate, however, have lower recidivism rates than those who do not. This suggests that encouraging reinstatement but with continued controls, as some states have provided through laws requiring interlocks as a condition of reinstatement, may be effective if they do not motivate extended delays. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
ADH1B*3 and Response to Alcohol in African-Americans
Conclusions: These findings suggest that the lower rates of alcohol dependence in those with ADH1B*3 alleles may be because of differences in alcohol response, particularly increased sedation. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
β-Endorphin Mediates Behavioral Despair and the Effect of Ethanol on the Tail Suspension Test in Mice
Conclusions: These findings support the contention that [beta]-E moderates behavioral responses to stressful stimuli and suggest a role for this peptide in coping behavior. Furthermore, the effects of EtOH on the response to stress may be mediated by [beta]-E. Sex differences in this influence may contribute to sex differences in disease susceptibility and expression. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Sensory Processing and Adaptive Behavior Deficits of Children Across the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Continuum
Conclusions: Regardless of the diagnosis received under the FASD umbrella, functional difficulties that could not be observed using traditional measures of intelligence were found, supporting guidelines that a broad range of standardized assessments be included when screening children for FASD. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Editorial Commentary: Alcohol Biomarker Papers
(Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Childhood Sleep Problems, Response Inhibition, and Alcohol and Drug Outcomes in Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Conclusions: This is the first study showing a long-term relationship between childhood sleep measures and subsequent alcohol and drug outcomes. The developmental and clinical implications of these findings were discussed. Prevention and intervention programs may want to consider the role of sleep problems and response inhibition on substance use and abuse. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Sensation Seeking in Long-Term Abstinent Alcoholics, Treatment-Naïve Active Alcoholics, and Nonalcoholic Controls
Conclusions: The results suggest that either sensation seeking normalizes with long-term abstinence or that relatively normal levels of sensation seeking predict the ability to achieve long-term abstinence. In either case, the results have important implications for our understanding of long-term abstinence. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Relationship Between Genetic Influences on Alcohol Dependence and on Patterns of Alcohol Consumption
Conclusions: In a population-based sample of twins, four relatively simple measures of AC obtained for the time of lifetime heaviest drinking were able to capture all (in women) or a very large proportion (in men) of the genetic risk for the complex multi-dimensional construct of AD. If replicated, these results have practical implications for studies aiming to assess genetic risk for AD. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Prospective Follow-Up of Empirically Derived Alcohol Dependence Subtypes in Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC): Recovery Status, Alcohol Use Disorders and Diagnostic Criteria, Alcohol Consumption Behavior, Health Status, and Treatment Seeking
In this report, we focus on the clinical follow-up of these cluster members in Wave 2 of the NESARC (2004 to 2005).Methods: The mean interval between NESARC Wave 1 and NESARC Wave 2 interviews was 36.6 (SD = 2.6) months. For these analyses, we utilized a Wave 2 NESARC sample that was comprised of a total of 1,172 individuals who were initially ascertained as having past-year AD at NESARC Wave 1 and initially subtyped into one of 5 groupings using latent class analysis. We identified these subtypes as: (i) Young Adult, characterized by very early age of onset, minimal family history, and low rates of psychiatric and SUD comorbidity; (ii) Functional, characterized by older age of onset, higher psychosocial functioning, minimal family history, and low rates of psychiatric and SUD comorbidity;...
The Remarkably High Prevalence of Epilepsy and Seizure History in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Conclusions: There is a remarkably high prevalence of epilepsy/seizures in the FASD population. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Effects of Naltrexone Treatment for Alcohol-Related Disorders on Healthcare Costs in an Insured Population
Conclusions: Although prior to treatment patients with alcohol-related disorders had higher healthcare costs, treatment with oral naltrexone was associated with reductions both in alcohol-related and nonalcohol-related healthcare costs. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Recruitment of Additional Brain Regions to Accomplish Simple Motor Tasks in Chronic Alcohol-Dependent Patients
Conclusions: These findings with NDH finger tapping support previous reports of neurocognitive inefficiencies in ALC. Inferior frontal activation with EP in ALC, but not in NC, suggests engagement of regions needed for planning, organization, and impulse regulation; greater contralateral parietal lobe activation with SP in ALC may reflect right hemispheric impairments in visuospatial performance. Contrasting brain activation during SP and EP suggests that ALC may not have enlisted a fronto-cerebellar network as did NC but rather employed a higher order planning mode by recruiting parietal lobe functions to attain normal mean finger tapping rates. Elucidation of the compensatory neural mechanisms that allow near normal performance by ALC on simple tasks can inform functional rehabilitation ...
ENT1 Regulates Ethanol-Sensitive EAAT2 Expression and Function in Astrocytes
Conclusions: Our results suggest that ENT1 regulates glutamate uptake activity by altering EAAT2 expression and function, which might be implicated in ethanol intoxication and preference. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Relationship Between Self-Reported Drinking and BAC Level in Emergency Room Injury Cases: Is it a Straight Line?
Conclusions: Future studies may benefit from investigating the factors suspected to be driving the weak relationships between these measures, including the actual time over which the reported alcohol was consumed and pattern of drinking over the consumption period. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Advancing Alcohol Biomarkers Research
This article summarizes these perspectives and highlights topics that constituted the basis for recommendations to enhance alcohol biomarker research. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Future Prospects for Biomarkers of Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-Induced Disorders
The lack of reliable measures of alcohol intake is a major obstacle to the diagnosis, treatment, and research of alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Successful development of a biomarker that allows for accurate assessment of alcohol intake and drinking patterns would not only be a major advance in clinical care but also a valuable research tool. A number of advances have been made in testing the validity of proposed biomarkers as well as in identifying potential new biomarkers through systems biology approaches. This commentary will examine the definition of a biomarker of heavy drinking, the types of potential biomarkers, the steps in biomarker development, the current state of biomarker development, and critical obstacles for the field. The challenges in developing biomarkers for alcohol trea...
Alcohol Biomarkers in Applied Settings: Recent Advances and Future Research Opportunities
During the past decade, advances have been made in the identification, development, and application of alcohol biomarkers. This is important because of the unique functions that alcohol biomarkers can serve in various applied settings. To carry out these functions, biomarkers must display several features including validity, reliability, adequacy of temporal window of assessment, reasonable cost, and transportability. During the past two decades, several traditional alcohol biomarkers have been studied in multiple human studies. Meanwhile, several new, promising biomarkers, including various alcohol metabolites and alcohol biosensors, are being explored in human studies. In addition, researchers have explored using biomarkers in combination and using biomarkers in combination with self-rep...
Clinical (Nonforensic) Application of Ethyl Glucuronide Measurement: Are We Ready?
Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) are minor metabolites of ethanol. Multiple studies have documented that, depending upon the amount of alcohol consumed, they can be measured in biological fluids for hours to days after the parent compound can no longer be detected. Testing for the presence of EtG, in a manner analogous to urinary drug abuse screening, has largely been restricted to forensic and law enforcement situations. Despite a real need for an objective and possibly quantitative marker of ethanol exposure for use in conjunction with outpatient clinical trials and treatment programs, measurement of these metabolites has seen only limited clinical application. The barriers to more extensive clinical use of EtG/EtS testing, particularly misleading assay results that can oc...
Genetic and Environmental Influences on Ethanol Consumption: Perspectives From Preclinical Research
Conclusions: The review underscores the advantages of using preclinical animal models of AUD and highlights points of intersection between the topics to help design a more integrated approach for the study of alcohol-related problems. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor 1 Gene (CRHR1) Are Associated With Quantitative Trait of Event-Related Potential and Alcohol Dependence
Conclusions: Our results suggest that CRHR1 may be involved in modulating the P3 component of the ERP during information processing and in vulnerability to alcoholism. These findings underscore the utility of electrophysiology and the endophenotype approach in the genetic study of psychiatric disorders. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Role of Wake-Promoting Basal Forebrain and Adenosinergic Mechanisms in Sleep-Promoting Effects of Ethanol
Conclusion: These results suggest that the inhibition of BF wake-promoting neurons by adenosinergic mechanism may be responsible for the sleep promoting effects of ethanol. We believe our study is the first to investigate the cellular mechanisms responsible for the somnogenic effects of ethanol. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Preference Conditioning in Healthy Individuals: Correlates With Hazardous Drinking
Conclusions: These findings support evidence that repeated drug use sensitizes neural pathways mediating conditioned reward and point to a neurocognitive disposition linking substance misuse and responses to reward-paired stimuli. The relationship between hazardous drinking and conditioned reward is independent of changes in cognitive function, such as working memory. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Structural and Functional Effects of Developmental Exposure to Ethanol on the Zebrafish Heart
Conclusions: These results show that exposure of the zebrafish to ethanol during development results in structural and functional changes in the heart that mimic malformations that occur in patients with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). These findings promote the zebrafish heart as a future model for investigating the mechanisms responsible for ethanol's adverse effects on vertebrate heart development. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Drinking Against Unpleasant Emotions: Possible Outcome of Early Onset of Alcohol Use?
Conclusions: The findings strengthen the hypothesis that alcohol experiences during early adolescence facilitate drinking to regulate negative affect as an adverse coping strategy which may represent the starting point of a vicious circle comprising drinking to relieve stress and increased stress as a consequence of drinking. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Differential Effects of Acute and Chronic Ethanol Exposure on Orexin Expression in the Perifornical Lateral Hypothalamus
Conclusion: These results lead us to propose that OX neurons, while responsive to negative feedback signals from chronic ethanol consumption, are stimulated by acute ethanol administration, most potently in the LH where OX may trigger central reward mechanisms that promote further ethanol consumption. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Adrenocortical and Pituitary Glucocorticoid Feedback in Abstinent Alcohol-Dependent Women
Conclusion: Significant differences in pituitary[ndash]adrenal function were not apparent between alcohol-dependent women and matched controls. Despite the small n, it appears that alcohol-dependent women do not show the same disruptions in HPA activity as alcohol-dependent men. These findings may have relevance for gender-specific treatment effectiveness. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Idiographically Determined Versus Standard Absorption Periods in Alcohol Administration Studies
Conclusions: IDAPs result in less BrAC variability and may reduce experimental noise relative to SAPs. Experimental control in future alcohol administration studies may be enhanced by the use of IDAPs instead of SAPs. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Verbal and Nonverbal Memory in Adults Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol
Conclusion: These findings indicate that prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with persistent and specific effects on memory performance, and these problems result from less efficient encoding of information across both verbal and nonverbal modalities. Education and training efforts with this clinical group should take these characteristics into account. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Induction of Innate Immune Gene Expression Cascades in Brain Slice Cultures by Ethanol: Key Role of NF-κB and Proinflammatory Cytokines
Conclusions: These findings indicate that ethanol treatment increases NF-[kappa]B[ndash]DNA binding and proinflammatory gene expression in brain slices. Ethanol-induced innate immune proinflammatory gene induction alters neurotransmission and likely contributes to alcoholic neurodegeneration. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Comparing Structural Equation Models That Use Different Measures of the Level of Response to Alcohol
Conclusions: Consistent with the >60% overlap in prediction of outcomes for the 2 LR measures, and with results from functional brain imaging, alcohol challenge- and SRE-based LR values operated similarly in SEM models in these men. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Chronic Alcohol Consumption Is Associated With an Increased Cytotoxic Profile of Circulating Lymphocytes That May Be Related With the Development of Liver Injury
Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that alcoholic patients display different phenotypical and functional changes in circulating PB cytotoxic lymphocytes according to the presence of alcoholic liver disease, which could be related to the development and progress of liver injury. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Genome-Wide Association Study of Alcohol Dependence Implicates a Region on Chromosome 11
Conclusions: We have identified several promising associations that warrant further examination in independent samples. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
MAOA Alters the Effects of Heavy Drinking and Childhood Physical Abuse on Risk for Severe Impulsive Acts of Violence Among Alcoholic Violent Offenders
Conclusion: Carriers of the MAOA-H allele have a high risk to commit severe recidivistic impulsive violent crimes after exposure to heavy drinking and CPA. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Assessing the Severity of Hazardous Drinking and Related Consequences Among Incarcerated Women
Background: Recent epidemiological efforts have demonstrated the utility of measuring individual differences in the severity of alcohol use along a single severity continuum marked by alcohol-related problems, symptoms of alcohol dependence, and the social consequences of drinking. Translation of this utility to specialized clinical populations is not assured. The expected inter-relationships among problems, symptoms and consequences, and enhanced sensitivity of combined assessments require confirmation in applied clinical settings.Method: Subjects were 245 incarcerated women who met Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test criteria for hazardous use of alcohol. Participants were recruited from a statewide adult correctional facility for an ongoing clinical trial testing the effectiveness...
Ethanol Impairs Activation of Retinoic Acid Receptors in Cerebellar Granule Cells in a Rodent Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Conclusion: For the first time, our studies have demonstrated that high-dose ethanol affects the expression and activation of RA receptors, which could impair the signaling events and induce harmful effects on the survival and differentiation of cerebellar granule cells. Taken together, these findings could provide insight into the treatment options for brain defects caused by excessive ethanol exposure, such as in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Ethanol Enhances the Interaction of Breast Cancer Cells Over-Expressing ErbB2 With Fibronectin
Conclusions: Our results suggest that ethanol enhances the adhesion of breast cancer cells to fibronectin in an ErbB2-dependent manner, and the FAK pathway plays an important role in ethanol-induced formation of a focal complex. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Increased Activation of the ACC During a Spatial Working Memory Task in Alcohol-Dependence Versus Heavy Social Drinking
Conclusions: Our results support the findings of increased dACC activation during a spatial working memory task as a risk factor for alcohol dependence. Increased task-related activation in the dACC was only observed in alcohol-dependent participants and not in heavy social drinkers with comparable alcohol consumption. Furthermore, the absence of behavioral performance differences between groups as well as an association between dACC activation and working memory performance indicates subtle working memory deficits. Low capacity of working memory has been linked to more automatic and less self-regulated behavior in studies on natural reward processing. Therefore, additional neural activation during performance of the non-alcohol-related working memory task in participants with higher OCDS ...
Human Variation in Alcohol Response Is Influenced by Variation in Neuronal Signaling Genes
Conclusions: These data, coupled with cell and animal model data implicating neuronal signaling in alcohol response, support the conclusion that neuronal signaling is mechanistically involved in alcohol's cellular and behavioral effects. Further, these data suggest that genetic variation in these signaling pathways contribute to human variation in alcohol response. Finally, this concordance of the cell, animal, and human findings supports neuronal signaling, particularly glutamate signaling, as a prime target for translational studies to understand and eventually modulate alcohol's effects. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Influence of Dissolved Oxygen Concentration on the Pharmacokinetics of Alcohol in Humans
Conclusions: In conclusion, elevated dissolved oxygen concentrations in alcoholic drinks accelerate the metabolism and elimination of alcohol. Thus, enhanced dissolved oxygen concentrations in alcohol may have a role to play in reducing alcohol-related side effects and accidents. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Effect of a Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification Program on the Bone Density of Male Heavy Drinkers
Conclusions: Alcoholic patients may have many complications such as poor ADL and dementia, which are independently associated with decreased bone density. The results of this study support the idea that comprehensive approach to lifestyle factors to minimize risk of osteoporosis is the best way to improve bone density. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Effect of Chronic Ethanol on Enkephalin in the Hypothalamus and Extra-Hypothalamic Areas
Conclusions: While distinguishing the NAc as a site where ENK and DYN respond differentially, these findings lead us to propose that these opioids, in response to voluntary ethanol consumption, are generally elevated in extra-hypothalamic as well as hypothalamic areas, possibly to carry out specific area-related functions that, in turn, drive animals to further consume ethanol. These functions include calorie ingestion in the PVN, reward and motivation in the VTA and NAcSh, response-reinforcement learning in the NAcC, stress reduction in the CeA, and behavioral control in the mPFC. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
The Hispanic Americans Baseline Alcohol Survey (HABLAS): Predictors of Alcohol Attitudes and Expectancies in Hispanic National Groups
Conclusions: Although there is some overlap, attitudes and expectancies are influenced by different sociodemographic variables. Positive and negative dimensions of those constructs also show distinct patterns of relations. Prevention and treatment programs targeting cognitive mediators of behavior should be mindful of these differential determinants and future modeling endeavors should incorporate them. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Effects of Ethanol on Extracellular Levels of Adenosine in the Basal Forebrain: An In Vivo Microdialysis Study in Freely Behaving Rats
Conclusion: Our study is the first to demonstrate that ethanol acts directly in the brain to increase extracellular adenosine. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Consequences of an Adolescent Onset and Persistent Course of Alcohol Dependence in Men: Adolescent Risk Factors and Adult Outcomes
Conclusion: Results emphasize the importance of examining developmental course to understand the etiology of AUD. Our findings are optimistic in that individuals who desist from AUD are able to achieve high levels of psychosocial functioning. Our findings suggest that future research on the persistence of AUD into adulthood should focus on the contributions of behavioral disinhibition and social environment variables including peer and romantic relationships. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Individual Differences in Alcohol Drinking Frequency Are Associated With Electrophysiological Responses to Unexpected Nonrewards
Conclusion: More specifically, the results demonstrate an increased vulnerability of high frequency drinkers to signals of (frustrative) nonrewards. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Alters Biobehavioral Reactivity to Pain in Newborns
Conclusions: Both cardiac autonomic and hypothalamic[ndash]pituitary[ndash]adrenal stress reactivity measures suggest a blunted response to an acute noxious event in alcohol-exposed newborns. This is supported by results on the Brazelton Neonatal Scale indicating reduced behavioral arousal in the exposed group. To our knowledge, these data provide the first biobehavioral examination of early pain reactivity in alcohol-exposed newborns and have important implications for understanding neuro-/biobehavioral effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in the newborn period. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Effects of Straight Chain Alcohols on Specific Isoforms of Adenylyl Cyclase
Conclusion: The number and the position of hydroxyl groups in straight chain alcohols play an important role in the magnitude of the enhancement on AC activity. Regardless of AC isoforms, the most effective of the straight chain alcohols seems to be the 1-alcohol (n-alkanol) for a given chain length. We found that one of the stereoisomers of 2,3-butanediol had opposite effects on AC activity depending on the AC isoform. Overall, the results are consistent with the hypotheses and demonstrate that a series of straight chain alcohols can be a valuable tool to study AC-alcohol interactions. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
An Event-Related Potential Study of Response Inhibition in ADHD With and Without Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Conclusion: This finding supports a growing body of evidence suggesting that the manifestation of idiopathic ADHD symptoms may stem from a neurophysiologic process that is different from the ADHD symptomatology associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Individuals who have been prenatally exposed to alcohol and present with ADHD symptomatology may represent a unique endophenotype of the disorder, which may require different treatment approaches from those found to be effective with idiopathic ADHD. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Social and Financial Resources and High-Risk Alcohol Consumption Among Older Adults
Conclusions: These findings reflect mutual influence processes in which older adults' social resources and high-risk alcohol consumption can alter each other. Older adults may benefit from information about how social factors can affect their drinking habits; accordingly, information about social causation effects could be used to guide effective prevention and intervention efforts aimed at reducing the risk that late-life social factors may amplify their excessive alcohol consumption. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
MicroRNAs: Master Regulators of Ethanol Abuse and Toxicity?
Ethanol exerts complex effects on human physiology and health. Ethanol is not only addictive, but it is also a fetal teratogen, an adult neurotoxin, and an etiologic agent in hepatic and cardiovascular disease, inflammation, bone loss, and fracture susceptibility. A large number of genes and signaling mechanisms have been implicated in ethanol's deleterious effects leading to the suggestion that ethanol is a "dirty drug." An important question is, are there cellular "master-switches" that can explain these pleiotropic effects of ethanol? MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been recently identified as master regulators of the cellular transcriptome and proteome. miRNAs play an increasingly appreciated and crucial role in shaping the differentiation and function of tissues and organs in both health and ...
Ethanol Acutely Inhibits Ionotropic Glutamate Receptor-Mediated Responses and Long-Term Potentiation in the Developing CA1 Hippocampus
Conclusions: Acute EtOH exposure during the third-trimester equivalent of human pregnancy inhibits hippocampal glutamatergic transmission and LTP induction, which could alter synapse refinement and ultimately contribute to the pathophysiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Role of Dopamine D1 Receptors and Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase in the Motivational Properties of Acetaldehyde as Assessed by Place Preference Conditioning
Conclusions: These results confirm that acetaldehyde and ethanol elicit conditioned place preference and demonstrate that D1 receptors are critically involved in these effects. Furthermore, the finding that PD98059 prevents the acquisition of acetaldehyde-elicited conditioned place preference highlights the importance of the D1 receptor[ndash]ERK pathway in its motivational effects. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Altered Motor Cortex Excitability to Magnetic Stimulation in Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
Conclusion: Transcranial magnetic stimulation shows a selective increase in intracortical facilitation after ethanol withdrawal. Our findings support the theory that altered glutamatergic receptor function plays an important role in the pathogenesis of human alcohol withdrawal. This study provides further physiological evidence that antiglutamatergic approaches represent an efficacious alternative for treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Chronic Mild Stress Differentially Alter Depressive- and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Male and Female Offspring
Conclusions: These data support the possibility that stress may be a mediating or contributing factor in the psychopathologies reported in FASD populations. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
GABRA2 and Alcohol Use Disorders: No Evidence of an Association in an Italian Case–Control Study
Conclusions: Despite previous reports, we did not find an association between AUDs and 3'-GABRA2 polymorphisms. This is probably due to the minimal comorbidity of our Italian sample suggesting that this gene is implicated in polysubstance dependence rather than in alcoholism alone. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Ethanol-Induced Increase of Agouti-Related Protein (AgRP) Immunoreactivity in the Arcuate Nucleus of the Hypothalamus of C57BL/6J, but not 129/SvJ, Inbred Mice
Conclusions: The results show that acute ethanol exposure has direct effects on endogenous AgRP activity in ethanol preferring C57BL/6J mice. It is suggested that ethanol-induced increases in AgRP may be part of a positive feedback system that stimulates excessive binge-like ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice. Inherent differences in [alpha]-MSH immunoreactivity may contribute to differences in neurobiological responses to ethanol that are characteristically observed between the C57BL/6J and 129/SvJ inbred strains of mice. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
NeoHepatocytes From Alcoholics and Controls Express Hepatocyte Markers and Display Reduced Fibrogenic TGF-β/Smad3 Signaling: Advantage for Cell Transplantation?
Conclusions: Generation of NeoHepatocytes from alcoholics, displaying several features of human hepatocytes, offers new perspectives for cell therapeutic approaches, as cells can be obtained repeatedly in a noninvasive manner. Furthermore, the autologous setting reduces the need for immunosuppressants, which may support recovery of patients which are declined for liver transplantation. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Ethanol Modulates Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Release From the Rat Hypothalamus: Does Acetaldehyde Play a Role?
Conclusions: These data show that both EtOH and acetaldehyde are able to increase hypothalamic CRH release from the rat hypothalamus and that acetaldehyde itself appears to be the mediator of EtOH activity. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Does Alcohol Involvement Increase the Severity of Intimate Partner Violence?
Conclusions: Our findings suggest alcohol involvement of either or both in the couple increases the risk of severe IPV. Our findings also suggest female alcohol use may play an important role in determining the severity of IPV, MFPV or FMPV. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)
Event-Related Oscillations Versus Event-Related Potentials in a P300 Task as Biomarkers for Alcoholism
Conclusions: Reduced evoked ERO power in the response to target stimuli provided an alternative and comparable representation of the reduced P3b amplitude in LTAA. This is not surprising as the evoked ERO power measures are derived from time-frequency representations of the ERP waveform. Induced theta oscillations might provide independent discriminatory information beyond ERP amplitude measures, but separate analysis of the event-related nonphase-locked activity is required to investigate this further. (Source: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research)

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