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Alcohol Consumption (alcohol + consumption)
Kinds of Alcohol Consumption Terms modified by Alcohol Consumption Selected AbstractsALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND DRINKING PROBLEMS AMONG OLDER ADULTSADDICTION, Issue 3 2010RUDOLF MOOS No abstract is available for this article. [source] THE NEED FOR MORE QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DURING PREGNANCYADDICTION, Issue 8 2009BRIAN M. D'ONOFRIO No abstract is available for this article. [source] NEURODEVELOPMENT AND PRENATAL ALCOHOL CONSUMPTIONADDICTION, Issue 8 2009RON GRAY No abstract is available for this article. [source] J -SHAPE OR LINEAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND DEPRESSION: DOES IT MATTER?ADDICTION, Issue 6 2005BENJAMIN TAYLOR No abstract is available for this article. [source] THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION AMONG MEN IN JAPAN: A REPLY TO THE COMMENTARIESADDICTION, Issue 1 2005YUKIKO ANZAI No abstract is available for this article. [source] Assessing the validity of potential alcohol-related non-fatal injury indicatorsADDICTION, Issue 3 2008John Langley ABSTRACT Aim To assess critically the face validity of the World Health Organization's (WHO's) International Guide for Monitoring Alcohol Consumption and Related Harm (MACRH) for deriving indicators, for the purposes of developing non-fatal alcohol-related injury indicators in New Zealand. Design MACRH's five solutions for deriving indicators are: (i) use only alcohol-specific cases; (ii) identify subsets of events known to be highly alcohol-related; (iii) utilize control indicators that are rarely alcohol-related; (iv) estimate alcohol attributable fractions (AAFs) and adjust indicators accordingly; and (v) develop composite indicators. These were assessed in terms of their face validity with particular reference to New Zealand. Findings There are significant face validity issues with each of the five options. Solution 4 offers the greatest promise, provided that: (i) valid AAFs can be derived and they are updated regularly; and (ii) appropriate adjustment is made for extraneous influences on the estimates of alcohol-related harm. To date, the latter has not been carried out. Conclusions Most potential sources of data on alcohol-related harm are subject to extraneous influences, which vary over time and space. While the attempt by WHO to offer solutions to this problem is laudable, the solutions do not address the problem adequately. MACRH guidelines need to be revised to include criteria for a valid outcome indicator. [source] Alcohol in Postwar Europe, ECAS II: A Discussion of Indicators on Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-Related HarmADDICTION, Issue 12 2003JOAN COLOM FARRAN No abstract is available for this article. [source] Moderate Alcohol Consumption in Later Life: Time for a Trial?JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 6 2009Iain A. Lang PhD No abstract is available for this article. [source] Effects of Implementation Intentions Linking Suppression of Alcohol Consumption to Socializing Goals on Alcohol-Related DecisionsJOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 7 2010Nikos L. D. Chatzisarantis This article investigates the effects of implementation intentions that connect the suppression of alcohol consumption to socializing goals on the decision to accept an offer of a free alcoholic drink. Participants were university students (N = 48) who were randomly assigned to an implementation intention condition or a control condition. The results show that participants who formed implementation intentions were less likely to accept the offer of a free alcoholic drink than were participants who did not form implementation intentions. In addition, the results demonstrate that the implementation intention effect held among habitual alcohol drinkers. The results of the present study suggest that implementation exercises can successfully suppress habitual alcohol consumption. [source] Moderate Alcohol Consumption Suppresses Bone Turnover in Adult Female RatsJOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2001R. T. Turner Abstract Chronic alcohol abuse is a major risk factor for osteoporosis but the effects of moderate drinking on bone metabolism are largely uninvestigated. Here, we studied the long-term dose-response (0, 3, 6, 13, and 35% caloric intake) effects of alcohol on cancellous bone in the proximal tibia of 8-month-old female rats. After 4 months of treatment, all alcohol-consuming groups of rats had decreased bone turnover. The inhibitory effects of alcohol on bone formation were dose dependent. A reduction in osteoclast number occurred at the lowest level of consumption but there were no further reductions with higher levels of consumption. An imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption at higher levels of consumption of alcohol resulted in trabecular thinning. Our observations in rats raise the concern that moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages in humans may reduce bone turnover and potentially have detrimental effects on the skeleton. [source] The Role of the Flushing Response in the Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption and Insulin ResistanceALCOHOLISM, Issue 10 2010Jin-Gyu Jung Background:, Facial flushing responses to drinking, because of intolerance to alcohol, are observed in some people, especially Asians. This study examined the role of flushing responses in the relationship between alcohol consumption and insulin resistance (IR). Methods:, Participants in this cross-sectional analysis included 624 Korean men (80 nondrinkers, 306 nonflushing drinkers, and 238 flushing drinkers) who were free of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Data on the flushing response to drinking and alcohol consumption were collected from medical records. IR was estimated using the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMAIR). On the basis of comparisons with nondrinkers, the risk of IR according to the quantity of alcohol consumed per week was analyzed among nonflushers and flushers. Results:, After adjusting for age, exercise status, smoking status, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides using a logistic regression model, we found a low risk of IR among nonflushers who consumed ,4 drinks (1 drink = 14 g of alcohol) per week (OR = 0.3). In contrast, a higher risk of IR was associated with nonflushers who consumed >20 drinks per week (OR = 3.5). On the other hand, only a higher risk of IR was associated with flushers who consumed >12 drinks per week (>12 to 20 drinks: OR = 4.7; >20 drinks: OR = 3.5). 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] Ghrelin Receptor Antagonism Decreases Alcohol Consumption and Activation of Perioculomotor Urocortin-Containing NeuronsALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2010Simranjit Kaur Background:, The current therapies for alcohol abuse disorders are not effective in all patients, and continued development of pharmacotherapies is needed. One approach that has generated recent interest is the antagonism of ghrelin receptors. Ghrelin is a gut-derived peptide important in energy homeostasis and regulation of hunger. Recent studies have implicated ghrelin in alcoholism, showing altered plasma ghrelin levels in alcoholic patients as well as reduced intakes of alcohol in ghrelin receptor knockout mice and in mice treated with ghrelin receptor antagonists. The aim of this study was to determine the neuroanatomical locus/loci of the effect of ghrelin receptor antagonism on alcohol consumption using the ghrelin receptor antagonist, D-Lys3-GHRP-6. Methods:, In Experiment 1, male C57BL/6J mice were injected with saline 3 hours into the dark cycle and allowed access to 15% (v/v) ethanol or water for 2 hours in a 2-bottle choice experiment. On test day, the mice were injected with either saline or 400 nmol of the ghrelin receptor antagonist, D-Lys3-GHRP-6, and allowed to drink 15% ethanol or water for 4 hours. The preference for alcohol and alcohol intake were determined. In Experiment 2, the same procedure was followed as in Experiment 1 but mice were only allowed access to a single bottle of 20% ethanol (v/v), and alcohol intake was determined. Blood ethanol levels were analyzed, and immunohistochemistry for c-Fos was carried out to investigate changes in neural activity. To further elucidate the mechanism by which D-Lys3-GHRP-6 affects alcohol intake, in Experiment 3, the effect of D-Lys3-GHRP-6 on the neural activation induced by intraperitoneal ethanol was investigated. For the c-Fos studies, brain regions containing ghrelin receptors were analyzed, i.e. the perioculomotor urocortin population of neurons (pIIIu), the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and the arcuate nucleus (Arc). In Experiment 4, to test if blood ethanol concentrations were affected by D-Lys3-GHRP-6, blood samples were taken at 2 time-points after D-Lys3-GHRP-6 pretreatment and systemic ethanol administration. Results:, In Experiment 1, D-Lys3-GHRP-6 reduced preference to alcohol and in a follow-up experiment (Experiment 2) also dramatically reduced alcohol intake when compared to saline-treated mice. The resulting blood ethanol concentrations were lower in mice treated with the ghrelin receptor antagonist. Immunohistochemistry for c-Fos showed fewer immunopositive cells in the pIIIu of the antagonist-treated mice but no difference was seen in the VTA or Arc. In Experiment 3, D-Lys3-GHRP-6 reduced the induction of c-Fos by intraperitoneal ethanol in the pIIIu but had no effect in the VTA. In the Arc, there was a significant increase in the number of c-Fos immunopositive cells after D-Lys3-GHRP-6 administration, but the antagonist had no effect on ethanol-induced expression of c-Fos. D-Lys3-GHRP-6-pretreatment also did not affect the blood ethanol concentrations observed after a systemic injection of ethanol when compared to saline-pretreated mice (Experiment 4). Conclusions:, These findings indicate that the action of ghrelin on the regulation of alcohol consumption may occur via the pIIIu. [source] Interactive Effects of Cumulative Stress and Impulsivity on Alcohol ConsumptionALCOHOLISM, Issue 8 2010Fox Helen C. Background:, Alcohol addiction may reflect adaptations to stress, reward, and regulatory brain systems. While extensive research has identified both stress and impulsivity as independent risk factors for drinking, few studies have assessed the interactive relationship between stress and impulsivity in terms of hazardous drinking within a community sample of regular drinkers. Methods:, One hundred and thirty regular drinkers (56M/74F) from the local community were assessed for hazardous and harmful patterns of alcohol consumption using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). All participants were also administered the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) as a measure of trait impulsivity and the Cumulative Stress/Adversity Checklist (CSC) as a comprehensive measure of cumulative adverse life events. Standard multiple regression models were used to ascertain the independent and interactive nature of both overall stress and impulsivity as well as specific types of stress and impulsivity on hazardous and harmful drinking. Results:, Recent life stress, cumulative traumatic stress, overall impulsivity, and nonplanning-related impulsivity as well as cognitive and motor-related impulsivity were all independently predictive of AUDIT scores. However, the interaction between cumulative stress and total impulsivity scores accounted for a significant amount of the variance, indicating that a high to moderate number of adverse events and a high trait impulsivity rating interacted to affect greater AUDIT scores. The subscale of cumulative life trauma accounted for the most variance in AUDIT scores among the stress and impulsivity subscales. 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] Validity Study of Kessler's Psychological Distress Scales Conducted Among Patients Admitted to French Emergency Department for Alcohol Consumption,Related DisordersALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2010Benjamin Arnaud Background:, Alcohol-related disorders (ARD) encountered in emergency departments (ED) have a high prevalence and are underestimated. It is necessary to provide professionals with a tool to identify patients in whom there is a risk that alcohol-related and mental health problems may be associated. Kessler's K6/10 psychological distress scales are fast, easy-to-use, and have been shown to achieve a good performance in the identification of psychological distress associated with ARD. Aim:, The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Kessler scales, version 6 and 10, with a sample of patients admitted to EDs for alcohol consumption. Methods:, On the day after their admission, with a zero "blood" alcohol concentration, 71 patients were randomly assigned to be assessed using 6 or 10 items version. The internal consistency and factor structure of the K6/10 versions were examined. Convergent validity was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Results:, The prevalence of psychological distress in our sample was approximately 60%. The selected threshold scores were 10 for K6 (Sensitivity: 0.92; Specificity: 0.62) and 14 for K10 (Sensitivity: 0.95; Specificity: 0.54). The Cronbach coefficients for K6 and K10 were 0.76 and 0.84, respectively. The factor analyses indicated the multidimensional nature of K6/10. The 2 versions, containing 6 and 10 items respectively, correlated better with the HADS (0.83 and 0.70, respectively) than with the HDRS (0.51 and 0.49, respectively). The areas under the ROC Curve indicated a high level of accuracy for both the K6 (0.87) and the K10 (0.77). The difference was not statistically significant. 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] Future Prospects for Biomarkers of Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-Induced DisordersALCOHOLISM, Issue 6 2010Willard M. Freeman 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 treatment and research are similar to those found in other fields. However, the alcohol research field must reach a competitive level of rigor and organization. We recommend that NIAAA consider taking a leadership role in organizing investigators in the field and providing a common set of clinical specimens for biomarker validation studies. [source] The Relationship Between Genetic Influences on Alcohol Dependence and on Patterns of Alcohol ConsumptionALCOHOLISM, Issue 6 2010Kenneth S. Kendler Background:, Genetic factors impact substantially both on alcohol consumption (AC) and on the risk for alcohol dependence (AD). However, we know little about the degree to which measures of AC index the genetic risk for AD. Methods:, We assessed a lifetime history of AD by DSM-IV criteria and four measures of AC at the time of heaviest drinking (drink frequency, regular quantity, maximum quantity, and drunk frequency) in 5,073 adult twins from same-sex pairs from the Virginia Twin Registry. Structural models were fitted using Mx. Results:, We found evidence for different genetic structure in the sexes. In women, genetic risk for AD and for the four measures of AC was entirely shared. In men, the AC measures captured 85% of the genetic risk for AD. In women, the genetic relationship with AD was strongest for drunk frequency and in men for both drunk frequency and regular quantity. 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] Chronic Alcohol Consumption Is Associated With an Increased Cytotoxic Profile of Circulating Lymphocytes That May Be Related With the Development of Liver InjuryALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2010Francisco Javier Laso Background:, Apoptosis has recently emerged as a key component of acute and chronic liver diseases and it could be related to alcoholic liver disease. In the present study, we attempted to analyze the cytotoxic profile of circulating lymphocytes in chronic alcoholic patients grouped according to ethanol intake status and presence of liver disease. Methods:, We investigate the phenotypic and functional behavior of different compartments of peripheral blood (PB) cytotoxic T and natural killer (NK) cells in chronic alcoholic patients without liver disease and active ethanol intake (AWLD group; n = 22), and in subjects with alcohol liver cirrhosis (ALC group; n = 22). Results:, AWLD patients showed an expansion of both CD4+/CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and NK/T cells, in association with an enhanced cytolytic activity against K562 cells and a higher ability to induce in vitro expression of the pro-apoptotic protein APO2.7 in HepG2 cells. Conversely, ethanol intake in ALC patients was associated with decreased NK cell numbers, a reduced cytotoxic activity against K562 cells without significant changes in the expression of APO2.7, and a pro-fibrotic profile of cytokine secretion. 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] Exercise Neuroprotection in a Rat Model of Binge Alcohol ConsumptionALCOHOLISM, Issue 3 2010J. Leigh Leasure Background:, Excessive alcohol intake produces structural and functional deficits in corticolimbic pathways that are thought to underlie cognitive deficits in the alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Animal models of binge alcohol administration support the direct link of high levels of alcohol consumption and neurotoxicity in the hippocampus and surrounding cortex. In contrast, voluntary wheel running enhances hippocampal neurogenesis and generally promotes the health of neurons. Methods:, We investigated whether voluntary exercise prior to binge alcohol exposure could protect against alcohol-induced cell loss. Female Long-Evans rats exercised voluntarily for 14 days before undergoing 4 days of binge alcohol consumption. Brains were harvested immediately after the last dose of alcohol and examined for various histological markers of neurodegeneration, including both cell death (FluoroJade B) and cell birth (Ki67) markers. Results:, Rats that exercised prior to binge exposure were significantly less behaviorally intoxicated, which was not a result of enhanced hepatic metabolism. Rats that exercised prior to binge alcohol consumption had reduced loss of dentate gyrus granule cells and fewer FluoroJade B positive cells in the dentate gyrus and associated entorhinal-perirhinal cortex compared to nonexercisers. However, exercise did not protect against cell death in the piriform cortex nor protect against alcohol-induced decreases in cell proliferation, evidenced by a similar alcohol-induced reduction in Ki67 labeled cells between exercise and sedentary rats. Conclusions:, We conclude that exercise can reduce behavioral sensitivity to ethanol intoxication and protect vulnerable brain areas from alcohol-induced cell death. Exercise neuroprotection of alcohol-induced brain damage has important implications in understanding the neurobiology of the AUDs as well as in developing novel treatment strategies. [source] The Effect of Moderate to Heavy Alcohol Consumption on Neuropsychological Performance as Measured by the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological StatusALCOHOLISM, Issue 3 2010Alisa Green Background:, Excessive alcohol use is associated with damage to the structure and function of the brain and impairment of cognition and behavior. Traditional test batteries used to assess cognitive performance in alcoholics are extensive and costly, limiting their use across various clinical and research settings. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) is a relatively new instrument that attempts to overcome some of these limitations. As yet the individual effect of moderate to heavy alcohol consumption on RBANS performance has not been examined. The primary aim of this study was to explore and quantify differences in performance between controls and drinkers on the RBANS and to examine the influence of age, gender, and alcohol use patterns on test performance. Methods:, Data from a subset of "Using Our Brains" (UoB) donors (n = 28) still actively drinking and meeting criteria for moderate to heavy alcohol use (30 to 80 g of ethanol per day) (Harper, 1988) and 28 matched controls (age, education, and premorbid Intelligence Quotient) were compared. Results:, Participants in the alcohol group performed below the healthy control group on the visuospatial and immediate memory index, and also on the RBANS total score p < 0.001 and showed a greater decline in RBANS scores from estimated cross-sectional premorbid levels. There was a positive association between alcohol ingestion in the preceding 12 months and the language index p < 0.03 and the semantic fluency subtest (p < 0.03). Age was negatively associated with story memory (p < 0.02), coding (p < 0.001), list recognition (p < 0.01), story recall (p < 0.03), and figure recall (p < 0.02). Conclusion:, Our results suggest that the RBANS is able to detect and characterize differences in verbal fluency, visuospatial skills, components of declarative memory, and psychomotor speed between healthy controls and moderate to heavy active alcohol users. Executive functions, commonly affected by alcoholism and not included in the RBANS, require assessment with additional measures. [source] Chronic Alcohol Consumption Disrupted Cholesterol Homeostasis in Rats: Down-Regulation of Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor and Enhancement of Cholesterol Biosynthesis Pathway in the LiverALCOHOLISM, Issue 3 2010Zhigang Wang Background:, Chronic alcohol consumption causes alcoholic liver disease, which is associated, or initiated, with dysregulated lipid metabolism. Very recent evidence suggested that dysregulated cholesterol metabolism plays an important role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver diseases, however, the effects of chronic alcohol exposure on cholesterol homeostasis have not been well studied and underlying mechanisms behind are still elusive. Methods:, Male Sprague,Dawley rats weighing 250 ± 5.5 g (mean ± SEM) divided into 2 groups (8 rats per group) and pair-fed with liquid diets containing (in percent of energy intake) 18% protein, 35% fat, 12% carbohydrate, and 35% either ethanol (ethanol diet) or an isocaloric maltose-dextrin mixture (control diet), according to Lieber and De Carli, for 4 weeks. Results:, Long-term excessive alcohol feeding to rats caused fatty liver and liver injury, which was associated with disrupted cholesterol homeostasis, characterized by increased hepatic cholesterol levels and hypercholesterolemia. Hepatic cholesterol increases were concomitant with constantly activated sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) in the liver and increased expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase, a rate-limiting enzyme for cholesterol de novo synthesis, indicating enhanced cholesterol biosynthesis. Alcohol-induced hypercholesterolemia was accompanied by decreased LDL receptor (LDLr) levels in the liver. Further investigations revealed that chronic alcohol exposure increased hepatic proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) contents to down-regulate LDLr via a post-translational mechanism. Moreover, alcohol feeding suppressed extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation in the liver. In vitro studies showed that inhibition of ERK activation was associated with decreased LDLr expression in HepG2 cells. Conclusions:, Our study provides the first evidence that both increased PCSK9 expression and suppressed ERK activation in the liver contributes to alcohol-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats. [source] Phosphatidylethanol and Alcohol Consumption in Reproductive Age WomenALCOHOLISM, Issue 3 2010Scott H. Stewart Background:, Fetal alcohol disorders are preventable, but self-reported alcohol consumption can be misleading and impede effective treatment. Biomarkers represent an alternative method for assessing alcohol use, and this study evaluated the relationship between blood phosphatidylethanol (PEth) and alcohol use in a sample of reproductive age women. Methods:, Alcohol use was estimated by validated self-report methods in 80 nonpregnant women ages 18 to 35. PEth was measured by a contracted laboratory using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. Regression methods appropriate for the distribution of PEth were used to define its relationship to alcohol consumption during the prior 2 weeks and explore the effects of drinking patterns on this association. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to estimate the sensitivity of PEth for various drinking levels at 95% specific cutoffs. Results:, PEth had a positive linear association with grams of alcohol consumed (p < 0.001), and was detectable in 93% of subjects consuming an average of 2 or more drinks per day. The relationship between total alcohol consumption and PEth may be stronger in women with recent heavy drinking days. The relationship between drinking and PEth varied considerably between individuals, and sensitivity for a certain amount of drinking was low at a highly specific cutoff concentration. Conclusions:, PEth is a highly sensitive indicator of moderate and heavy alcohol consumption in reproductive age women and may complement the use of self-report alcohol screens when additional objective markers of alcohol use are desirable. However, choosing a highly valid cutoff concentration for PEth to differentiate various levels of alcohol consumption may not be feasible. [source] Heavy Episodic Drinking and Alcohol Consumption in French Colleges: The Role of Perceived Social NormsALCOHOLISM, Issue 1 2010Lionel Riou França Background:, The effect of normative perceptions (social norms) on heavy episodic drinking (HED) behavior is well known in the U.S. college setting, but little work is available in other cultural contexts. The objective of this study is therefore to assess whether social norms of alcohol use are related to HED in France, taking account of other influential predictors. Methods:, A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 731 second-year university students in the Paris region to explore the role of 29 potential alcohol use risk factors. The probability of heavy episodic drinking and the frequency of HED among heavy episodic drinkers were modeled independently. Monthly alcohol consumption was also assessed. Results:, Of the students, 56% overestimate peer student prevalence of HED (37% for alcohol drinking prevalence). HED frequency rises with perceived peer student prevalence of HED. Other social norms associated with HED are perceived friends' approval of HED (increasing both HED probability and HED frequency) and perceived friend prevalence of alcohol drinking (increasing HED probability only). Cannabis and tobacco use, academic discipline, gender, and the number of friends are also identified as being associated with HED. Conclusions:, Overestimation of peer student prevalence is not uncommon among French university students. Furthermore, perceived peer student prevalence of HED is linked to HED frequency, even after adjusting for other correlates. Interventions correcting misperceived prevalences of HED among peer students have therefore the potential to reduce the frequency of HED in this population. [source] Prevalence and Patterns of Alcohol Consumption and Health-Risk Behaviors Among High School Students in ThailandALCOHOLISM, Issue 12 2009Sawitri Assanangkornchai Background:, Underage drinking is a significant social and public health problem in Thailand. We report the prevalence and patterns of alcohol consumption and associated health-risk behaviors using data from a 2007,2008 national school survey. Method: A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among 50,033 high school and vocational college students from 201 schools in 40 provinces between December 2007 and February 2008. Results: The prevalence rates of past-year drinking, past-30-day binge drinking, and drinking until intoxication were 25.5, 9.5, and 17.3% in boys and 14.5, 3.7, and 7.2% in girls, respectively. Higher school levels, lower grades, living with someone other than their own parents, and having family members with substance or alcohol problems were significantly associated with all kinds of drinking. Binge drinkers were significantly more likely to have drinking consequences, e.g., driving after drinking, nausea and vomiting, and having a hangover than were nonbinge drinkers. The rates of other behavior and emotional problems were 2.5 to 6.7 times as likely in drinkers as nondrinkers, including smoking (35.1% vs. 4.9%), prescription drug misuse (17.7% vs. 6.7%), illicit substance use (17.8% vs. 2.4%), carrying a weapon (6.5% vs. 1.8%), feeling depressed (23.2% vs. 10.9%), suicidal attempt (10.5% vs. 3.8%), and sexual intercourse (30.5% vs. 5.7%). Conclusion: Alcohol consumption is a serious problem among adolescents in Thailand and is strongly associated with various health-risk behaviors. Effective age- and gender-specific interventions should be implemented to discourage underage drinking and associated adverse health and social consequences. [source] Modulation of Brain Endocannabinoid Levels by Voluntary Alcohol Consumption in Alcohol-Preferring AA RatsALCOHOLISM, Issue 10 2009Hanna Malinen Background:, The central nervous system cannabinoid CB1 receptors have been implicated in regulation of alcohol consumption. Less data are available on the role of the endogenous ligands for these receptors, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), in alcohol-related behaviors. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of voluntary alcohol consumption on the levels of these endocannabinoids in key brain areas mediating alcohol reinforcement. Methods:, Female and male alcohol-preferring AA (Alko, Alcohol) rats were trained to drink 10% (v/v) alcohol during 90-min limited access sessions every second day. Following establishment of stable alcohol drinking, half of the subjects were killed immediately before the daily alcohol access ("pre-session" group), while the other half was killed after the drinking session ("post-session" group). A separate control group consisted of water-drinking rats. AEA and 2-AG levels were measured from prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), caudate putamen (CPu), amygdala, and hippocampus using liquid chromatography,tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Results:, Voluntary alcohol drinking caused widespread alterations in the levels of both AEA and 2-AG. Compared to the water group, increased AEA levels were seen in the pre-session group, but they were decreased immediately following limited access drinking in the female AA rats. Also 2-AG levels were significantly elevated after long alcohol exposure, and an additional increase was found after limited access drinking in PFC. In males, however, the only alterations caused by alcohol drinking were significantly elevated AEA levels in NAc and CPu in the post-session group. No changes were seen in the levels of 2-AG. Conclusions:, These results demonstrate that voluntary alcohol drinking modulates the levels of endocannabinoids in several brain areas implicated in alcohol reinforcement. AEA and 2-AG were differentially affected, suggesting that they could have partially separate modulatory roles. Alterations were more widespread in females than males, possibly reflecting their higher alcohol intake. Taken together, alcohol-induced release of endocannabinoids may have an important role in alcohol reinforcement and development of alcohol addiction. [source] Effect of Alcohol Consumption on CpG Methylation in the Differentially Methylated Regions of H19 and IG-DMR in Male Gametes,Implications for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DisordersALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2009Lillian A. Ouko Background:, Exposure to alcohol in utero is the main attributable cause of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) which in its most severe form is characterized by irreversible behavioral and cognitive disability. Paternal preconception drinking is not considered to be a significant risk factor, even though animal studies have demonstrated that chronic paternal alcohol consumption has a detrimental effect on the physical and mental development of offspring even in the absence of in utero alcohol exposure. It has been documented that alcohol can reduce the levels and activity of DNA methyltransferases resulting in DNA hypomethylation and that reduced methyltransferase activity can cause activation of normally silenced genes. The aim of this study was to establish a link between alcohol use in men and hypomethylation of paternally imprinted loci in sperm DNA in genomic regions critical for embryonic development, thus providing a mechanism for paternal effects in the aetiology of FASD. Methods:, Sperm DNA from male volunteers was bisulfite treated and the methylation patterns of 2 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), H19 and IG-DMR, analyzed following sequencing of individual clones. The methylation patterns were correlated with the alcohol consumption levels of the volunteer males. Results:, There was a pattern of increased demethylation with alcohol consumption at the 2 imprinted loci with a significant difference observed at the IG-DMR between the nondrinking and heavy alcohol consuming groups. Greater inter-individual variation in average methylation was observed at the H19 DMR and individual clones were more extensively demethylated than those of the IG-DMR. CpG site #4 in the IG-DMR was preferentially demethylated among all individuals and along with the H19 DMR CpG site #7 located within the CTCF binding site 6 showed significant demethylation in the alcohol consuming groups compared with the control group. Conclusion:, This study demonstrates a correlation between chronic alcohol use and demethylation of normally hypermethylated imprinted regions in sperm DNA. We hypothesize that, should these epigenetic changes in imprinted genes be transmitted through fertilization, they would alter the critical gene expression dosages required for normal prenatal development resulting in offspring with features of FASD. [source] Hepcidin Regulation in Wild-Type and Hfe Knockout Mice in Response to Alcohol Consumption: Evidence for an Alcohol-Induced Hypoxic ResponseALCOHOLISM, Issue 8 2009Mandy L. Heritage Background,/Aims:, Expression of Hamp1, the gene encoding the iron regulatory peptide hepcidin, is inappropriately low in HFE-associated hereditary hemochromatosis and Hfe knockout mice (Hfe,/,). Since chronic alcohol consumption is also associated with disturbances in iron metabolism, we investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on hepcidin mRNA expression in Hfe,/, mice. Methods:,Hfe,/, and C57BL/6 (wild-type) mice were pair-fed either an alcohol liquid diet or control diet for up to 8 weeks. The mRNA levels of hepcidin and ferroportin were measured at the mRNA level by RT-PCR and protein expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1,) was measured by western blot. Results:,Hamp1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased and duodenal ferroportin expression was increased in alcohol-fed wild-type mice at 8 weeks. Time course experiments showed that the decrease in hepcidin mRNA was not immediate, but was significant by 4 weeks. Consistent with the genetic defect, Hamp1 mRNA was decreased and duodenal ferroportin mRNA expression was increased in Hfe,/, mice fed on the control diet compared with wild-type animals and alcohol further exacerbated these effects. HIF-1, protein levels were elevated in alcohol-fed wild-type animals compared with controls. Conclusion:, Alcohol may decrease Hamp1 gene expression independently of the HFE pathway possibly via alcohol-induced hypoxia. [source] IgA Immune Responses Against Acetaldehyde Adducts and Biomarkers of Alcohol Consumption in Patients with IgA GlomerulonephritisALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2009Kati Kaartinen Background:, The pathogenesis of IgA glomerulonephritis (IgAGN) involves intense deposition of IgAs within the glomerulus. Although previous studies have shown that heavy drinking frequently leads to the generation of IgA antibodies against neo-antigens induced by ethanol metabolites and tissue deposition of IgAs, the associations between alcohol consumption, IgA immune responses, and kidney disease have not been examined. Methods:, A total of 158 IgAGN patients (96 men, 62 women) were classified as abstainers (n = 38), moderate drinkers (n = 114), and heavy drinkers (n = 6) based on self-reported alcohol consumption. The reference population included 143 individuals (99 men, 44 women) who were either apparently healthy abstainers (n = 31), moderate drinkers (n = 43), or heavy drinkers devoid of liver disease (n = 69). The assessments included various biomarkers of alcohol consumption: carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), glutamyl transferase, ,-CDT (combination of GGR and CDT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), tests for liver and kidney function, serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), and specific IgA antibodies against acetaldehyde,protein adducts. Results:, In male IgAGN patients, drinking status was significantly associated with MCV, p < 0.001; CDT, p < 0.01; and , -CDT, p < 0.05. In the reference population, all biomarkers and anti-adduct IgA levels were found to vary according to drinking status. In IgAGN patients, anti-adduct IgA levels were elevated in 63% of the cases but the titers did not associate with self-reported ethanol intake. Conclusions:, These data indicate high levels of IgA antibodies against acetaldehyde-derived antigens in IgAGN patients, which may hamper the use of the immune responses as markers of alcohol consumption among such patients. Future studies on the pathogenic and prognostic significance of anti-adduct immune responses in IgAGN patients are warranted. [source] Alcohol Consumption, Social Support, and Risk of Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease Among Japanese Men: The JPHC StudyALCOHOLISM, Issue 6 2009Satoyo Ikehara Background:, It is unclear whether the association between alcohol consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease is affected by social support. Methods:, The prospective data for 19,356 men aged 40 to 69 years who participated in the Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study. Alcohol consumption was classified into 7 categories: never, past, occasional, 1 to 149, 150 to 299, 300 to 449, or ,450 g ethanol/wk. Associations between alcohol consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease were stratified by the median level of social support score, which was measured in emotional support score of this cohort study. Results:, During an average follow-up of 9.9 years, 629 total strokes and 207 coronary heart diseases were documented. Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption was associated with reduced risks of coronary heart disease and total cardiovascular disease, while heavy alcohol consumption was associated with increased risk of total stroke, in particular hemorrhagic stroke. When stratified by social support score, the multivariable hazard ratios of total cardiovascular disease associated with light-to-moderate alcohol consumption (1 to 299 g/wk) were 0.99 (0.72 to 1.37) in the low social support group and 0.56 (0.44 to 0.70) in the high social support group (p for interaction = 0.002), while the multivariable hazard ratios of hemorrhagic stroke associated with heavy alcohol consumption (,300 g/wk) were 2.09 (1.03 to 4.27) in the low social support group and 1.25 (0.72 to 2.15) in the high social support group (p for interaction = 0.44). There was no interaction between alcohol consumption and social support in relation to risk of coronary heart disease. Conclusions:, Social support may enhance the beneficial effect of light-to-moderate alcohol consumption on risk of cardiovascular disease. [source] Chronic and High Alcohol Consumption Has a Negative Impact on Sleep and Sleep-Associated Consolidation of Declarative MemoryALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2009Klaus Junghanns Background., The importance of sleep for memory consolidation has become a major focus of research. While it is known that abstaining alcohol-dependent patients often have sleep disorders and that there is some cognitive impairment during early abstention a possible interaction of disturbed sleep with overnight memory consolidation has not been addressed in a study as yet. Methods., Twenty-four alcohol-dependent patients with a short abstention period (mean 21.9 ± 7.6 days) were compared with 12 patients with an abstention period of several months (115.7 ± 43.8 days). Groups did not differ with respect to daily alcohol consumption before treatment, duration of alcohol dependence, and age. Before sleep all patients learned a list of semantically associated word pairs and a face name association task to a fixed criterion (at least 60% of correct recall) and they performed a mirror tracing task. After a polysomnographically registered night the patients were tested for retention of the learned declarative material by cued recall and had to perform the mirror tracing task again. Results., The groups did not differ with respect to sleep parameters or sleep-associated memory consolidation. Across both groups the duration of alcohol dependence correlated negatively with the amount of non-REM sleep and recall in the face name association task correlated negatively with daily alcohol consumption before abstention. Among the longer-term abstainers the duration of abstention correlated with the amount of slow wave sleep. Conclusions., Our data support the hypothesis that chronic and high alcohol consumption negatively affects sleep and declarative memory consolidation during the first months of abstention. Between an abstention period of a few weeks and of several months no change in sleep parameters and nightly memory consolidation could be demonstrated, however. [source] Alcohol Consumption, Alcohol Outlets, and the Risk of Being Assaulted With a GunALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2009Charles C. Branas Background:, We conducted a population-based case,control study to better delineate the relationship between individual alcohol consumption, alcohol outlets in the surrounding environment, and being assaulted with a gun. Methods:, An incidence density sampled case,control study was conducted in the entire city of Philadelphia from 2003 to 2006. We enrolled 677 cases that had been shot in an assault and 684 population-based controls. The relationships between 2 independent variables of interest, alcohol consumption and alcohol outlet availability, and the outcome of being assaulted with a gun were analyzed. Conditional logistic regression was used to adjust for numerous confounding variables. Results:, After adjustment, heavy drinkers were 2.67 times as likely to be shot in an assault when compared with nondrinkers (p < 0.10) while light drinkers were not at significantly greater risk of being shot in an assault when compared with nondrinkers. Regression-adjusted analyses also demonstrated that being in an area of high off-premise alcohol outlet availability significantly increased the risk of being shot in an assault by 2.00 times (p < 0.05). Being in an area of high on-premise alcohol outlet availability did not significantly change this risk. Heavy drinkers in areas of high off-premise alcohol outlet availability were 9.34 times (p < 0.05) as likely to be shot in an assault. Conclusions:, This study finds that the gun assault risk to individuals who are near off-premise alcohol outlets is about the same as or statistically greater than the risk they incur from heavy drinking. The combination of heavy drinking and being near off-premise outlets resulted in greater risk than either factor alone. By comparison, light drinking and being near on-premise alcohol outlets were not associated with increased risks for gun assault. Cities should consider addressing alcohol-related factors, especially off-premise outlets, as highly modifiable and politically feasible approaches to reducing gun violence. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||