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Drinking Behavior (drinking + behavior)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	78%
Life Sciences	15%
Psychology	4%

Selected Abstracts

Impact of the Alcohol-Dehydrogenase (ADH) 1C and ADH1B polymorphisms on drinking behavior in nonalcoholic Japanese,

HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 5 2007
Keitaro Matsuo
Abstract A linkage disequilibrium (LD) between the alcohol-dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) and alcohol-dehydrogenase 1C (ADH1C) polymorphisms adds complexity to differentiating the significance of these two genetic polymorphisms on drinking behavior and alcoholism. We have recently shown the importance of the ADH1B polymorphism on habitual drinking in the Japanese population; however, the issue regarding the LD between the ADH1B and ADH1C polymorphisms remains to be clarified. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional study in 2,299 nonalcoholic Japanese individuals. Drinking behavior was examined with regard to haplotypes of the ADH1B and ADH1C polymorphisms. Strength of association was assessed by sex and aldehyde-dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the haplotype of the ADH1B and ADH1C polymorphisms. The ORs for habitual drinking were significant for ADH1B*2(rapid)- ADH1C*2(slow) (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01,1.05), ADH1B*1(slow)- ADH1C*1(rapid) (OR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.14,1.16), and ADH1B*1(slow)- ADH1C*2(slow) (OR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.29,1.32) compared with ADH1B*2(rapid)- ADH1C*1(rapid). This trend was evident among males. Similarly, a significantly increased risk of heavy drinking was observed for each haplotype compared with ADH1B*2(rapid)- ADH1C*1(rapid). In conclusion, this study showed a significant impact of the ADH1C polymorphism on habitual drinking, regardless of the ADH1B/ALDH2 polymorphisms. Hum Mutat 28(5), 506,510, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The European NEAT Program: An Integrated Approach Using Acamprosate and Psychosocial Support for the Prevention of Relapse in Alcohol-Dependent Patients With a Statistical Modeling of Therapy Success Prediction

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 10 2002
Isidore Pelc
Background A multicenter, prospective study was conducted in five European countries to observe outcome in alcohol misusers treated for 24 weeks with acamprosate and various psychosocial support techniques, within the setting of standard patient care. Methods Patients diagnosed as alcohol dependent using DSM-III-R criteria were treated, for 24 weeks, with acamprosate and appropriate psychosocial support. Potential predictor variables were recorded at inclusion. Drinking behavior was monitored throughout; the proportion of cumulative abstinence days was the principal outcome measure. The influence of baseline clinical and demographic variables on outcome was assessed using multiple regression analysis. Adverse events were recorded systematically. Results A total of 1289 patients were recruited; 1230 took at least one dose of the drug and provided at least one set of follow-up data; 543 (42.1%)patients were observed for the full 24-week period. The overall proportion of cumulative abstinence days was 0.48. Multiple physical and psychiatric comorbidities and a history of drug addiction were negatively correlated with outcome, as were, to a lesser extent, multiple previous episodes of detoxification, unemployment, and living alone. Older age and stable employment were positively associated with outcome. The difference in the unadjusted proportion of cumulative abstinence days between countries was significant (p < 0.001) but less so when adjusted for the predictive factors identified in the multivariate model (p < 0.019). Overall, outcome was not influenced by the nature of the psychosocial support provided. Adverse events were generally mild, with gastrointestinal disorders, which occurred in 21.5% of patients, being the most frequent. Conclusions This open-label study confirms the efficacy and safety of acamprosate in the treatment of alcohol dependence in the setting of standard patient care. Treatment benefit was observed irrespective of the nature of the psychosocial support provided. Predictors of the response to treatment were identified; their heterogeneous distribution within the study population explained, at least in part, the differences in outcome between countries. [source]

The influence of cultural orientation, alcohol expectancies and self-efficacy on adolescent drinking behavior in Beijing

ADDICTION, Issue 9 2010
Duane F. Shell
ABSTRACT Objective We hypothesized that the drinking behavior of adolescents in China is influenced by expectancies and self-efficacy and that adolescents' cultural orientation towards western versus traditional Chinese values influences expectancies, self-efficacy and drinking behavior, with western values leading to more dysfunctional patterns of beliefs and drinking, and that these beliefs are influenced by students' gender and school environment. Methods A total of 1020 high school students from Beijing completed the Chinese Adolescent Alcohol Expectancy, the Chinese Cultural Orientation and the Chinese Self-regulation Self-efficacy questionnaires. Results Results generally confirmed our hypotheses. Higher negative expectancies and higher self-efficacy reduced the likelihood of drinking significantly. Higher positive expectancies increased the likelihood of regular drinking but not occasional drinking. Having western cultural orientation increased the likelihood of drinking. Higher levels of western cultural orientation also increased positive expectancies, lowered negative expectancies and lowered self-efficacy. Having more western (less traditional) views towards traditional Chinese values decreased positive and negative expectancies. Gender influenced beliefs, with males having higher positive and lower negative expectancies, lower self-efficacy and more traditional cultural orientation. Students in key and general schools had less traditional cultural orientation and key school students had higher self-efficacy. Conclusions Results indicate that cultural orientation influences adolescent drinking and this influence is mediated partially through cultural orientation influences on adolescent drinking expectancies and self-efficacy. Having more western and less traditional Chinese cultural orientation leads to more drinking, lower self-efficacy for regulating drinking and more risk-promoting alcohol expectancies. [source]

Gender and alcohol consumption: patterns from the multinational GENACIS project

ADDICTION, Issue 9 2009
Richard W. Wilsnack
ABSTRACT Aims To evaluate multinational patterns of gender- and age-specific alcohol consumption. Design and participants Large general-population surveys of men's and women's drinking behavior (n's > 900) in 35 countries in 1997,2007 used a standardized questionnaire (25 countries) or measures comparable to those in the standardized questionnaire. Measurements Data from men and women in three age groups (18,34, 35,49, 50,65) showed the prevalence of drinkers, former drinkers, and lifetime abstainers; and the prevalence of high-frequency, high-volume, and heavy episodic drinking among current drinkers. Analyses examined gender ratios for prevalence rates and the direction of changes in prevalence rates across age groups. Findings Drinking per se and high-volume drinking were consistently more prevalent among men than among women, but lifetime abstention from alcohol was consistently more prevalent among women. Among respondents who had ever been drinkers, women in all age groups were consistently more likely to have stopped drinking than men were. Among drinkers, the prevalence of high-frequency drinking was consistently greatest in the oldest age group, particularly among men. Unexpectedly, the prevalence of drinking per se did not decline consistently with increasing age, and declines in high-volume and heavy episodic drinking with increasing age were more typical in Europe and English-speaking countries. Conclusions As expected, men still exceed women in drinking and high-volume drinking, although gender ratios vary. Better explanations are needed for why more women than men quit drinking, and why aging does not consistently reduce drinking and heavy drinking outside Europe and English-speaking countries. [source]

Examining the relationship between typical drinking behavior and 21st birthday drinking behavior among college students: implications for event-specific prevention

ADDICTION, Issue 5 2009
Melissa A. Lewis
ABSTRACT Aims The purpose of this research was to: (i) compare 21st birthday drinking with typical drinking; (ii) assess the prevalence of negative consequences and risk behaviors experienced during the 21st birthday week; and (iii) examine the role of typical drinking and 21st birthday drinking in explaining 21st birthday week negative consequences and risk behaviors. Setting and participants Participants (n = 306; 50% male) included college students turning 21 at a Midwestern public university in the United States. Design and measurement Approximately 1 week prior to their 21st birthday, students completed measures of typical past 3-month alcohol consumption via a web-based survey. Following their birthday, students (n = 296; 50% male) completed measures of 21st birthday week drinking as well as negative consequences and risk behaviors. Findings Findings indicated that students consumed considerably larger amounts of alcohol during the week of their 21st birthdays in comparison to typical weekly consumption. Additionally, students experienced a variety of negative consequences and risk behaviors during the week of their 21st birthday, including hangovers, vomiting and not remembering part of the previous evening. Negative binomial regression results indicated that those most likely to experience more negative consequences and risk behaviors associated with 21st birthday drinking were those who consumed heavy amounts of alcohol the week of their birthday, but who did not typically drink excessively. Conclusions Findings underscore the need to develop event-specific prevention approaches for occasions associated with extreme drinking and provide direction for considering who may be at greatest risk for problems associated with celebratory drinking. [source]

The role of personality dispositions to risky behavior in predicting first-year college drinking

ADDICTION, Issue 2 2009
Melissa A. Cyders
ABSTRACT Aims US college student drinking is associated with enormous risks to health, safety and productivity. Recent advances in personality research that have delineated multiple, separate dispositions to engage in risky behaviors may help to clarify the personality contribution to risk for this problem. Design The authors compared the prospective roles of sensation seeking, lack of planning, lack of perseverance, negative urgency and positive urgency (dispositions to engage in rash action when in an unusually negative or positive mood, respectively) in predicting increases in drinking frequency, drinking quantity and negative outcomes from consumption across the first year of college. Setting University of Kentucky campus. Participants A total of 418 first-year US college students enrolled in an Introduction to Psychology course during the first assessment; 293 participants completed both phases of the study. Measurements Participants completed self-report measures of personality and drinking behavior twice during the first year of college [the UPPS-R Impulsive Behavior Scale, positive urgency measure (PUM) and Drinking Styles Questionnaire (DSQ)]. Findings Whereas sensation seeking related to increases in the frequency with which college students drank alcohol, positive urgency predicted increases in (i) the quantity of alcohol students consumed at any given drinking episode and (ii) negative outcomes experienced from drinking. Conclusions It appears that although sensation seeking is a risk factor for participation in drinking behaviors, risk for increased quantity of consumption and its negative outcomes may be more a function of dyscontrol stemming from high positive mood for college students. [source]

Craving: what can be done to bring the insights of neuroscience, behavioral science and clinical science into synchrony

ADDICTION, Issue 8s2 2000
Roger E. Meyer
Alcohol self-administration behavior is the common thread that is necessary to bring the insights of neuroscience, behavioral science and clinical science into synchrony around the concept of craving. Animal models should address the molecular and cellular changes that take place in behaviorally relevant brain regions of rats consequent to chronic self-administration of ethanol. Animal models can focus on the biology of the anticipatory state in alcohol preferring/consuming rats, as well as studies of the effects of possible medications on this state in the animal model, on actual alcohol consuming behavior, and on the residual effects of chronic alcohol on the non-human mammalian brain. In human studies of craving, cue-reactivity in the absence of the opportunity to drink alcohol does not have the same salience as cue-reactivity in which drinking is possible. Moreover, actual drinking behavior serves to validate self-reports of craving. Studies of limited alcohol self-administration in the laboratory are an essential element in screening new medications for the treatment of alcoholism. Studies to date suggest no adverse reaction to the participation of alcoholic subjects in limited alcohol self-administration studies, but the research community should continue to monitor carefully the outcomes of alcohol-dependent subjects who participate in this type of research, and efforts should always be made to encourage these subjects to enter active treatment. In outpatient clinical trials of new treatments for alcoholism, the assessment of craving should include queries regarding symptoms and signs of protracted abstinence such as sleep disturbances, as well as questions regarding situational craving. Field observations of alcoholics in their favorite drinking environments would contribute greatly to our understanding of the real-world phenomenology of craving. [source]

HUMAN STUDY: Heavy drinking relates to positive valence ratings of alcohol cues

ADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Carmen Pulido
ABSTRACT A positive family history of alcohol use disorders (FH) is a robust predictor of personal alcohol abuse and dependence. Exposure to problem-drinking models is one mechanism through which family history influences alcohol-related cognitions and drinking patterns. Similarly, exposure to alcohol advertisements is associated with alcohol involvement and the relationship between affective response to alcohol cues and drinking behavior has not been well established. In addition, the collective contribution that FH, exposure to different types of problem-drinking models (e.g. parents, peers) and personal alcohol use have on appraisal of alcohol-related stimuli has not been evaluated with a large sample. We investigated the independent effects of FH, exposure to problem-drinking models and personal alcohol use on valence ratings of alcohol pictures in a college sample. College students (n = 227) completed measures of personal drinking and substance use, exposure to problem-drinking models, FH and ratings on affective valence of 60 alcohol pictures. Greater exposure to non-familial problem-drinkers predicted greater drinking among college students (, = 0.17, P < 0.01). However, personal drinking was the only predictor of valence ratings of alcohol pictures (, = ,0.53, P < 0.001). Personal drinking level predicted valence ratings of alcohol cues over and above FH, exposure to problem-drinking models and demographic characteristics. This suggests that positive affective responses to alcohol pictures are more a function of personal experience (i.e. repeated heavy alcohol use) than vicarious learning. [source]

BIOMARKER: The validity of the laboratory marker combinations DOVER and QUVER to detect physician's diagnosis of at-risk drinking

ADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
Michael Bentele
ABSTRACT Especially in situations where it might be favorable for the patient to dissimulate the existing alcohol problem, ,objective' laboratory tests can be helpful. In this study we report validation of the two combinations DOVER (DOctor VERified) and QUVER (QUestionnarie VERified) of the biological markers percent carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%CDT) and gamma-glutamyl-transferase (,-GT) to detect patients that have been identified by their physicians with at-risk drinking behavior. Fifty-eight general practitioners (GPs) participated at two study sites in South-West Germany. Patients filled in a questionnaire that included the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) and gave a blood sample. The GP recorded his/her assessment about the presence of an alcohol-related disorder in the patient. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses of the marker combinations DOVER and QUVER were performed. A total of 2940 patients participated in the study, of which 2496 completed data sets that could be used for further analysis. The area under the curve (AUC) of 79.5% for DOVER and 77.2% (QUVER) are in a higher range than the values for gamma%CDT (75.7%) or ,-GT (72.5%) and %CDT (64.5%) and suggest superiority of the proposed marker combinations. Cross-validation results were almost identical with 76.6% and 73.3% for DOVER and QUVER, respectively. Our analysis demonstrated that the combination of the markers ,-GT and %CDT with the physician's judgement of the condition as reference was superior to the use of single markers. [source]

REVIEW: The alcohol-preferring P rat and animal models of excessive alcohol drinking

ADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 3-4 2006
Richard L. Bell
ABSTRACT The alcohol-preferring, P, rat was developed by selective breeding to study ethanol drinking behavior and its consequences. Characterization of this line indicates the P rat meets all of the criteria put forth for a valid animal model of alcoholism, and displays, relative to their alcohol-non-preferring, NP, counterparts, a number of phenotypic traits associated with alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Behaviorally, compared with NP rats, P rats are less sensitive to the sedative and aversive effects of ethanol and more sensitive to the stimulatory effects of ethanol. Neurochemically, research with the P line indicates the endogenous dopaminergic, serotonergic, GABAergic, opiodergic, and peptidergic systems may be involved in a predisposition for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Paralleling the clinical literature, genetically selected P rats display levels of ethanol intake during adolescence comparable to that seen during adulthood. Binge drinking has been associated with an increased risk for health and other problems associated with ethanol abuse. A model of binge-like drinking during the dark cycle indicates that P rats will consume 6 g/kg/day of ethanol in as little as three 1-hour access periods/day, which approximates the 24-hour intake of P rats with free-choice access to a single concentration of ethanol. The alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) is a transient increase in ethanol intake above baseline values upon re-exposure to ethanol access after an extended period of deprivation. The ADE has been proposed to be an animal model of relapse behavior, with the adult P rat displaying a robust ADE after prolonged abstinence. Overall, these findings indicate that the P rat can be effectively used in models assessing alcohol-preference, a genetic predisposition for alcohol abuse and/or alcoholism, and excessive drinking using protocols of binge-like or relapse-like drinking. [source]

Impact of the Alcohol-Dehydrogenase (ADH) 1C and ADH1B polymorphisms on drinking behavior in nonalcoholic Japanese,

Carcinogenetic impact of ADH1B and ALDH2 genes on squamous cell carcinoma risk of the esophagus with regard to the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and betel quid

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 6 2008
Chien-Hung Lee
Abstract The consumption of alcohol, tobacco and betel quid has been found to be an important contributor to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Taiwan. The genotoxic effect of the ADH1B and ALDH2 genes modulating an individual's alcohol-metabolizing capacity on ESCC may be linked to drinking behavior, intake pattern and other exogenous factors. To investigate the interplay of these genetic and environmental factors in determining the risk of ESCC, a multicenter case-control study was conducted. Here, 406 patients with pathology-proven ESCC, as well as 656 gender, age and study hospital matched controls were recruited. Genetic polymorphisms of ADH1B and ALDH2 appeared to correlate with the abstinence of alcohol, though not with tobacco and betel quid. Within the same levels of alcohol consumption, carcinoma risks increased along with an increase in the numbers of ADH1B*1 and ALDH2*2 alleles. The inactive ALDH2*1/*2 genotype was found to multiplicatively interact with a low-to-moderate (0.1,30 g/day) and a heavy (>30 g/day) ethanol intake to increase the ESCC risk (the joint aOR = 14.5 and 102.6, respectively). Among low-to-moderate drinkers, a smoking-dependent carcinogenetic effect for the ADH1B*1/*1 and ALDH2*1/*2+*2/*2 genotypes was recognized, with significant risks found in smokers, but not in nonsmokers. Further, a supra-multiplicative combined risk of ESCC for alcohol and tobacco use was identified among carriers of the ADH1B*1/*1 genotype (p for interaction = 0.042). In conclusion, the interplay of the ADH1B and ALDH2 genotypes, in conjunction with a behaved drinking habit and a practiced drinking pattern, along with continued tobacco consumption, plays an important pathogenic role in modulating ESCC risk. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

An integration of cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy for bulimia nervosa: A case study using the case formulation method

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, Issue 2 2005
Peter S. Hendricks MA
Abstract Objective The current study provides an illustration of an integration of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for the treatment of bulimia nervosa (BN), based on the case formulation strategy. Method A 25-year-old Hispanic female referred herself for the treatment of eating difficulties and depressed mood. Diagnostic criteria were met for BN, major depressive episode, and alcohol abuse. Components of both CBT and IPT were utilized throughout the course of treatment. Results CBT techniques appeared to be most effective in eliminating binge eating and binge drinking behavior, whereas IPT techniques seemed to be most effective in reducing purging behavior. Results revealed that the client was no longer experiencing clinically significant symptoms of BN, depression, or alcohol abuse at end of treatment and follow-up (18 months after treatment onset). Discussion Findings support the integration of CBT and IPT for the treatment of BN and, potentially, other eating disorders. © 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Effects of physical and verbal aggression, depression, and anxiety on drinking behavior of married partners: a prospective and retrospective longitudinal examination

AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, Issue 4 2009
Margaret K. Keiley
Abstract In an ethnically diverse sample of 195 married couples, we conducted a latent factor growth analysis to investigate the longitudinal link (4 time points over 4½ years) between marital aggression (physical and verbal aggression self- and partner-reports) and individual internalizing symptoms (depression and anxiety) as they relate to trajectories of alcohol use among husbands and wives. Alcohol use was operationalized as a latent factor with self- and partner reports of problem drinking as measured by the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test and the Alcohol Dependence Scale. Verbal aggression by husbands or wives, by itself, has no effect on their alcohol use over time. In conjunction with depression, however, verbally aggressive husbands do have elevated drinking levels. The effects of husbands' and wives' physical aggression on their own and their partners' drinking behavior were also significant. This study is one of the first to examine the change over time in alcohol use for marital partners as related to marital aggression and internalizing symptoms. Our results shed light on areas of marital functioning (aggression, internalizing, alcohol use) that have not been investigated in conjunction with each other in a longitudinal design. Aggr. Behav. 35:296,312, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The Association of Alcohol-Induced Blackouts and Grayouts to Blood Alcohol Concentrations

JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 4 2006
Paul J. Perry Ph.D.
ABSTRACT: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between measured blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and the presence and degree of amnesia (no amnesia, grayout, or blackout) in actively drinking subjects. A secondary aim was to determine potential factors other than BAC that contribute to the alcohol-induced memory loss. An interview questionnaire was administered to subjects regarding a recent alcohol associated arrest with a documented BAC greater than 0.08 g/dL for either public intoxication, driving under the influence, or under age drinking was administered. Demographic variables collected included drinking history, family history of alcoholism, presence of previous alcohol-related memory loss during a drinking episode, and drinking behavior during the episode. Memory of the drinking episode was evaluated to determine if either an alcohol-induced grayout (partial anterograde amnesia) or blackout (complete anterograde amnesia) occurred. Differences in (1) mean total number of drinks ingested before arrest, (2) gulping of drinks, and (3) BAC at arrest were found for those having blackouts compared with no amnesia; while differences in drinking more than planned were found between the no amnesia and grayout groups. A strong linear relationship between BAC and predicted probability of memory loss, particularly for blackouts was obvious. This finding clinically concludes that subjects with BAC of 310 g/dL or greater have a 0.50 or greater probability of having an alcoholic blackout. [source]

MAOA Interacts With the ALDH2 Gene in Anxiety,Depression Alcohol Dependence

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2010
Sheng-Yu Lee
Background:, Alcohol dependence is usually comorbid with anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, or both; this comorbidity may increase drinking behavior. We previously hypothesized that anxiety,depressive alcohol dependence (ANX/DEP ALC) was a genetically specific subtype of alcohol dependence. ANX/DEP ALC may be related to dopamine and serotonin, which are catalyzed by monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2). The aim of this study was to determine whether the interaction between the MAOA and the ALDH2 genes is associated with ANX/DEP ALC. Methods:, We recruited 383 Han Chinese men in Taiwan: 143 ANX/DEP ALC and 240 healthy controls. The diagnosis of ANX/DEP ALC (alcohol dependence with a past or current history of anxiety, depressive disorder, or both) was made using DSM-IV criteria. Genotypes of ALDH2 and MAOA-uVNTR (variable number of tandem repeat located upstream) were determined using PCR-RFLP. Results:, The ALDH2, but not the MAOA-uVNTR, polymorphism was associated with ANX/DEP ALC. After stratifying the MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism, we found a stronger association between the ALDH2*1/*2 and *2/*2 genotypes and the controls in the MAOA-uVNTR 4-repeat subgroup. Logistic regression significantly associated the interaction between ALDH2 and MAOA variants with ANX/DEP ALC. 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]

Inflexible and Indifferent Alcohol Drinking in Male Mice

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2010
Heidi M. B. Lesscher
Background:, Alcoholism is characterized by compulsive alcohol intake, but this critical feature of alcoholism is seldom captured in preclinical studies. Here, we evaluated whether alcohol-preferring C57BL/6J mice develop compulsive alcohol drinking patterns, using adulteration of the alcohol solution with quinine, in a limited access choice paradigm. We assessed 2 independent aspects of compulsive drinking: (i) inflexible alcohol intake by testing whether mice would drink bitter alcohol solutions if this was their only source of alcohol and (ii) indifferent drinking by comparing intake of aversive and nonaversive alcohol solutions. Methods:, Male C57BL/6J mice consumed alcohol for 2 or 8 consecutive weeks. The alcohol solution was then adulterated with graded quinine concentrations, and the effect on alcohol intake was determined. Results:, C57BL/6J mice rapidly developed compulsive alcohol drinking patterns. Adulteration of the alcohol solution with an aversive quinine concentration failed to reduce intake, indicative of inflexible drinking behavior, after only 2 weeks of alcohol experience, although quinine adulteration did suppress the acquisition of alcohol drinking in naïve mice. After 8 weeks of alcohol consumption, the mice also became indifferent to quinine. They consumed an aversive, quinine-containing alcohol solution, despite the simultaneous availability of an unadulterated alcohol solution. Prolonged alcohol ingestion did not alter the sensitivity to the bitter taste of quinine itself. Conclusion:, These findings demonstrate the staged occurrence in mice of 2 distinct behavioral characteristics of alcoholism, i.e., inflexible and indifferent alcohol drinking. [source]

Subjective Response to Alcohol: A Critical Review of the Literature

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 3 2010
Meghan E. Morean
Background:, Subjective response to alcohol (SR), which reflects individual differences in sensitivity to the pharmacological effects of alcohol, may be an important endophenotype in understanding genetic influences on drinking behavior and alcohol use disorders (AUDs). SR predicts alcohol use and problems and has been found to differ by a range of established risk factors for the development of AUDs (e.g., family history of alcoholism). The exact pattern of SR associated with increased risk for alcohol problems, however, remains unclear. The Low Level of Response Model (LLR) suggests that high-risk individuals experience decreased sensitivity to the full range of alcohol effects, while the Differentiator Model (DM) asserts that high risks status is associated with increased sensitivity to alcohol's positive effects but decreased sensitivity to negative effects. Aims:, The current paper (1) reviews two prominent models of subjective response, (2) reviews extant laboratory-based research on subjective response, (3) highlights remaining gaps in our understanding and assessment of subjective response, and (4) encourages collaborative efforts to address these methodological and conceptual concerns. Methods:, This paper reviews studies which employed placebo-controlled and non-placebo-controlled alcohol challenge paradigms to assess a range of alcohol effects including impairment, stimulation, and sedation. Results:, The research literature provides at least partial support for both the LLR and DM models. High-risk individuals have been shown to have a reduced response to alcohol with respect to sedative or impairing effects, particularly on the descending limb of the blood alcohol curve (BAC). There is also evidence that ascending limb stimulant effects are more pronounced or operate differently for high-risk individuals. Discussion:, Despite commendable advances in SR research, important questions remain unanswered. Inconsistent results across studies may be attributable to a combination of an inadequate understanding of the underlying construct and methodological differences across studies (e.g., number and timing of assessments across the BAC, inclusion of a placebo condition). With respect to the underlying construct, existing measures fail to adequately distinguish between cognitive/behavioral impairment and sedation, aspects of which may be perceived positively (e.g., anxiolysis) due to their ability to act as negative reinforcers. Conclusions:, Addressing the concerns raised by the current review will be integral to making meaningful scientific progress in the field of subjective response. [source]

Students' Drinker Prototypes and Alcohol Use in a Naturalistic Setting

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 1 2010
Renske Spijkerman
Background:, Perceptions about the type of people who drink, also referred to as drinker prototypes, may strengthen young people's motivation to engage in alcohol use. Previous research has shown that drinker prototypes are related to alcohol consumption in both adolescents and young adults. However, the evidence for the strength of these relationships remains inconclusive. One of the caveats in former studies is that all insights about prototype relations are based on self-reported data from youngsters themselves, mostly gathered in a class situation, which may contain bias due to memory distortions and self-presentation concerns. Methods:, The present study examined the impact of drinker prototypes on young adults' drinking patterns by using a less obtrusive measure to assess alcohol consumption, i.e. ad lib drinking among friend groups in the naturalistic setting of a bar lab. Drinker prototypes, self-reported alcohol use in the past, and observed alcohol intake in the bar lab were assessed among 200 college students. Relations between participants' drinker prototypes and their self-reported and observed drinking behavior were examined by computing correlations and conducting multilevel analyses. Results:, Drinker prototypes were related to both self-reported and observed alcohol use. However, the drinking patterns of friend group members had a strong impact on participants' individual drinking rates in the bar lab. After these group effects had been controlled for, only heavy drinker prototypes showed relations with observed alcohol intake in the bar lab. Conclusions:, These findings further establish the value of drinker prototypes in predicting young adults' drinking behavior and suggest that people's motivation to drink alcohol in real-life drinking situations is related to their perceptions about heavy drinkers. [source]

Operant Behavior and Alcohol Levels in Blood and Brain of Alcohol-Dependent Rats

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 12 2009
Nicholas W. Gilpin
Background:, The purpose of the present investigation was to more clearly define blood-alcohol parameters associated with alcohol dependence produced by alcohol vapor inhalation and alcohol-containing liquid diet. Methods:, Alcohol levels in blood and brain were compared during and after 4 hours of acute alcohol vapor exposure; also, brain-alcohol levels were assessed in alcohol-exposed (14-day alcohol vapor) and alcohol-naïve rats during and after 4 hours of acute alcohol vapor exposure. A separate group of rats were implanted with i.v. catheters, made dependent on alcohol via vapor inhalation, and tested for operant alcohol responding; blood-alcohol levels (BALs) were measured throughout operant alcohol drinking sessions during alcohol withdrawal. A final group of rats consumed an alcohol-liquid diet until they were dependent, and those rats were then tested for operant behavior at various withdrawal time points; BALs were measured at different withdrawal time points and after operant sessions. Results:, Blood- and brain-alcohol levels responded similarly to vapor, but brain-alcohol levels peaked at a higher point and more slowly returned to zero in alcohol-naïve rats relative to alcohol-exposed rats. Alcohol vapor exposure also produced an upward shift in subsequent operant alcohol responding and resultant BALs. Rats consumed large quantities of alcohol-liquid diet, most of it during the dark cycle, sufficient to produce high blood-alcohol levels and elevated operant alcohol responding when tested during withdrawal from liquid diet. Conclusions:, These results emphasize that the key determinants of excessive alcohol drinking behavior are the BAL range and pattern of chronic high-dose alcohol exposure. [source]

Intensity and Duration of Chronic Ethanol Exposure Is Critical for Subsequent Escalation of Voluntary Ethanol Drinking in Mice

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 11 2009
William C. Griffin III
Background:, Excessive alcohol drinking continues to be an important health problem. Recent studies from our laboratory and others have demonstrated that animal models of ethanol dependence and relapse can contribute to understanding factors that contribute to excessive drinking. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the amount and duration of ethanol exposure is critical for promoting the escalation in drinking by mice given access to ethanol in a limited access paradigm. Methods:, We used several methods of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure in male C57BL/6J mice that would vary in the amount and duration of exposure to ethanol as indicated by blood ethanol concentrations (BEC). After establishing baseline drinking in the mice using a 2 hours, 2 bottle choice drinking paradigm, each study involved alternating between periods of ethanol exposure and periods of limited access to ethanol (1 cycle) for a total of 3 cycles. In Study 1, mice were allowed extended access (16 hours) to ethanol for oral consumption or remained in the home cage. In Study 2, the ethanol exposure consisted of intragastric gavage of increasing doses of ethanol or isocaloric sucrose as the control. Study 3 compared intragastric gavage combined with pyrazole, an alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor, with vapor inhalation of ethanol using procedures known to lead to increased drinking in mice. Finally, Study 4 was a retrospective review of several studies conducted in our laboratory using inhalation procedures. The retrospective review encompassed a range of postvapor chamber BEC values and ethanol intakes that would allow a relationship between increased drinking and BEC to be examined. Results:, Allowing mice to drink for longer periods of time did not cause increased drinking in subsequent limited access sessions. Likewise, gastric intubation of ethanol which produced high BEC (>300 mg/dl) with or without pyrazole did not increase drinking. Only the vapor inhalation procedure, which was associated with sustained BEC above 175 mg/dl for the entire exposure period resulted in increased drinking. The retrospective study provided further evidence that sustained BEC levels above 175 mg/dl was critical to the escalation in drinking. Conclusions:, We found that the intensity (amount) and duration of ethanol exposure, indexed by BEC, is critical to produce increased drinking in mice. Specifically, BEC must regularly exceed 175 mg/dl for the escalation in drinking to occur. Future studies will examine neurobiological adaptations that may underlie the increased drinking behavior caused by chronic intermittent ethanol exposure. [source]

Influence of Alcohol Use Experience and Motivational Drive on College Students' Alcohol-Related Cognition

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 8 2009
Roisin M. O'Connor
Background:, Cognitive processes are thought to be pivotal to risk for heavy drinking. However, few studies have examined the alcohol cue-activated positive and negative semantic memory networks that may be pivotal to drinking behavior. Moreover, much is to be understood about the influences of cognitive processes, particularly in high-risk drinking samples such as college students. The current study examines the sequential process of alcohol cues activating valenced semantic memory networks, and the influences of prior drinking experience and individual differences in motivational drive on this automatic (implicit) cognitive process. Methods:, Participants (N = 138, 52% women) were college freshmen prescreened to represent the full range of drinking experience (i.e., current abstainers, light and heavy drinkers). Participants completed self-reports of past month alcohol use, and individual differences in behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral approach/activation system (BAS). Alcohol cue-elicited positive and negative semantic memory networks were assessed using a priming task. Results:, Results from the priming task revealed that for light drinkers alcohol cues were equally as likely to activate positive and negative semantic memory networks, suggesting relatively neutral cue-elicited alcohol attitudes. Conversely, for heavy drinkers, alcohol cues more readily activated positive relative to negative semantic memory networks, suggesting relatively positive cue-elicited alcohol attitudes. Furthermore, positive alcohol cue-elicited semantic memory networks (positive attitudes) were evident for individuals characterized by a strong BAS and weak BIS (as hypothesized) and those characterized by a weak BAS and weak BIS. Conclusions:, The findings suggest that alcohol-cue elicited positive semantic memory networks may be pivotal to risk for heavy drinking. Specifically, it is via the influence on this cognitive process that prior drinking experience and individual differences in motivational drive, respectively, may maintain and predispose individuals to risk for heavy alcohol use. [source]

Projected Alcohol Dose Influences on the Activation of Alcohol Expectancies in College Drinkers

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2009
Jennifer P. Read
Background:, Alcohol expectancies have been linked to drinking behavior in college students, and vary according to a number of factors, including projected dose of alcohol. Research using Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) suggests that drinking may be influenced by activation of differing expectancy dimensions in memory, yet studies have not examined expectancy activation according to projected alcohol doses. Methods:, The present study used Individual Differences Scaling (INDSCAL) to map expectancy networks of college students (n = 334) who imagined varied drinking at high and low alcohol doses. Expectancy activation was modeled by dose, as well as by gender and by drinking patterns (typical quantity, blood alcohol content, heavy episodic drinking, and alcohol consequences). Expectancies were organized along positive,negative and arousal,sedation dimensions. Anticipation of a high dose of alcohol was associated with greater emphasis on the arousal,sedation dimension, whereas anticipation of a lower dose was associated with greater emphasis on the positive,negative dimension. Results:, Across heavy, medium, and light drinkers, expectancy dimensions were most distinguishable at higher doses; activation patterns were more similar across drinking groups at lighter doses. Modest evidence for the influence of gender on activation patterns was observed. Findings were consistent across alcohol involvement indices. Conclusions:, These data suggest that both dimensionality and context should be considered in the refinement of interventions designed to alter expectancies in order to decrease hazardous drinking. [source]

Associations of ALDH2 and ADH1B Genotypes With Alcohol-Related Phenotypes in Asian Young Adults

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2009
Christian S. Hendershot
Background:, Associations of ALDH2 and ADH1B genotypes with alcohol use have been evaluated largely using case,control studies, which typically focus on adult samples and dichotomous diagnostic outcomes. Relatively fewer studies have evaluated ALDH2 and ADH1B in relation to continuous drinking outcomes or at different developmental stages. This study examined additive and interactive effects of ALDH2 and ADH1B genotypes on drinking behavior in a mixed-gender sample of Asian young adults, focusing on continuous phenotypes (e.g., heavy episodic and hazardous drinking, alcohol sensitivity, drinking consequences) whose expression is expected to precede the onset of alcohol use disorders. Methods:, The sample included 182 Chinese- and Korean-American young adults ages 18 years and older (mean age = 20 years). Effects of ALDH2, ADH1B and ethnicity were estimated using generalized linear modeling. Results:, The ALDH2*2 allele predicted lower reported rates of alcohol use and drinking consequences as well as greater reported sensitivity to alcohol. There were significant ethnic group differences in drinking outcomes, such that Korean ethnicity predicted higher drinking rates and lower alcohol sensitivity. ADH1B status was not significantly related to drinking outcomes. Conclusions:, Ethnicity and ALDH2 status, but not ADH1B status, consistently explained significant variance in alcohol consumption in this relatively young sample. Results extend previous work by showing an association of ALDH2 genotype with drinking consequences. Findings are discussed in the context of possible developmental and population differences in the influence of ALDH2 and ADH1B variations on alcohol-related phenotypes. [source]

Predicting Treatment Seekers' Readiness to Change Their Drinking Behavior in the COMBINE Study

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2009
Carlo C. DiClemente
Background:, Initial motivation and readiness to change (RTC) are complex constructs and have been important but inconsistent predictors of treatment attendance and drinking outcomes in studies of alcoholism treatment. Motivation can be described in multiple ways as simply the accumulation of consequences that push change, a shift in intentions, or engagement in various tasks that are part of a larger process of change. Method:, Using baseline data from participants in the COMBINE Study, this study reevaluated the psychometric properties of a 24-item measure of motivation derived from the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale that yielded 4 subscales representing attitudes and experiences related to tasks of stages of Precontemplation, Contemplation, Action, and Maintenance Striving as well as a second-order factor score representing a multidimensional view of RTC drinking. A variety of hypothesized predictors of readiness and the stage subscales were examined using multiple regression analyses to better understand the nature of this measure of motivation. Results:, Findings supported the basic subscale structure and the overall motivational readiness score derived from this measure. RTC drinking behavior was predicted by baseline measures of perceived stress, drinking severity, psychiatric comorbidity, self-efficacy, craving, and positive treatment outcome expectancies. However, absolute values were small, indicating that readiness for change is not explained simply by demographic, drinking severity, treatment, change process, or contextual variables. Conclusion:, This measure demonstrated good psychometric properties and results supported the independence as well as convergent and divergent validity of the measured constructs. Predictors of overall readiness and subscale scores indicate that a variety of personal and contextual factors contribute to treatment seekers' motivation to change in an understandable but complex manner. [source]

Response Inhibition Moderates the Relationship Between Implicit Associations and Drinking Behavior

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 4 2009
Katrijn Houben
Background:, Contemporary dual-process models of alcohol abuse propose that alcohol abuse develops because of dysfunctions in the impulsive system, which generates automatic impulses to drink alcohol, and disruptions in the reflective system, which becomes unable to inhibit the influence of these automatic impulses. Based on these insights, this study investigated whether individual differences in the ability of the reflective system to exert response inhibition moderate the relationship between automatic cognitive processes and drinking behavior. Specifically, it was examined whether the interaction between implicit alcohol-related associations and response inhibition predicted drinking behavior. Methods:, Seventy-one university students completed the study online via the Internet. Implicit alcohol associations with positive affect and with arousal were assessed with variants of the Implicit Association Test. Response inhibition was measured using the original Stroop task. Participants also reported their weekly alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Results:, As predicted, implicit associations were unrelated to drinking behavior when response inhibition was high. In contrast, when response inhibition was low, stronger implicit associations between alcohol and positive affect predicted increased alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Conclusions:, These findings indicate that the relationship between automatic cognitive processes, originating in the impulsive system, and drinking behavior depends on individual differences in response inhibition exerted by the reflective system. As prolonged alcohol abuse is known to impair response inhibition, alcohol abusers may benefit from interventions that increase response inhibition, thereby restoring inhibitory control over automatic impulses. [source]

The ,1 -Adrenergic Receptor Antagonist, Prazosin, Reduces Alcohol Drinking in Alcohol-Preferring (P) Rats

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2009
Dennis D. Rasmussen
Background:, Preliminary evidence suggest that noradrenergic signaling may play a role in mediating alcohol drinking behavior in both humans and rats. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that blockade of ,1 -adrenergic receptors will suppress alcohol drinking in rats selectively bred for alcohol preference (P line). Methods:, Adult male P rats were given 24-hour access to food and water and scheduled access to a 15% (v/v) alcohol solution for 2 hours daily. Rats were injected IP with the ,1 -adrenergic receptor antagonist, prazosin (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 mg/kg body weight), once a day at 15 minutes prior to onset of the daily 2-hour 2-bottle choice, alcohol versus water, access period for 2 consecutive days and then 3 weeks later for 5 consecutive days. Results:, Prazosin significantly reduced (p < 0.01) alcohol intake during the initial 2 daily administrations, and this reduction of alcohol intake was maintained for 5 consecutive days by daily prazosin treatment in the subsequent more prolonged trial (p < 0.05). The prazosin-induced reduction of alcohol intake was not dependent upon drug-induced motor impairment since increases in water drinking (p < 0.05) were exhibited during the 2-hour access periods during both 2- and 5-day prazosin treatment. Conclusions:, The results indicate that the noradrenergic system plays a role in mediating alcohol drinking in rats of the P line and suggest that prazosin,a safe, well-characterized, and well-tolerated drug,may be an effective pharmacotherapeutic agent for the treatment of alcohol use disorders. [source]

Two-Year Outcome of an Intervention Program for University Students Who Have Parents With Alcohol Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 11 2007
Helena Hansson
Background:, Only a few intervention studies aiming to change high-risk drinking behavior have involved university students with heredity for alcohol problems. This study evaluated the effects after 2 years on drinking patterns and coping behavior of intervention programs for students with parents with alcohol problems. Method:, In total, 82 university students (57 women and 25 men, average age 25 years) with at least 1 parent with alcohol problems were included in the study. The students were randomly assigned to 1 of the 3 programs: (i) alcohol intervention program, (ii) coping intervention program, or (iii) combination program. All the 3 intervention programs were manual based and individually implemented during 2 2-hour sessions, 4 weeks apart. Before the participants were randomly assigned, all were subjected to an individual baseline assessment. This assessment contained both a face-to-face interview and 6 self-completion questionnaires: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, estimated Blood Alcohol Concentration, Short Index of Problems, the Symptom Checklist-90, Coping with Parents' Abuse Questionnaire, and The Interview Schedule for Social Interaction (ISSI). Follow-up interviews were conducted after 1 and 2 years, respectively. The results after 1 year have previously been reported. Results:, All participants finished the baseline assessment, accepted and completed the intervention. Ninety-five percent of the students completed the 24-month follow-up assessment. Only the group receiving the combination program continued to improve their drinking pattern significantly (p < 0.05) from the 12-month follow-up to the 24-month follow-up. The improvements in this group were significantly better than in the other 2 groups. The group receiving only alcohol intervention remained at the level of improvement achieved at the 12-month follow-up. The improvements in coping behavior achieved at the 12-month follow-up remained at the 24-month follow-up for all the 3 groups, i.e., regardless of intervention program. Conclusion:, Positive effects of alcohol intervention between 1 and 2 years were found only in the combined intervention group, contrary to the 1-year results with effects of alcohol intervention with or without a combination with coping intervention. [source]

Long-Term Posttreatment Functioning Among Those Treated for Alcohol Use Disorders

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2006
Patrick R. Clifford
This article summarizes the proceedings of a symposium that was organized and chaired by Patrick R. Clifford and presented at the 2005 Research Society on Alcoholism meeting in Santa Barbara, California. The aims of the presentation were to focus on the prediction and explanation of longer-term functioning following alcohol use disorders (AUD) treatment. Along these lines, Stephen A. Maisto, PhD, presented data (i.e., Project MATCH outpatient sample) on the relationship between drinking behavior in the first year following AUD outpatient treatment initiation and functioning at 3-year follow-up. Robert L. Stout, PhD, using data from the Extended Case Monitoring Study, analyzed long-term drinking patterns using shorter-term information. James R. McKay, PhD, examined the relationship between treatment services received and problem severities across a 2-year follow-up period. J. Scott Tonigan, PhD, served as the panel discussant. [source]

Influence of Age at Drinking Onset on Long-Term Ethanol Self-Administration With Deprivation and Stress Phases

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2005
Sören Siegmund
Background: Onset of alcohol use during adolescence has potentially long-lasting consequences, e.g., prospective alcohol dependence. To obtain new insight into the effects of early chronic ethanol consumption, we compared the drinking behavior of two adult male Wistar rat groups: one that initiated alcohol consumption during adolescence (adolescent group) and the other that initiated their drinking during adulthood (adult group) in a model of long-term alcohol self-administration. We investigated the magnitude of the effects of deprivation and stress on alcohol intake and the influence of these events on the alcohol drinking behavior across time. Methods: Heterogeneous Wistar rats aged 31 days (adolescents) and 71 days (adults) were given ad libitum access to water, as well as 5% and 20% ethanol solutions during an observation period of 30 wk. A deprivation phase of 14 days was instituted after eight wk of access to alcohol. After 16 and 26 wk of alcohol access, all animals were subjected for three consecutive days to forced swimming and electric foot shocks, respectively. Results: At the onset of drinking, adolescent animals consumed less alcohol and showed lower preference than adults. The deprivation phase was followed by increased intake of highly concentrated ethanol solution without appreciable differences between age groups. Repeated swim stress produced a slight increase in ethanol consumption in both animal groups; however, alcohol intake was not significantly different between groups, whereas the foot shock stress-induced increase in alcohol intake was significantly higher in the animal group that initiated alcohol consumption during adolescence. After swim stress, the drinking behavior of the adolescent group resembled that of the adult group. In particular, the adolescent group increased their preference for 20% ethanol solution for the remainder of the experiment. Conclusions: Age of voluntary alcohol drinking onset does not appear to be a strong predictor for prospective alcohol intake and relapse-like drinking behavior under the present experimental conditions. However, male Wistar rats that initiated alcohol consumption during adolescence seem to be more susceptible to acute stressor-specific effects in terms of alcohol consumption. [source]