Convergent genome wide association results for bipolar disorder and substance dependence
American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics Published Online 6 January 2009

Twin studies document substantial heritability for substance dependence and bipolar disorder [Shih et al. ([2004]); Uhl et al. ([2008a])]. Individuals with bipolar disorder display substance use disorders at rates that are much higher than those in the general population [Krishnan ([2005])].

We would thus predict: 1) substantial overlap between different genome wide association (GWA) studies of bipolar disorder 2) significant overlap between results from bipolar disorder and substance dependence.

Recent GWA studies [Baum et al. ([2007]); Sklar et al. ([2008]); Uhl et al. ([2008a]); Wellcome Trust Consortium (2007)] allow us to test these ideas, although 1) these datasets display difficult features that include use of differing sets of SNPs, likely polygenic genetics, likely differences in linkage disequilibrium between samples, heterogeneity both between and within loci and 2) several, though not all, reports have failed to identify any allele of any single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (same SNP same allele) that is reproducibly associated with bipolar disorder with genome wide significance.

We now report analyses that identify clustered, SNPs within genes that overlap between the bipolar samples . Overlapping data from at least three of these studies identify 69 genes. 23 of these genes also contain overlapping clusters of nominally-positive SNPs for substance dependence.

Variants in these addiction/bipolar genes are candidates to influence the brain in ways that manifest as enhanced vulnerabilites to both substance dependence and bipolar disorder.


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Bulletins provide further insight into implications of Brief Interventions

Drug and Alcohol findings, a project that aims to bridge the gap between research and practice, has released a series of bulletins focusing on learnings relating to alcohol Screening and Brief Interventions in the UK.
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Summer Programmes - Alcohol, Drugs and Addiction

- updated 11 - 24 July 2009 (tentative)

Courses, seminars and dialogues in Amsterdam on theories and concepts as they have been developed in the field of addiction studies. The Summer Institute on Addiction is an intensive two week summer programme, which focuses on the study of addiction across cultures and is taught by an international faculty team.

Professionals have the option to attend either one or both weeks.
The Institute welcomes individuals with a focused interest in addiction research and treatment, Master's and PhD students, NGO staff working on addiction-related issues, professionals in human services, practitioners, advocates and participants in other International School programmes

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CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION

SPECIAL NOTICE TO WINE GROWERS AND IMPORTERS

The Board of Equalization (BOE) approved regulations necessary to clarify the definition of “distilled spirits” under the Alcoholic Beverage Tax Law. The regulations were approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and became fully operative on October 1, 2008.

The regulations create a rebuttable presumption that all alcoholic beverages, except wine, as defined by Business and Professions Code section 23007, contain 0.5 percent or more alcohol by volume derived from flavors or other ingredients containing alcohol obtained from the distillation of fermented agricultural products and are “distilled spirits.” The regulations also prescribe a procedure for rebutting this presumption.

Accordingly, unless a manufacturer files the attached form BOE-505 Alcoholic Beverage Tax Report for Board of Equalization Rebutting Regulation 2559 to rebut the presumption, any product (including any wine-based products) that does not meet the definition of wine under Business and Profession Code section 23007, is presumed to be a distilled spirit for purposes of the Alcoholic Beverage Tax Law.

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What advice should be given to patients with NAFLD about the consumption of alcohol?

Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2009) 6, 18-19

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases in the Western world. NAFLD is associated with chronic metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Several studies have shown that individuals with NAFLD are more likely to have atherosclerosis and a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease than individuals without NAFLD. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the single most common cause of death in patients with NAFLD.1

Although heavy alcohol use has many detrimental effects, the cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol consumption are beyond doubt. In a prospective study of 490,000 people, Thun et al. demonstrated that individuals who consumed one alcoholic drink daily had a decrease in mortality from all causes of 20% and cardiovascular-associated mortality of 30–40% compared with nondrinkers.2 In the Copenhagen City Heart Study, individuals who consumed between three and five drinks of wine daily had a decreased relative risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, of 50% compared with non-wine drinkers. No risk reduction was seen, however, with consumption of beer or liquor, suggesting that the nonalcohol constituents of wine were accountable for the protective effects observed in this study.3 A systematic review that evaluated the effects of alcohol on the incidence and progression of diabetes found that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a decreased incidence of diabetes and with a decreased incidence of cardiovascular events in those already diagnosed with diabetes.4 These data raise the dilemma of whether patients with NAFLD who have a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease should, or should not, consume alcohol.

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Recovery coaches and substance exposed births: An experiment in child welfare
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume 32, Issue 11, November 2008, Pages 1072-1079


Substance exposed infants present a major challenge to child welfare and public health systems. Prenatal substance exposure and continued substance abuse in the home are associated with a wide range of adverse social, emotional, and developmental outcomes.

The objective of the current study is to evaluate the use of recovery coaches in child welfare.

The current study is longitudinal and utilizes an experimental design. The sample includes 931 substance abusing women enrolled in a Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration, 261 in the control group, and 670 in the experimental group. Women in the experimental group received traditional services plus the services of a recovery coach. Administrative records are used to indicate substance exposure at birth.

Of the 931 women enrolled in the waiver demonstration, 21% of the control group and 15% of the experimental group were associated with a subsequent substantiated allegation indicating substance exposure at birth. Cox proportional hazards modeling indicates that women in the experimental group were significantly less likely to be associated with a new substance exposed birth.

The use of recovery coaches in child welfare significantly decreases the risk of substance exposure at birth. Integrated and comprehensive approaches are necessary for addressing the complex and co-occurring needs of families involved with child protection.

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Mental Health and Substance Use Problems of Parents Involved With Child Welfare: Are Services Offered and Provided?
Psychiatr Serv 60:56-60, January 2009


This study examined service delivery to parental caregivers with mental health problems, substance use problems, or both. The study sought to determine whether, once need is identified, suitable services are offered and then provided.

Of parents with mental problems, 77.9% were offered services and 84.0% of those were provided services. Of parents with substance use problems, 65.7% were offered treatment and 67.5% of those were provided it. Other problems included lack of parenting skills, lack of education and job skills, parent-child conflict, and lack of income.

Significant associations were found between caseworkers' identifying problems and offering relevant services. Caregivers with substance use problems were less likely to be offered substance treatment services than caregivers with both mental health and substance use problems.

The child welfare system may facilitate service use for caregivers. More research is needed to understand the process of service delivery to caregivers, including why services are not offered to some caregivers and why some services are not provided after being offered.

Future research should examine why caregivers with substance use problems are vulnerable to not receiving treatment and whether and how service use varies for other problems not examined in this study.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: mstaudt@utk.edu
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Substance Use Disorders as Risk Factors for Psychiatric Hospitalization in Bipolar Disorder
Psychiatr Serv 60:50-55, January 2009


This study developed risk profiles of psychiatric hospitalization for veterans diagnosed as having bipolar disorder.

In this sample 20% of the patients with bipolar disorder were hospitalized psychiatrically during the one-year study period. Patients diagnosed as having both an alcohol use disorder and polysubstance dependence and who also were separated from their spouse or partner had a 100% risk of psychiatric hospitalization; risk of psychiatric hospitalization decreased to 52% if the patients were not separated from their partner. Patients who were not diagnosed as having alcohol use disorders or polysubstance dependence and who were not separated from their partners exhibited the lowest risk of psychiatric hospitalization (12%). Among patients with a psychiatric hospitalization, 41% had longer lengths of stay (<14 days), with the strongest predictor of a longer length of stay being an age older than 77 years, which conferred a 77% risk.

Alcohol use and polysubstance dependence can significantly affect the course of bipolar disorder, as evidenced by their associations with psychiatric hospitalizations. Increased focus on substance abuse among older adults with bipolar disorder may decrease length of psychiatric hospitalization. Our findings suggest that implementing substance treatment programs early in the course of bipolar disorder could reduce health service use.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: : john.brooks@ucla.edu
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The Quality of Asthma Care Among Adults With Substance-Related Disorders and Adults With Mental Illness
Psychiatr Serv 60:43-49, January 2009


The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the presence of substance-related disorders or mental illness may affect the quality of medication management in asthma care.

Odds of achieving the HEDIS measure were lower for patients with substance-related or schizophrenia disorders in two states (range of odds ratio [OR]=.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]=.53–.90, to OR=.81, 95% CI=.69–.96), but the odds increased for patients with depressive disorders in two states (OR=1.34, CI= 1.12–1.61; OR=1.37, CI=1.05–1.77) and for patients with bipolar disorder in one state (OR=1.69, CI=1.13–2.55). Odds of achieving the ratio measure were lower for patients with substance-related disorders in four states (range of OR=.63, CI=.47–.88, to OR=.75, CI=.62–.92) and higher for patients with depressive disorders, although only in one state (OR=1.25, CI=1.03–1.53).

Patients with substance-related disorders and those with schizophrenia disorders may be receiving lower-quality asthma care, whereas patients with some other forms of mental illness may be receiving higher-quality care. Further studies are needed to identify the determinants of high-quality asthma care and the validity of quality measures based on administrative data in these populations.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: jeff.baxter@umassmed.edu
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Impact of Substance Disorders on Medical Expenditures for Medicaid Beneficiaries With Behavioral Health Disorders
Psychiatr Serv 60:35-42, January 2009

This study measured the impact of substance use disorders on Medicaid expenditures for behavioral and physical health care among beneficiaries with behavioral health disorders.

A total of 148,457 beneficiaries met selection criteria, and 43,457 (29.3%) had a substance use diagnosis. Compared with other beneficiaries with behavioral health disorders, individuals with diagnoses of substance use disorders had significantly higher expenditures for physical health problems in five of six states. Approximately half of the additional care and expenditures were for treatment of physical conditions. Differences declined but remained statistically significant after adjustment for higher overall disease burden among beneficiaries with addictions. Medical expenditures for individuals with diagnoses of substance use disorders increased significantly with age in five of six states, whereas behavioral health expenditures were stable or declined. Hospital admissions for psychiatric and general medical reasons were higher for those with diagnoses of substance use disorders.

The impact of addiction on Medicaid populations with behavioral health disorders is greater than the direct cost of mental health and addictions treatment. Higher medical expenditures can be partly attributed to greater prevalence of co-occurring physical disorders, but expenditures remained higher after adjustment for disease burden. Spending estimates based only on behavioral health diagnoses may significantly underestimate addictions-related costs, particularly for older adults.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: robin.clark@umassmed.edu
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Is alcohol consumption good for you? Results from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey

Addiction Research & Theory, Volume 16, Issue 6 December 2008 , pages 553 - 563

Data from the Statistics Canada 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey is used to test the hypothesis that classification errors of the type noted by Fillmore et al. (2006) could invalidate the statistical results on the effects of alcohol consumption on self-rated health and the incidence of heart disease and diabetes.

The results obtained in this study show that the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol use that so many studies have found, still appear even when the correct classification of alcohol use is employed.

However, parameter biases and inferential errors can occur when researchers fail to distinguish between former drinkers and never drinkers within the non-drinking group.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: jamesm@vax2.concordia.ca

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Alcohol and the burden of disease
Addiction Research & Theory, Volume 16, Issue 6 December 2008 , pages 541 - 552



World Health Organization (WHO) lists alcohol consumption as a leading risk to health, contributing 4% to the global burden of disease. This serves as justification for far-reaching preventive interventions.

The purpose of this article is to recapitulate in narrative some of the assumptions upon which WHO conclusions rest and to interpret their validity accordingly.

First, it may be misleading to include 'alcohol use' as a risk to health. As alcohol use has beneficial, protective as well as harmful properties, burden assessment should be based on harmful aspects only, e.g., 'hazardous patterns of alcohol use'.

Second, assessments of interventions aimed at reducing risks from alcohol use to disease burden should also consider such interventions' impact on dimensions other than health or disease-in particular, psychosocial benefits of alcohol consumption.

Third, the uncertainties associated with both the database and methodology for estimating the disease burden attributable to alcohol are high and need to be considered in the interpretation of findings.

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Who receives confrontation in recovery houses and when is it experienced as supportive?
Addiction Research & Theory Early View 10 November 2008


The Alcohol and Drug Confrontation Scale (ADCS) is a 72-item instrument that measures a construct of confrontation defined as warnings about potential harm associated with alcohol and drug use.

This analysis describes the characteristics of individuals entering residential recovery homes (N = 323) who received confrontation and when it was experienced as supportive.

A large proportion reported receiving at least one confrontational statement (80%), most commonly from family/friends (71%). Individuals who did and did not receive confrontation did not differ by demographics, but those receiving confrontation had more recent substance use, higher perceived costs of sobriety and more severe family and psychiatric problems. Differences were noted in confrontation from the criminal justice system versus family/friends. Overall, residents experienced confrontation as supportive regardless of who confronted them.

Residents who experienced confrontation the most helpful were those with higher levels of substance use and those who believed maintaining sobriety would be difficult.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: dpolcin@arg.org
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Alcohol's excise taxes bringing in less state revenue

BY PAUL HUGHES REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

People in Connecticut don't seem to be drowning their economic blues in brews, booze or Beaujolais.

Slumping tax collections suggest folks are buying less beer, liquor and wine amid some of the most depressing times since the Great Depression. The revenue figures also indicate the distribution and sale of alcohol aren't recession-proof businesses, either.
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A new blueprint for alcohol and other drug treatment services 2009-2013 Client-centred, service-focused

Overview

A new blueprint for alcohol and other drug treatment services, 2009–2013 has just been released. It will promote treatment services that respond to the range of needs of clients and are high quality and evidenced based.

The Victorian alcohol and other drug treatment sector has an impressive track record of collaborative work and there are excellent examples of partnership initiatives that are helping to rebuild lives. We need to build on that good work and consolidate a system that provides high quality, evidence-based, integrated services.

The blueprint will sit alongside and complement other related government initiatives including Restoring the balance - Victoria’s alcohol action plan 2008–2013, the forthcoming amphetamine-type (ATS) substances and related drugs strategy, the whole-of-government alcohol and drug prevention strategy and the new mental health strategy.

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Blueprint for alcohol and other drug treatment services, 2009–2013 (PDF file 1.62MB)

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Alcohol Consumption and the Risk of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

The evidence concerning the influence of alcohol drinking on the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has yielded intriguing findings but has lacked a clear-cut interpretation due to inconsistencies.

To unify this body of evidence, we performed a systematic review. With funding and using a protocol developed by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), 15 bibliographic databases were searched for epidemiological studies that reported a measure of association between alcoholic beverage consumption and NPC. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) for highest-vs.-lowest categories of total alcohol intake was obtained by using an inverse-variance weighted random-effects model. A dose-response trend was examined in models using generalized least square estimation.

The search identified 14 case-control studies from 5 countries. For total alcohol intake, the pooled ORs in a comparison of the highest to the lowest category was 1.33 (95% CI: = 1.09-1.62) in 11 studies.

Data from 6 studies indicated a J-shape dose-response trend, with NPC risk decreasing with up to 15 drinks/wk and increasing with higher intake. Fewer data were available to assess the associations between NPC and intake of beer, wine, and spirits. The potential J-shaped dose-response trend suggests a reduced risk of NPC related to the light alcohol drinking, an observation that warrants further study.

Considered in total, the quantitative summaries of the case-control evidence suggest that heavy alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of NPC.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: chenliw@mail.nih.gov_
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The gene in alcohol dependence and tobacco smoking serotonin 2A receptor
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Article in Press, 25 December 2008

Alcohol and nicotine abuse and dependence are multifactorial traits that frequently co-occur, where 80–90% of alcohol-dependent individuals who seek treatment smoke. Nicotine is the main compound of tobacco and one of its effects is to increase the release of serotonin. Variations in the serotonergic system may influence some aspects of smoking. The serotonin receptor gene HTR2A has been a candidate gene with some evidence for association with alcohol and nicotine dependencies. The polymorphism HTR2A A-1438G is a functional SNP, and the presence of the A allele increases the transcriptional activity of the gene.

The aim of the present study was to test for possible associations between the A-1438G polymorphism in the serotonin receptor gene (HTR2A) with tobacco smoking combined or not with alcohol dependence.

The polymorphic site was genotyped in three groups of European-derived Brazilians: individuals with co-occurrence of alcohol dependence and tobacco smoking (n = 113), non-alcoholic smokers (n = 120) and non-smoking controls (n = 115).

A higher frequency of the A allele was observed in the two groups of smokers than in the non-smoking controls (x2 = 6.53, p = 0.04). Combining these groups in comparison with the control group, the difference is more significant (x2 = 6.45, p = 0.01).

These results support previous evidence for association between HTR2A polymorphisms and substance use disorders.

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Request Reprint E- Mail: claiton.bau@ufrgs.br
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Dense Genomewide Linkage Scan for Alcohol Dependence in African Americans: Significant Linkage on Chromosome 10

Biological Psychiatry Volume 65, Issue 2, 15 January 2009, Pages 111-115

Alcohol dependence (AD) is costly to societies worldwide, moderately heritable, and genetically complex. Risk loci in several populations have been identified with genetic linkage analysis. To date, there has been no published linkage study of AD focused on African Americans (AAs).

We identified a genomewide-significant linkage to markers near 117.2 centiMorgans on chromosome 10q23.3-24.1 (logarithm of odds score 3.32; p = 5.0E-05; empirical genomewide p = .033).

These data add to the growing evidence for locations for AD risk loci and provide the first linkage evidence for such a locus in the AA population

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Request Reprint E-Mail: joel.gelernter@yale.edu

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Strain Specific Synaptic Modifications on Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Neurons After Ethanol Exposure

Biological Psychiatry Article in Press, 31 December 2008

Genetic factors and previous alcohol experience influence alcohol consumption in both humans and rodents. Specifically, a prior experience with ethanol increases ethanol intake in both ethanol-preferring C57BL/6 (C57) and ethanol non-preferring DBA/2 (DBA) mice.

Whereas the ventral tegmental area (VTA) importantly regulates dopamine levels and ethanol intake, it is unknown whether ethanol experience differentially alters synaptic properties of VTA dopamine neurons in ethanol-preferring and non-preferring mice.

Ethanol exposure increased γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release onto VTA dopamine neurons in DBA mice, as previously observed in C57 mice. However, a single ethanol exposure reduced α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function and LTP in VTA dopamine neurons from DBA but not C57 mice.

A single ethanol exposure selectively reduced glutamate receptor function in VTA dopamine neurons from the ethanol non-preferring DBA strain but enhanced GABA signaling in both C57 and DBA strains.

These results support the notion that VTA dopamine neurons are a central target of ethanol-induced neural plasticity, which could contribute to ethanol consumption. Furthermore, these findings highlight the possible need for specialized therapeutic interventions for alcoholism based on individual intrinsic differences.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: antonello.bonci@ucsf.edu

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Identification of nitroxyl-induced modifications in human platelet proteins using a novel mass spectrometric detection method
MCP Papers in Press. Published on December 31, 2008

Nitroxyl (HNO) exhibits many important pharmacological effects, including inhibition of platelet aggregation, and the HNO donor, Angeli’s salt (AS), has been proposed as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of disease including heart failure and alcoholism. Despite this, little is known about HNO’s mechanism of action, and its effects are rarely linked to specific protein targets of HNO or to the actual chemical changes that proteins undergo when in contact with HNO.

Here, we study the presumed major molecular target of HNO within the body: protein thiols.

Cysteine-containing tryptic peptides were reacted with HNO, generating the sulfinamide modification, and to a lesser extent, disulfide linkages. The sulfinamide modification was subjected to a comprehensive analysis including MS/MS by collision induced dissociation (CID) and electron capture dissociation (ECD), and MS3.

These studies revealed a characteristic neutral loss of HS(O)NH2 (65 Da) that is liberated from the modified cysteine upon CID, and can be monitored by mass spectrometry. Upon storage, partial conversion of the sulfinamide to sulfinic acid was observed, leading to coinciding neutral losses of 65 Da and 66 Da (HS(O)OH). Validation of the method was conducted using a targeted study of nitroxylated glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) extracted from AS-treated human platelets.

In these ex vivo experiments, the sample preparation process resulted in complete conversion of sulfinamide to sulfinic acid, making this the sole subject of further ex vivo studies.

A global proteomic analysis to discover platelet proteins that carry nitroxyl-induced modifications and a mass spectrometric HNO dose response analysis of the modified proteins was conducted to gain insight into the specificity and selectivity of this modification.

This identified 10 proteins that are modified dose dependently in response to HNO, providing for the first time a possible mechanistic link between HNO-induced modification and the physiological effects of HNO donors in platelets.

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Press Release - Addressing Substance Abuse and Comorbidities among Military Personnel, Veterans, and Their Families: A Research Agenda




There is growing concern that military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are experiencing a range of difficulties, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) will convene a two-day meeting January 6-7, 2009 to address the issue of substance abuse and associated mental health problems among military personnel and their families, and will produce recommendations for new research directions and priorities.

The goals of the meeting are:

• Gain an understanding of the intervention needs of military personnel, veterans, and their families regarding substance abuse and associated difficulties;
  
• Discuss current prevention and treatment approaches being used with these populations and their evidence base;
  
• Review existing efficacious drug abuse prevention and treatments interventions that may be appropriate for adapting and testing for use with military and veteran populations and their families;
  
• Understand how to successfully conduct research in military and veteran settings; and
  
• Formulate a research agenda for conducting addictions prevention. . . . . . .

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Validation of a DIS-III-R Rescoring Algorithm for DSM-IV Alcohol-Use Disorders.
J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 70: 143-146, 2009


The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, Version III, Revised (DIS-IIIR), rescoring algorithm when compared with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), diagnoses established using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).

The research question is "Does our DIS-III-R rescore accurately reflect DSM-IV diagnoses established independently using the CIDI?"

The rescoring algorithm showed good sensitivity for lifetime alcohol abuse (60.4%) and dependence (80.0%) but poor specificity (0.0%). Current alcohol dependence was diagnosed with high sensitivity (100.0%) and moderate specificity (40.2%). Current alcohol abuse was diagnosed with poor sensitivity (18.2%).

Our algorithm can be used to rescore DIS-III-R data to DSM-IV alcohol-use diagnoses, but one must use caution with respect to the timeframe of alcohol-use disorders and the specific diagnosis.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: gmcmillan@bhrcs.org

Associations of glutamate decarboxylase genes with initial sensitivity and age-at-onset of alcohol dependence in the Irish Affected Sib Pair Study of Alcohol Dependence
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Article in Press, 25 December 2008

The relation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to alcohol dependence (AD) has been widely studied. Several previous studies suggest that GABA may be involved in alcohol withdrawal, tolerance, and the symptoms that form an AD diagnosis. The genes coding for glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), the rate-limiting enzyme in GABA synthesis, are of potential interest for their association to ethanol consumption and AD. There are two isoforms of GAD, GAD1 and GAD2, which were reported to be associated with AD in males of Han Taiwanese (GAD1) and Russian (GAD2) ancestry.

The present study examined the association of the two GAD isoforms with AD and relevant alcohol-related traits in the Irish Affected Sib Pair Study of Alcohol Dependence

Nine of 29 markers with minor allele frequencies less than 0.01 were removed from standard analysis; the remaining 20 markers were all in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Three markers in the intronic regions of GAD1 were associated with initial sensitivity to alcohol (P = 0.002); the associations remained significant after a FDR based correction for multiple testing. In addition, one marker located 3 kb upstream of GAD1 exhibited association with age at onset of AD (P = 0.0001). Gender specific effects were observed in results of both single marker and haplotype analyses.

We found no evidence for the association of GAD genes with AD but significant association of GAD1 with initial sensitivity and age at onset of AD. Our findings suggest that the underlying pathophysiology regulated by genes like GAD1 may be more directly related to the component processes that form AD than to the clinical disorder.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: pkuo@mail.ncku.edu.tw
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Predictors of Initial AA-Related Helping: Findings From Project MATCH.

J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2009 Jan;70(1):117-125.

The purpose of this article is to identify the factors that predict initial Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)-related helping following treatment admission.

Demographic characteristics, drinking severity, antisocial personality, and purpose in life were not associated with initial AA-related helping.

Increased self-efficacy, faith-based practices, meeting attendance, number of steps worked, having a sponsor, and length of sobriety predicted initial AA-related helping. Alcoholics reported elevated depressive symptoms before initial AA-related helping, lowered depressive symptoms at the start of AA-related helping, and similarly lowered depressive symptoms in the interval following initial AA-related helping.

The profile of prospective helpers in AA is not limited to alcoholics from certain backgrounds or higher functioning in terms of drinking or clinical severity. To increase participation in AA-related helping, and hence outcomes, results suggest strengthening self-efficacy and progress in other AA programmatic components.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: maria.pagano@case.edu

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Binge culture curses 'lost generation'

Erik Jensen
January 3, 2009

A GENERATION of Australian teenagers has been lost to binge drinking and will not be reached by the Federal Government's anti-drinking campaign, one of Australia's leading drug educators warns.

The director of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia, Paul Dillon, said the $53 million national binge-drinking strategy was having little effect on a generation of young drinkers habitually misusing alcohol.
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MSPs vote to reduce drink drive limit to 50mg

The Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of cutting the drink-driving limit to the equivalent of one glass of beer or wine. The move came after doctors urged Scotland's political parties to support reducing the limit from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml of blood. The plan was backed during a debate at Holyrood - although the issue is reserved to Westminster.

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Binge drinking in women at risk for developing eating disorders

International Journal of Eating Disorders Published Online: 29 Dec 2008

To determine binge drinking rates in college-age women at risk for eating disorders and to examine factors related to binge drinking over time.

Participants reported high rates of binge drinking and frequent binge drinking throughout college. Binge drinking was positively correlated with dietary restraint, coping using substances, coping using denial, and life events.

The study's findings suggest that binge drinking is highly prevalent in women at high risk for developing eating disorders. Results also indicated that binge drinking was related to dieting and maladaptive coping patterns.

Intervention for women with strong weight and shape concerns should also address problematic alcohol use.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: akhaylis@pgsp.edu

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Alcohol misuse in the Royal Navy

Occupational Medicine 2009 59(1):25-31

Evidence suggests that military personnel consume considerable amounts of alcohol which may have both medical and occupational implications.

To compare alcohol consumption and misuse within the Royal Navy (RN) to that in the civilian population.

The response rate was 70%. The majority (92%) scored as hazardous drinkers on the AUDIT-C, 40% met the criteria for heavy drinking, 27% for very heavy drinking, 48% reported binge drinking at least once a week and 15% were classed as problem drinkers. Heavy drinking was associated with younger age, lower rank and higher scores for both PCL and GHQ. All results were substantially higher than in age-matched civilian samples.

Excessive alcohol consumption, especially binge drinking, is significantly more prevalent in the RN than in the general population. Such high levels of drinking are likely to impact upon occupational efficiency and have both short-term and long-term health effects. We suggest that more needs to be done to deter excessive levels of consumption in order to avoid long-term health consequences.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: sososanta@aol.com

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Press Release - Study Shows that the Societal, Economic Burden of Insomnia is High
American Academy of Sleep Medicine12/24/2008

Westchester, Ill. — A study in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep indicates that the indirect costs of untreated insomnia are significantly greater than the direct costs associated with its treatment. The study estimates that the total annual cost of insomnia in the province of Quebec is 6.5 billion Canadian dollars, representing about one percent of the province’s $228.5 billion in gross domestic product for 2002.

Annual indirect costs of insomnia related to lost hours of productivity are estimated to be $5 billion, representing the largest proportion (76 percent) of all insomnia costs. The annual estimate of insomnia-related lost productivity is 27.6 days per year for individuals with insomnia syndrome, and 6.2 days per year for people with insomnia symptoms. The second-highest cost of insomnia is attributed to job absenteeism, with $970.6 million – 14.7 percent of the total economic burden of insomnia - estimated to be lost annually due to insomnia-related absences. Individuals with insomnia syndrome are absent from work an estimated 4.36 days per year because of insomnia.

Lead author of the study, Meagan Daley, PhD, professor of psychology and business, in Quebec City, Canada, stated that costs associated with the use of alcohol as a sleep aid exceed those associated with consultations and the use of medications and over-the-counter products.
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Optimization of Small Molecule Probes for the Nervous System (R21)

Request for Applications (RFA) Number: RFA-NS-09-003

The aim of this FOA issued by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is to facilitate the discovery of new small molecule probes for investigating biological function in the nervous system by providing funding for advanced medicinal chemistry and the biological testing of compounds.

Eligible Investigators will have identified probe candidates via screening of small molecule collections, using in vitro assays of biological activity developed to interrogate these collections, and be able to show that the structural features of these small molecules are related to their biological activity.

Project proposals should nominate small molecule probe candidates from distinct structural series for the further, iterative design and testing of analogues in structure-activity relationship studies, using in vitro assays of biological function adapted to the medium throughput screening requirements of this work.

These studies should have the goal of developing a small molecule probe possessing the attributes (eg: affinity, selectivity, activity) required for its use in future pharmacological studies proposed by the investigator.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to utilize publicly available cheminformatic capabilities for the acquisition of compounds, and semi-custom synthesis of analogues, which is required of these studies.

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