FASD News - 37/2011

FemaleFirst.co.uk - Alcohol in pregnancy causes 'most common form of learning disability'

A new research paper has assessed the impact on learning of children suffering from foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and it provides a wake-up call to the consequences of drinking alcohol whilst pregnant.

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The West Australian (Australia) - Alcohol in pregnancy can harm babies

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is now being revealed as a tragic legacy of alcohol misuse. And the condition is not isolated to marginalised, disadvantaged communities, researchers say.
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BBC News (UK) - Pregnant pause at Aberdeen flash gathering

A flash mob to highlight fetal alcohol problems has taken place in Aberdeen city centre.

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EMC Kingston (Canada) - A resounding reminder of the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy

Who better to help ring a bell to raise awareness about any worthwhile cause than the city's own Town Crier, Chris Whyman. Wyman, bell in hand, joined a room full of people at Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health as they rang bells to raise awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

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WVNS (USA) - Born Addicted: Approximately 1 out of 5 W.Va. Babies Born With Drugs in System

Instead of spending the first few weeks or months in the comfort of their new home, many West Virginia babies start their lives in an intensive care unit, withdrawing from drugs.

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Kingston This Week (Canada) - New interventions for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Until the last child is born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, bells will continue to toll around the world at 9:09 a.m. on September 9 to mark International FASD Awareness Day and the importance of abstaining from alcohol during the nine months of pregnancy.

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Independent Online (South Africa) - Hope for alcohol syndrome babies

For the first time, many South African babies born with foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) will be diagnosed at birth – giving them a far better chance at getting help.

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NewsPoint Africa (South Africa) – EXPERTS acknowledge 4000 new cases fas every year says report

Foetal alcohol syndrome is a severe birth defect that makes infants mentally retarded along with episodes of facial and neural abnormalities as well as malformations of other body parts. The health condition is believed to be triggered by alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
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Austin American-Statesman (USA) - State office, advocates seek screening of all pregnant women for alcohol use

A state health office and advocates announced Friday that they are seeking universal screening of all pregnant Texas women and "brief intervention for alcohol use" to prevent a widespread but little-known disability.

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EurActiv (EU) - Combat alcohol abuse with mandatory labels, EU urged

Policymakers gathered in Brussels this week to discuss the risks posed by alcohol abuse to unborn children urged the EU to introduce mandatory warning labels on bottles and cans.

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South Wales Argus (Wales) - Mums-to-be tell of dangers of boozing while pregnant

MUMS-to-be joined NHS staff in Newport yesterday to highlight the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant.
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Independent Online - Just one drink can harm your unborn baby

Friday (September 9, 2011) is International Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Awareness Day and the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA) is urging expecting mothers not to drink alcohol while pregnant.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

2ND International SAFFrance Colloquium, 15- 16 December 2011, Strasbourg

The second international conference of SAFFrance to be organised on the 15th and 16th of December in Strasbourg is linked to the first conference organised in the Senate in September 2009 to which the higher head of state participated.

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Live webcast – September 28, 2011 (9 -11am MST) – Talking with Women about Alcohol and Pregnancy

Christine Urqhart, Co-Founder, Change Talk Associates This session will address FASD prevention in relation to how we communicate with pregnant women and women in their childbearing years along the continuum of risk.
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MATERIALS:

2011 Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise (FACE) Poster Competition Abstracts

Held on September 13, 2011 - Prince Edward Island
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. Learn more about signs, treatments, and what you can do about FASDs.

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Canadian Foundation on Fetal Alcohol Research Awards Research Grants

The Canadian Foundation on Fetal Alcohol Research (CFFAR) today announced its fourth round of grants awarded for the research, prevention and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Dr. Louise Nadeau, Professor at the Université de Montréal and Scientific Director of the Centre Dollard-Cormier, University Institute on Dependencies and Ian Faris, President and CEO of the Brewers Association of Canada (BAC) made the announcement.
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RESEARCH:

A Differential Approach for Examining the Behavioural Phenotype of Fetal Alcohol Research Disorders

2006, Nash and colleagues published results suggesting that individual items from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) could be used as a screening tool that was highly sensitive in differentiating children with FASD from controls and children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
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A Need for Closer Examination of FASD by the Criminal Justice System: Has the Call Been Answered?

Individuals with FASD exhibit deficits in many domains that can include memory, learning, behavioural inhibition, executive functioning, interpersonal skills, and language. These deficits have serious implications for affected persons when they become engaged in the legal system.
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IN OTHER LANGUAGES:

STERN.DE (Germany) - Für immer geschädigt

In Deutschland kommen jedes Jahr mehrere tausend Babys mit Alkoholschäden zur Welt, weil ihre Mütter während der Schwangerschaft getrunken haben. Die Kinder sind oft unterentwickelt, verhaltensauffällig und lernen nicht so schnell wie Gleichaltrige - so wie Michael Resch, für den seine Kindheit eine Qual war.
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Opoka (Poland) - Międzynarodowy Dzień FAS i konferencja w Lędzinach

W dniu 9 września obchodzony jest po raz 11 Światowy Dzień FAS. Płodowy Zespół Alkoholowy (ang. FAS: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) jest zespołem uszkodzeń organizmu i związanych z tym zaburzeń rozwoju u dzieci matek pijących alkohol w czasie ciąży. W USA ten syndrom znany jest od 1973 r. W najbliższy poniedziałek, 12 września odbędzie się w Lędzinach konferencja naukowa „FASD (poalkoholowe spektrum wrodzonych zaburzeń rozwojowych a inne zaburzenia rozwojowe".

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Deutsches Ärzteblatt (Germany) - Drogenbeauftragte: Gynäkologen sollen schwangere Mädchen vor Alkoholkonsums warnen

Schätzungsweise 10.000 Kinder mit einer Form der Fetalen Alkoholspektrum-Störung (FASD) werden in jedem Jahr in Deutschland geboren. Damit ist FASD die häufigste angeborene Behinderung in diesem Land.

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Salon Seudun Sanomat (Finland) - 9.9. muistuttaa yhdeksän kuukauden raittiudesta

Perjantaina vietetään kansainvälistä FASD-päivää. Päivämäärä 9.9. muistuttaa odottavan äidin yhdeksän kuukauden raittiudesta. Kun odottava äiti juo alkoholia, juo kohdussa oleva lapsikin. Alkoholi on kuitenkin myrkky, jota sikiön elimistö ei pysty käsittelemään. Vaikeimmillaan alkoholi voi aiheuttaa syntyvälle lapselle syvän kehitysvamman.

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Libero-News.it (Italy) – Pediatria Iss rischi da alcol nel pancione per oltre 7 neonati su 100

Divieto assoluto di bere alcol per le donne in gravidanza. Ma in Italia 7,6 neonati su 100 corrono il rischio di un'esposizione ai danni della sindrome fetoalcolica.

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Noticias Médicas (Spain) - El 25% de mujeres españolas aún bebe alcohol en el embarazo a pesar de las graves consecuencias para el bebé

La importancia de los trastornos derivados del consumo abusivo de bebidas alcohólicas afecta a de 2 a 4 bebés nacidos, según el Parlamente Europeo. Read more


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Embryo developmental disruption during organogenesis produced by CF-1 murine periconceptional alcohol consumption

The aim was to study the control females (CF)-1 mouse embryo differentiation, growth, morphology on embryonic E- and N-cadherin expression at midgestation after periconceptional moderate alcohol ingestion.

Adult female mice were exposed to 10% ethanol in drinking water for 17 days previous to and up to day 10 of gestation (ethanol-exposed females, EF) and were compared with nonexposed CF.

EF presented reduced quantities of E10 to E10.5 embryos, greater percentage of embryos at stages less than E7.5, reduced implantation site numbers/female, and increased resorptions compared with CF.

EF-embryo growth was significantly affected as evidenced by reduced cephalic and body sizes of E10 and E10.5 embryos (scanning electron microscopy) and decreased protein content of E10.5 embryos vs. CF embryos.

A significantly higher percentage of EF-E10-10.5 embryos presented abnormal neural tube (NT) closure vs. the percentage of CF. E10 embryos from EF presented elevated tissue disorganization, pyknosis and nuclear condensation in somites, mesenchymal and neuroepithelial tissue.

Immunohistochemical E- and N-cadherin distribution patterns were similar in organic structures of E10 embryos between groups.

However, western blot revealed that E- and N-cadherin expression levels were significantly increased in EF-derived embryos vs. controls.

Perigestational ethanol consumption by CF-1 mice induced significant damage in the organogenic embryogenesis by producing delayed differentiation, growth deficiencies, and increasing the frequency of NT defects.

Ethanol exposure may disrupt cell–cell adhesion leading to upregulation of E- and N-cadherin expression suggesting that deregulation of cell adhesion molecules could be involved in the disruption of embryo development at organogenesis in CF-1 mouse.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: ecebral@hotmail.com

Noninvasive imaging of ethanol-induced developmental defects in zebrafish embryos using optical coherence tomography

In this article, we report the use of optical coherence tomography for noninvasive cross-sectional real-time imaging of ethanol-induced developmental defects in zebrafish embryos larvae.

For ethanol concentration of over 300 mM, developmental defects of eye (shrinkage and retinal abnormalities), malformation of the notochord and ataxia arising due to the toxic effects of ethanol were observed in OCT images from 3 days post fertilization onwards.

The results suggest that OCT could be a valuable tool for noninvasive assessment of birth defects in small animal systems.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: kdivakar@rrcat.gov.in

Mark Keller Lecture Program

"Translational Behavior-Genetic Studies of Alcohol: Are We There Yet?"


Honoring the Contributions of Mark Keller

Lipsett Amphitheater, Clinical Center (Bldg. 10)
NIH Campus -- 900 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
1:30 - 3:30 PM


PROGRAM

1:30	Welcome Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., Acting Director, NIAAA
1:40	Presentation of Award Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D.
1:45	Lecture: "Translational Behavior-Genetic Studies of Alcohol: Are We There Yet? John C. Crabbe, Ph.D.
2:45	Questions and Answers
3:15	Adjourn

Everyone is welcome. No fee or registration is required.

Sign language interpreters will be provided. For other reasonable accomodations or further information call 301-443-0796 by October 17 to discuss accommodations. For TTY callers, please call the above number through the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 (TTY/ASCII).

About Mark Keller |

About the Honoree-Dr. John C. Crabbe |

Parking-NIH Campus

An international consensus for medical leadership on alcohol

2 billion people worldwide consume alcohol, and of these 76·3 million have alcohol misuse problems,1 with substantial morbidity, mortality, and social harm. Alcohol use is the third leading risk factor for preventable and premature disease, with a lamentable lack of any global remediable action.2

Despite the clear evidence of harm from excess alcohol, there is little will to prioritise the problem in the global health agenda. Therefore the challenge is to reduce this harm by strengthening policies and their implementation locally, nationally, and globally. Such strengthening requires influence and commitment at all levels of the health, political, and legal systems, but the health harms mandate that physicians must take a lead.

Evidence-based cost-effective interventions reduce harm from alcohol, but advocacy for an alcohol policy is not politically attractive. The conflict between government-driven health policy and commercial or social governmental influences impedes the progress of any national or international policy. There is, therefore, an urgent need to put pressure on governments to recognise, adopt, and scale up appropriate health policies. > > > > Read More

Prazosin Effects on Stress- and Cue-Induced Craving and Stress Response in Alcohol-Dependent Individuals: Preliminary Findings

Stress, alcohol cues, and dysregulated stress responses increase alcohol craving and relapse susceptibility, but few pharmacologic agents are known to decrease stress- and cue-induced alcohol craving and associated stress dysregulation in humans. Here we report findings from a preliminary efficacy study of the alpha-1 receptor antagonist, prazosin, in modulating these relapse-relevant factors in alcohol-dependent individuals.

Seventeen early abstinent, treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent individuals (12 men and 5 women) were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or 16 mg daily prazosin in a double-blind, placebo-controlled manner over 4 weeks. During week 4, all patients participated in a 3-day laboratory experiment involving 5-minute guided imagery exposure to stress, alcohol cue, and neutral-relaxing/control conditions, 1 exposure per day, on consecutive days in a random, counterbalanced order. Alcohol craving, anxiety, negative emotion, cardiovascular measures, and plasma hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA; cortisol, adenocorticotropic hormone) were assessed repeatedly in each session.

The prazosin group (n = 9) versus the placebo group (n = 8) showed significantly lower alcohol craving, anxiety, and negative emotion following stress exposure. The placebo group also showed significantly increased stress- and cue-induced alcohol craving, anxiety, negative emotion, and blood pressure (BP), as well as a blunted HPA response relative to the neutral condition, while the prazosin group showed no such increases in craving, anxiety, negative emotion, and BP, and no blunted HPA response to stress and alcohol cue exposure.

Prazosin appears efficacious in decreasing stress- and cue-induced alcohol craving and may normalize the stress dysregulation associated with early recovery from alcoholism. Further research to assess the efficacy of prazosin in reducing alcohol craving and stress-related relapse risk is warranted.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: helen.fox@yale.edu

Reduced Cortical Thickness in Abstinent Alcoholics and Association with Alcoholic Behavior

  Chronic misuse of alcohol results in widespread damage to the brain. Prior morphometric studies have examined cortical atrophy in individuals with alcoholism; however, no previous studies have examined alcohol-associated atrophy using cortical thickness measurements to obtain regional mapping of tissue loss across the full cortical surface.

We compared cortical thickness measures from 31 abstinent individuals with a history of prior alcohol abuse to 34 healthy nonalcoholic control participants (total sample size = 65). Cortical surface models were created from high-resolution T1-weighted images, and cortical thickness was then estimated as the distance between the gray matter/white matter boundary and the outer cortical surface.

Abstinent alcoholics showed reduced whole-brain thickness as compared to nonalcoholic participants. Decreases in thickness were found bilaterally in (i) superior frontal, (ii) precentral, (iii) postcentral, (iv) middle frontal, (v) middle/superior temporal, (vi) middle temporal, and (vii) lateral occipital cortical regions. Decreased cortical thickness in the alcoholic group was associated with severity of alcohol abuse.

These findings demonstrate widespread reduction in cortical thickness as a consequence of chronic alcoholism, with most severe reductions in frontal and temporal brain regions.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: Catherine_Fortier@hms.harvard.edu

Persistent but Less Severe Ataxia in Long-Term Versus Short-Term Abstinent Alcoholic Men and Women: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Disturbed gait and balance are among the most consistent and salient sequelae of chronic alcoholism. Results of small sample longitudinal investigations have provided evidence that partial recovery of gait and balance functions in alcoholics may be achieved with abstinence. However, abstinence durations reported have been limited, and their power and generalizability have suffered from small sample sizes.

In this study, we employed a cross-sectional approach to assess gait and balance functions in short-term (6 to 15 weeks) abstinent alcoholics (STAA; n = 70) and long-term (minimum 18 months, mean = 7.38 years) abstinent alcoholics (LTAA; n = 82). STAA and LTAA did not differ with respect to lifetime alcohol consumption, family drinking density, or years of education. In addition, we examined the effects of gender and alcohol use variables.

Our main findings were: (i) persistent disturbed gait and balance in STAA and disturbed standing balance in LTAA; (ii) overall less impaired performance of LTAA compared with STAA on gait and balance measures; and (iii) worse performance of STAA (but not LTAA) women, compared with men, on standing balance without visual control.

Our results suggest that alcoholics’ gait and balance can continue to recover with long abstinence from alcohol, but that deficits persist, especially in eyes-closed standing balance. In addition, our results are consistent with more severe alcohol-induced ataxia in women than in men but suggest that with extended abstinence, women recover gait and balance function to a level comparable with men.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: george@nbresearch.com

Alcohol Metabolism in Human Cells Causes DNA Damage and Activates the Fanconi Anemia–Breast Cancer Susceptibility (FA-BRCA) DNA Damage Response Networ

We recently reported that exposure of human cells in vitro to acetaldehyde resulted in the activation of the Fanconi anemia–breast cancer susceptibility (FA-BRCA) DNA damage response network.

To determine whether intracellular generation of acetaldehyde from ethanol metabolism can cause DNA damage and activate the FA-BRCA network, we engineered HeLa cells to metabolize alcohol by expression of human alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) 1B.

Incubation of HeLa-ADH1B cells with ethanol (20 mM) resulted in acetaldehyde accumulation in the media, which was prevented by co-incubation with 4-methyl pyrazole (4-MP), a specific inhibitor of ADH. Ethanol treatment of HeLa-ADH1B cells produced a 4-fold increase in the acetaldehyde–DNA adduct and N²-ethylidene-dGuo and also resulted in the activation of the FA-BRCA DNA damage response network, as indicated by a monoubiquitination of FANCD2 and phosphorylation of BRCA1. Ser 1524 was identified as 1 site of BRCA1 phosphorylation. The increased levels of DNA adducts, FANCD2 monoubiquitination, and BRCA1 phosphorylation were all blocked by 4-MP, indicating that acetaldehyde, rather than ethanol itself, was responsible for all 3 responses. Importantly, the ethanol concentration we used is within the range that can be attained in the human body during social drinking.

Our results indicate that intracellular metabolism of ethanol to acetaldehyde results in DNA damage, which activates the FA-BRCA DNA damage response network.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: pjbrooks@mail.nih.gov

Alcohol Use Disorders, Nicotine Dependence, and Co-Occurring Mood and Anxiety Disorders in the United States and South Korea—A Cross-National Comparis

The strong comorbidity between substance use disorders (SUDs) and mood and anxiety disorders has been well documented. In view of lack of research findings addressing the co-occurrence of SUDs and mood and anxiety disorders, this study examined the pattern of comorbidity of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and nicotine dependence (ND) between 2 culturally diverse countries, the United States and South Korea.

Using the nationally representative samples of the U.S. and Korean general populations, we directly compared rates and comorbidity patterns of AUDs, ND, and mood and anxiety disorders between the 2 countries. We further examined the rates and the comorbidity pattern among individuals with AUDs who sought treatment in the last 12 months. Twelve-month prevalence rates were derived to estimate country differentials, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated to measure the strength of comorbid associations while adjusting for all sociodemographic characteristics in multivariate logistic models specific to each country.

The 12-month prevalence rates of AUDs, ND, and any mood disorder and any anxiety disorder were 9.7, 14.4, 9.5, and 11.9% among Americans, whereas the corresponding rates were 7.1, 6.6, 2.0, and 5.2% among Koreans. These rates were significantly greater (except for any AUD) among Americans than among their Korean counterparts. With respect to comorbidity, both countries showed comparable patterns that the prevalence rates of mood and anxiety disorders were consistently the highest among persons with alcohol dependence (AD). Also, a disparate pattern was observed in Korea that the prevalence rates of mood and anxiety disorders were generally lower among individuals with ND than among those with alcohol abuse and AD. Furthermore, despite significantly greater prevalence of AD in Korea (5.1%) than in the United States (4.4%), alcohol-dependent Americans were 4 times (OR = 3.93) more likely to seek treatment compared to their Korean counterparts.

Our results indicated that the prevalence of AD in Korea was substantially greater than that in both Western and other Asian countries, suggesting a maladaptive pattern of alcohol use in Korea, which is different from the general use pattern of other East Asian countries. The low rate of treatment utilization among Koreans might be attributable to perceived social stigma toward SUDs or mental health problems despite the fact that the Korean government offers national health insurance.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: nplhk@catholic.ac.kr

GABRG1 and GABRA2 Variation Associated with Alcohol Dependence in African Americans

GABRG1 and GABRA2, genes that encode the γ1 and α2 subunits, respectively, of the GABA-A receptor, are located in a cluster on chromosome 4p. Association of alcohol dependence (AD) with markers located at the 3′ region of GABRA2 has been replicated in several studies, but recent studies suggested the possibility that the signal may be attributable to the adjacent gene, GABRG1, located 90 kb distant in the 3′ direction. Owing to strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) in European Americans (EAs), the origin, or origins, of the association signal is very difficult to discern, but our previous population-based study suggested that decreased LD across the GABRG1–GABRA2 region in African Americans (AAs) may be useful for fine mapping and resolution of the association signal in that population.

To examine these associations in greater detail, we genotyped 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning GABRG1 and GABRA2 in 380 AAs with AD and in 253 AA controls.

Although there was no association between any individual SNP and AD, a highly significant difference was shown between AD subjects and controls in the frequency of a 3-SNP GABRA2 haplotype (global p = 0.00029). A similar level of significance was obtained in 6-SNP haplotypes that combined tagging SNPs from both genes (global p = 0.00994). High statistical significance was also shown with a 6-SNP haplotype (T-G-C-G-T-A), p = 0.0033. The T-G-C-G-T-A haplotype contains the most significant GABRA2 3-SNP haplotype (p = 0.00019), G-T-A.

These findings reflect the interrelationship between these 2 genes and the likelihood that risk loci exist in each of them. Study of an AA population allowed evaluation of these associations at higher genomic resolution than is possible in a EA population, owing to the much lower LD across these loci in AAs.

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

Subjective Responses to Alcohol: A Paradigm Shift May Be Brewing

The meta-analysis by Quinn and Fromme (2011) is reviewed and integrated into the larger field. Guidelines for future research are presented.

With results of the meta-analysis along with those of a recent comprehensive prospective study by our group (King et al., 2011), there is a call to the field to specify terms and integrate theoretical frameworks to advance our knowledge and improve comparisons across trials.

The meta-analysis is both timely and thorough and will provide clinical researchers with important information to move the field forward.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: aking@yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu

Localization of brain 5α-reductase messenger RNA in mice selectively bred for high chronic alcohol withdrawal severity

Several lines of evidence suggest that fluctuations in endogenous levels of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurosteroid allopregnanolone (ALLO) represent one mechanism for regulation of GABAergic inhibitory tone in the brain, with an ultimate impact on behavior. Consistent with this idea, there was an inverse relationship between ALLO levels and symptoms of anxiety and depression in humans and convulsive activity in rodents during alcohol withdrawal.

Our recent studies examined the activity and expression of 5α-reductase (Srd5a1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of ALLO, during alcohol withdrawal in mice selectively bred for high chronic alcohol withdrawal (Withdrawal Seizure-Prone [WSP]) and found that Srd5a1 was downregulated in the cortex and hippocampus over the time course of dependence and withdrawal.

The purpose of the present studies was to extend these findings and more discretely map the regions of Srd5a1 expression in mouse brain using radioactive in situ hybridization in WSP mice that were ethanol naïve, following exposure to 72h ethanol vapor (dependent) or during peak withdrawal.

In naïve animals, expression of Srd5a1 was widely distributed throughout the mouse brain, with highest expression in specific regions of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and amygdala.

In dependent animals and during withdrawal, there was no change in Srd5a1 expression in cortex or hippocampus, which differed from our recent findings in dissected tissues.

These results suggest that local Srd5a1 mRNA expression in WSP brain may not change in parallel with local ALLO content or withdrawal severity.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: finnd@ohsu.edu

Effects of ethanol administration on corticosterone levels in adolescent and adult rats

Adolescent humans and rodents have been shown to consume more alcohol than their adult counterparts.

Given that corticosterone (CORT) has been shown to be related to the intake of several drugs of abuse, this study assessed the ontogenetic effects of low–moderate doses of ethanol on CORT increases and recovery.

Despite no significant differences in baseline (home cage) CORT levels, CORT responses to ethanol were greater in females than in males and in adult females than in adolescent females; males, however, showed less marked age differences in CORT levels after ethanol consumption.

Adolescent blood ethanol concentrations (BECs) were lower than those of adults, although these BEC differences appear insufficient to account for the ontogenetic differences in CORT levels.

Collectively, these findings suggest that it is unlikely that age differences in CORT elevations provide a major contribution to the ontogenetic differences in alcohol intake seen between adolescents and adults.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: awilley1@binghamton.edu

Alcohol and inflammation and infection: clinical and experimental systems—summary of the 2010 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group Meeting

The 15th annual meeting of the Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group was held on November 19, 2010, at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL.

This year, the focus of the meeting was on alcohol’s effect on the immune system in both clinical and experimental systems.

The event consisted of three sessions, which featured plenary talks from invited speakers along with oral presentations from selected abstracts, in addition to a poster session. Participants presented a variety of information on ethanol-induced effects on infection susceptibility and resolution, oxidative stress, and organ inflammation.

Specifically, speakers presented new insights on the mechanism of alcohol-mediated deleterious effects in the lung, liver, skin, and neuroendocrine system, as well as on immune cells in both in vivo and in vitro systems.

Additional oral presentations suggested possible mechanisms of how alcohol-induced reactive oxygen species promote immune dysregulation both locally and systemically.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: ekovacs@lumc.edu

Alcohol drinking, mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes, and alcohol metabolic genotypes in drunk drivers

Regular and irregular abuse of alcohol are global health priorities associated with diseases at multiple sites, including cancer. Mechanisms of diseases induced by alcohol are closely related to its metabolism.

Among conventional markers of alcohol abuse, the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of erythrocytes is prognostic of alcohol-related cancer and its predictivity increases when combined with functional polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH1B [rs1229984] and ADH1C [rs698]) and the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2 [rs671]).

Whether these genetic variants can influence abuse in alcohol drinking and MCV has never been examined in drunk-driving traffic offenders.

We examined 149 drunk drivers, diagnosed as alcohol abusers according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth edition Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) and enrolled in a probation program, and 257 social drinkers (controls), all Caucasian males. Alcohol intake was assessed according to self-reported drink-units/d and MCV unadjusted and adjusted for age, smoking, and body mass index. Multivariable models were used to compute MCV adjusted means. Genotype analyses were performed by PCR on DNA from blood.

The adjusted MCV mean was higher in drunk-driving abusers than in controls (92 vs. 91fL; P<.0001) and increased with the number of drink-units/d in both abusers and controls (P-trend=.0316 and .0089) already at intermediate quantities (0–1 vs. 2–4 drink-units/d: P=.054 and .024).

Carriers of the common ADH1B*1/*1 (rs1229984) genotype were more likely to be drunk-driving abusers (P=.008), reported higher drink-units/d (P=.0126), and had larger MCV (P=.035).

The rs698 ADH1C and rs671 ALDH2 polymorphisms were not associated with MCV. ADH1B*1/*1 polymorphism is significantly associated with being a drunk-driving abuser, higher alcohol drinking, and MCV enlargement.

This suggests that drunk drivers with augmented MCV modulated by the alcohol metabolic ADH1B*1/*1 genotype may be at higher risk of driving incapability and of alcohol-related cancer.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: sofia.pavanello@unipd.it

News and updates Sep 2011: Scotland sets sights on minimum pricing as Lansley praises industry

The Scottish Government has set out its 2011-2012 programme, including a bill to introduce minimum pricing as a condition of licences granted under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 - see reports from the Financial Times and Scotsman. The Scottish National Party (SNP) now have a significant majority which may turn the tables after their previous attempt at a 45 pence minimum price was blocked by opposition parties. However industry bodies are expected to oppose the move by referring it to the EU courts as a breach of competition law.

Challenge 25 becomes a mandatory condition for all of Scotland’s licensed premises on 1 October 2011 under the terms of the 2010 Alcohol Bill. The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) has launched a new Challenge 25 initiative to ensure pubs comply with new proof-of-age regulations coming into force next month.

However part of the Alcohol Bill may backfire on restricting off-sale promotions until minimum pricing is introduced. According to the Daily Express, rules to restrict irresponsible promotions may see premises lowering some prices as a result of changing multi-buy offers to apply to single drinks. Majestic Wines chief executive Steve Lewis stated: “To ensure we still offer the best prices we are converting our multi-buy prices to single bottle prices.” > > > > Read More

Sexual Assault and Substance Use in Male Veterans Receiving a Brief Alcohol Intervention

Many studies have documented the link between substance use and a history of sexual assault in women; however, few studies have examined this relationship in men. The purpose of this study was to explore the rates of sexual assault in a sample of male veterans reporting alcohol misuse and to further explore potential differences in alcohol use patterns and alcohol-related characteristics in those with and without a history of sexual assault. We also explored the types of illicit drugs being used in the past 90 days and whether a clinical sample of male veterans reporting sexual assault are at greater odds of using these substances when compared with their peers with no history of sexual assault.

Data were collected on a nationwide sample (N = 880) of male veterans receiving care in Veterans Administration outpatient mental health clinics.

We found that 9.5% of our sample reported a history of sexual assault, and those with this history reported increased alcohol consumption, a greater number of alcohol-related consequences, and an increased likelihood of using an illicit substance in the past 90 days. The most commonly used illicit substances were cannabis, cocaine, and opiates. Those with sexual assault histories were also more likely to report risk factors that may exacerbate the negative effects of any level of alcohol consumption.

Our findings highlight the burden of alcohol and illicit drug use among male veterans and suggest that substance use disorder treatment settings may be a context in which prevalence of a history of sexual assault is high. Our findings further support prior call for universal screening for sexual assault among this population.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: cucciare@hotmail.com

Association Between Adolescent Drinking and Adult Violence: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study of Urban African Americans

This study examined the relationship between adolescent alcohol use and adult violence from a developmental perspective, specifically whether frequent adolescent drinking predicts adult violence once shared risk factors are taken into account through propensity score matching. The research considered multiple types of violence, including assault, robbery, and suicidal behavior, as well as other types of offending. It tested whether educational attainment and adult alcohol use and problems contribute to the adolescent drinking–adult violence relationship.

Data came from a longitudinal epidemiological study of a community cohort of urban African Americans followed from age 6 to 42 (N = 702; 51% female). Frequent adolescent drinking was operationalized as 20 times or more by age 16. Data on violent arrests and offenses were collected throughout adulthood from self-reports and official criminal records. Matching variables came from childhood and adolescence and included such shared risk factors as childhood externalizing behaviors, school achievement, and family functioning.

Adjusted logistic regression analyses on the sample matched on childhood and adolescent risk factors showed that frequent adolescent drinking was associated with an increased risk of violence in young adulthood (in particular assault) but not with other types of crime, self-directed violence, or violence in midlife. Findings varied by gender. Heavy episodic drinking in adulthood seemed to account for some of the association between frequent adolescent drinking and adult assault.

The results of this study suggest that preventing frequent adolescent drinking could potentially decrease adult assault. This study adds to the growing body of literature suggesting long-term negative consequences of adolescent alcohol use.



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Request Reprint E-Mail greenkm@umd.edu

Parental Problem Drinking, Marital Aggression, and Child Emotional Insecurity: A Longitudinal Investigation

Marital aggression plays an important role in relations between parental problem drinking and child maladjustment. The purpose of the current study was to apply emotional security theory as a framework for understanding the role of marital aggression.

A community sample of 235 children in kindergarten participated once a year for 3 years. Parents completed measures of parental problem drinking and marital aggression, and children were interviewed about their emotional security reactions to marital conflict vignettes.

Greater parental problem drinking was directly associated with children's more negative emotional reactions to conflict. Maternal problem drinking predicted increased sad reactions and negative expectations for the future. Paternal problem drinking predicted increases in child anger reactions and negative expectations for the future. Parental problem drinking was also indirectly associated with child reactions via marital aggression.

Results confirmed hypotheses that parental problem drinking would be related to child emotional insecurity and that associations would be indirect via greater marital conflict. Findings are interpreted in terms of emotional security theory as a framework for understanding the effects of parental problem drinking on marital aggression and child development.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: peggy.keller@uky.edu

Alcohol and Homicide in Russia and the United States: A Comparative Analysis

The object of this study was to perform a comparative analysis of the aggregate relationship between alcohol and homicide in Russia and in the United States. The comparison was based on the magnitude of the alcohol effect, the alcohol attributable fraction (AAF), and the degree to which total consumption could account for trends in homicide.

We analyzed total and sex-specific homicide rates for the age groups 15–64 years, 15–34 years, and 35–64 years. The study period was 1959–1998 for Russia and 1950–2002 for the United States. For the United States, alcohol consumption was gauged by sales of alcohol; for Russia, estimated unrecorded consumption was included as well. The data were analyzed through autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling.

The results show that, for Russia as well as for the United States, a 1-L increase in consumption was associated with an increase in homicides of about 10%, although the absolute effect was markedly larger in Russia because of differences in homicide rates. The AAF estimates suggested that 73% and 57% of the homicides would be attributable to alcohol in Russia and in the United States, respectively. Most of the temporal variation in the Russian homicide rate could be accounted for by the trend in drinking, whereas the U.S. trend in total alcohol consumption had a more limited ability to predict the trend in homicides.

We conclude that the role of alcohol in homicide seems to be larger in Russia than in the United States.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: totto@sofi.su.se

Childhood Risk Factors for Early-Onset Drinking

There is relatively little research on the childhood antecedent predictors of early-onset alcohol use. This study examined an array of psychosocial variables assessed at age 10 and reflecting Problem Behavior Theory as potential antecedent risk factors for the initiation of alcohol use at age 14 or younger.

A sample of 452 children (238 girls) ages 8 or 10 and their families was drawn from Allegheny County, PA, using targeted-age directory sampling and random-digit dialing procedures. Children and parents were interviewed using computer-assisted interviews. Logistic regression analyses were used to
examine the age-10 univariate and multivariate predictors of the initiation of alcohol use by age 14 or younger.

Twenty-five percent of the sample reported having more than a sip or a taste of alcohol in their life by age 14. Sex, race, and age cohort did not relate to early drinking status. Children with two parents were less likely to initiate drinking early. Early initiation of drinking related significantly to an array of antecedent risk factors (personality, social environment, and behavioral) assessed at age 10 that reflect psychosocial proneness for problem behavior. In the multivariate model, the variables most predictive of early-onset drinking were having a single parent, sipping or tasting alcohol by age 10, having parents who also started drinking at an early age, and parental drinking frequency.

Initiation of alcohol use by age 14 reflects childhood psychosocial proneness to engage in problem behavior as measured by Problem Behavior Theory and having a family environment conducive to alcohol use.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: donovanje@upmc.edu

Men's and Women's Pathways to Adulthood and Associated Substance Misuse

Social role transitions have been linked to changes in substance use and misuse during young adulthood. This study examined how commonly observed pathways to adulthood, defined by education, employment, marriage, and parenthood, were associated with alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana misuse from ages 18 to 33.

Data came from a longitudinal panel of 412 men and 396 women recruited when they were in fifth grade in Seattle public schools in 1985. Participants were followed through age 33 in 2008, with 92% retention.

Young adults who had little postsecondary education and remained unmarried through age 30 generally had the highest rates of substance misuse. Those who were involved in postsecondary education and postponed family formation had the lowest rates, particularly with respect to daily smoking and nicotine dependence. Parenting during the young adult years was associated with lower rates of substance misuse for both men and women. However, taking on parenting responsibilities early, during the late teen years and early 20s (observed mostly for women), was associated with higher rates of tobacco misuse. Differences in substance misuse by pathways to adulthood were fairly constant across the young adulthood years and were already observed at age 18, suggesting that substance misuse patterns are established early.

Young adults may change their substance use only partially in response to new freedoms and responsibilities in young adulthood. Preventive efforts should include a focus on early initiation of substance use and educational experiences that move people into life trajectories and associated substance misuse patterns.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: soe@u.washington.edu

Battling high-risk drinking on campus

The rate of student alcohol abuse has remained unchanged for 30 years: Nearly 40 percent of 2010 U.S. college students still engage in high-risk alcohol consumption. That means, unfortunately, that binge drinking is as widespread among today’s freshmen as it was for their parents’ generation and potentially just as lethal. Each year, almost 2,000 U.S. college students die from alcohol-related causes. An estimated 600,000 others are injured while under the influence.

Loss of life is reason enough to act, but excessive drinking, as repeated studies have shown, can also lead to academic problems, unsafe sex and sexual abuse. New research confirms that alcohol can damage brain development among college-age men and women, impairing functions associated with focus, decision-making and impulse control. As a leader, a parent and a physician, I believe that this particular “given” of college life has led to far more deaths and harm than we should tolerate. > > > > Read More

Different Phenotypic and Genotypic Presentations in Alcohol Dependence: Age at Onset Matters

Several theoretical typology models have been proposed to classify alcoholism into more homogeneous subtypes using various criteria, for which age at onset of alcohol dependence is shared across many models. We investigated the evidence for the distinction between early- versus late-onset alcoholism by examining relevant phenotypic and genotypic variables.

Data are from 1,248 individuals with alcohol dependence, who were interviewed to collect detailed clinical information. Early versus late onset of alcohol dependence was defined by the age at onset of 22 years. Odds ratio (OR) and Cohen's d were calculated as effect size for comparisons of clinical features between the two groups. We adjusted interviewed age and gender in logistic regression models. Case-control genetic analyses were conducted for the association between HTR1B, SLC6A4, DRD2, and OPRμ1 genes and subgroups of alcohol dependence using a sample of 530 controls screened for alcohol problems.

Early-onset alcoholism exhibited significantly (p < .01) different clinical characteristics from late-onset alcoholism, including higher severity in alcohol dependence symptoms (d = 0.22) and maximum drinking quantity within 24 hours (d = 0.40), more rapid progression from regular drinking to meet alcohol dependence diagnosis (d = 1.73), higher expectancies for alcohol (d = 0.22–0.47), more comorbidity with externalizing disorders (ORs = 2.8–2.9), and greater prevalence of family alcohol use problems (d = 0.26–0.43). In addition, markers in the HTR1B and OPRμ1 genes showed genetic associations with subgroups of alcohol dependence (ORs = 1.5–2.4).

Our findings support that subgroups of alcohol dependence defined by onset age have phenotypic and genetic differences. The early-onset subgroup had more severe features for almost every aspect we examined. Coupled with genetic association findings, age at onset of alcohol dependence may serve as a simple but important clinical marker with implications for future etiological research and intervention.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: cprescot@usc.edu

Hospitalizations for Alcohol and Drug Overdoses in Young Adults Ages 18–24 in the United States, 1999–2008: Results From the Nationwide Inpatient Samp

Recent reports indicate an increase in rates of hospitalizations for drug overdoses in the United States. The role of alcohol in hospitalizations for drug overdoses remains unclear. Excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs is prevalent in young adults ages 18–24. The present study explores rates and costs of inpatient hospital stays for alcohol overdoses, drug overdoses, and their co-occurrence in young adults ages 18–24 and changes in these rates between 1999 and 2008.

Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to estimate numbers, rates, and costs of inpatient hospital stays stemming from alcohol overdoses (and their subcategories, alcohol poisonings and excessive consumption of alcohol), drug overdoses (and their subcategories, drug poisonings and nondependent abuse of drugs), and their co-occurrence in 18- to 24-year-olds.

Hospitalization rates for alcohol overdoses alone increased 25% from 1999 to 2008, reaching 29,412 cases in 2008 at a cost of 266 million. Hospitalization rates for drug overdoses alone increased 55%, totaling 113,907 cases in 2008 at a cost of 737 million. Hospitalization rates for combined alcohol and drug overdoses increased 76%, with 29,202 cases in 2008 at a cost of 198 million.

Rates of hospitalizations for alcohol overdoses, drug overdoses, and their combination all increased from 1999 to 2008 among 18- to 24-year-olds. The cost of such hospitalizations now exceeds 1.2 billion annually. The steepest increase occurred among cases of combined alcohol and drug overdoses. Stronger efforts are needed to educate medical practitioners and the public about the risk of overdoses, particularly when alcohol is combined with other drugs.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: aaron.white@duke.edu