Modulation of miroRNA 20b with resveratrol and longevinex is linked with their potent anti-angiogenic action in the ischemic myocardium and synergesti

Resveratrol, a constituent of red wine, and γ-tocotrienol, a constituent of palm oil are important for cardioprotection. Although MicroRNAs are known regulators for genes involved in cardiac remodeling the regulatory pathway involving microRNA has not been studied so far.

We explored the cardioprotection by resveratrol, longevinex and γtocotrienol in ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) model of rat and determined miRNA profile from isolated RNA. Systemic analyses of miRNA array and theirs targets were determined using a number of computational approaches.

Resveratrol and γ-tocotrienol, either alone or in combination, modulated the expression pattern of miRNAs close to the control level based on PCA analyses. Differential expression was observed in over 75 miRNAs, some of them, such as miR-21 and miR-20b (antiangiogenic) were previously implicated in cardiac remodeling. The target genes for the highest differentially expressed miRNA include genes of various molecular function such as TGFβ1–Smad3 signaling pathway, inflammation and their transcription factors, which may play key role in reducing I/R injury. Administration of antagomiR-20 attenuated I/R induced VEGF and HIF1α level.

All the interventions treated for 3 weeks lead to significant cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion injury. A unique signature of miRNA profile is observed in control heart pretreated with resveratrol or γ-tocotrienol. We have determined specific group of miRNA in heart that have altered during IR injuries. Most of those altered microRNA expressions modulated close to their basal level in resveratrol or longevinex treated I/R rat. Interestingly, resveratrol and γ-tocotrienol resulted in synergestic action.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: DDAS@NEURON.UCHC.EDU

The pre-synaptic metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 “mGluR7” is a critical modulator of ethanol sensitivity in mice

Recent studies demonstrated that the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 7 “mGluR7” activation may reduce motivational aspects of ethanol dependence. We investigated the role of mGlu7 receptor in ethanol-related behaviors using the allosteric agonist AMN082 in mice.

Results have shown that mGluR7 activation increased the sedative effect of ethanol as measured by the duration of loss of righting reflex (LORR) and reduced the severity of ethanol-induced withdrawal.

Importantly, the protective effect of the drug on alcohol-induced withdrawal was found when the AMN082 was injected before, but not after, injection of ethanol suggesting that mGluR7 activation prevented development of dependence rather than producing an anti-convulsant effect.

In addition, ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation was blocked by following mGluR7 activation.

Furthermore, mice injected with AMN082 consumed less ethanol in a two-bottle free-choice paradigm and in a drinking in the dark (DID) model. Impairment in reward mechanisms in AMN082-injected mice was confirmed by the lack of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP).

Follow-up control experiments have shown that plasma alcohol concentrations of AMN082 and vehicle-treated mice were similar.

Taken together, these findings provide evidence for the crucial role of mGluR7 in ethanol-related behaviors, especially in voluntary alcohol drinking and alcohol reward. Thus, pharmacological targeting mGluR7 with AMN082-like compounds might be a potential means to tackle ethanol abuse and alcoholism in the future.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: amine.bahi@uaeu.ac.ae

Press Release - Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Leaders Join Forces for a Solution to Growing Co-Occurring Disorders Crisis

Hazelden has joined forces with the leaders in behavioral health, mental health, and addiction treatment to advance a model of integrated treatment as the solution to the growing co-occurring disorders crisis. > > > > Read More

Apparent Per Capita Alcohol Consumption: National, State, and Regional Trends, 1977–2009

This surveillance report on 1977–2009 apparent per capita alcohol consumption in the United States is the 25th in a series of consumption reports produced annually by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Findings are based on alcoholic beverage sales data, either collected directly by the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System (AEDS) from the States or provided by beverage industry sources. Population data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau are used as denominators to calculate per capita rates.

The following are highlights from the current report, which updates consumption trends through 2009:

• In the United States, per capita consumption of ethanol from all alcoholic beverages combined in 2009 was 2.30 gallons, representing a 0.9 percent decrease from 2.32 gallons in 2008.

• Between 2008 and 2009, changes in overall per capita consumption of ethanol included increases in 9 States, decreases in 34 States and the District of Columbia,and no change in 7 States.

• Analysis of overall per capita alcohol consumption by census region between 2008 and 2009 indicated decreases of 0.4% in the Midwest, 0.9% in the South, and 1.2% in the West, with no change in the Northeast.

• Healthy People 2010 has set the national objective for reducing per capita alcohol consumption to no more than 1.96 gallons of ethanol. However, the prospect of reaching the Year 2010 national objective does not appear promising. From 1999 to 2008, there was a trend of increasing per capita consumption. 2009 is the first year in a decade in which a decrease in per capita consumption has been observed. To meet the 2010 objective, per capita alcohol consumption will need to decrease by 14.8 percent within one year.

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Racial/Ethnic Variations in Substance-Related Disorders Among Adolescents in the United States

While young racial/ethnic groups are the fastest growing population in the United States, data about substance-related disorders among adolescents of various racial/ethnic backgrounds are lacking.

To examine the magnitude of past-year DSM-IV substance-related disorders (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, analgesic opioids, stimulants, sedatives, and tranquilizers) among adolescents of white, Hispanic, African American, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander, and multiple race/ethnicity.

The 2005 to 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Academic research.

Noninstitutionalized household adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.

Substance-related disorders were assessed by standardized survey questions administered using the audio computer–assisted self-interviewing method.

Of 72 561 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, 37.0% used alcohol or drugs in the past year; 7.9% met criteria for a substance-related disorder, with Native Americans having the highest prevalence of use (47.5%) and disorder (15.0%). Analgesic opioids were the second most commonly used illegal drugs, following marijuana, in all racial/ethnic groups; analgesic opioid use was comparatively prevalent among adolescents of Native American (9.7%) and multiple race/ethnicity (8.8%). Among 27 705 past-year alcohol or drug users, Native Americans (31.5%), adolescents of multiple race/ethnicity (25.2%), adolescents of white race/ethnicity (22.9%), and Hispanics (21.0%) had the highest rates of substance-related disorders. Adolescents used marijuana more frequently than alcohol or other drugs, and 25.9% of marijuana users met criteria for marijuana abuse or dependence. After controlling for adolescents' age, socioeconomic variables, population density of residence, self-rated health, and survey year, adjusted analyses of adolescent substance users indicated elevated odds of substance-related disorders among Native Americans, adolescents of multiple race/ethnicity, adolescents of white race/ethnicity, and Hispanics compared with African Americans; African Americans did not differ from Asians or PaRead Full Abstractcific Islanders.

Substance use is widespread among adolescents of Native American, white, Hispanic, and multiple race/ethnicity. These groups also are disproportionately affected by substance-related disorders.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: litzy.wu@duke.edu

Personality Disorders and the 3-Year Course of Alcohol, Drug, and Nicotine Use Disorders

Little is known about the role of a broad range of personality disorders in the course of substance use disorder (SUD) and whether these differ by substance. The existing literature focuses mostly on antisocial personality disorder and does not come to clear conclusions.

To determine the association between the 10 DSM-IV personality disorders and the persistence of common SUDs in a 3-year prospective study of a national sample.

Data were drawn from participants in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) who had alcohol dependence (n = 1172), cannabis use disorder (n = 454), or nicotine dependence (n = 4017) at baseline and who were reinterviewed 3 years later. Control variables included demographic characteristics, family history of substance disorders, baseline Axis I disorders and treatment status, and prior SUD duration.

Persistent SUD, defined as meeting full criteria for the relevant SUD throughout the 3-year follow-up period.

Persistent SUD was found among 30.1% of participants with alcohol dependence, 30.8% with cannabis use disorder, and 56.6% with nicotine dependence at baseline. Axis I disorders did not have strong or consistent associations with persistent SUD. In contrast, antisocial personality disorder was significantly associated with persistent alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine use disorders (adjusted odds ratios, 2.46-3.51), as was borderline personality disorder (adjusted odds ratios, 2.04-2.78) and schizotypal personality disorder (adjusted odds ratios, 1.65-5.90). Narcissistic, schizoid, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders were less consistently associated with SUD persistence.

The consistent findings on the association of antisocial, borderline, and schizotypal personality disorders with persistent SUD indicates the importance of these personality disorders in understanding the course of SUD. Future studies should examine dimensional representations of personality disorders and the role of specific components of these disorders, biological and environmental contributors to these relationships, and potential applications of these findings to treatment development.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: dsh2@columbia.edu

Persistence of Addictive Disorders in a First-Offender Driving While Impaired Population

We compared the prevalence of alcohol use and other psychiatric disorders in offenders 15 years after a first conviction for driving while impaired with a general population sample.

To determine whether high rates of addictive and other psychiatric disorders previously demonstrated in this sample remain disproportionately higher compared with a matched general population sample.

Point-in-time cohort study.

Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

We interviewed convicted first offenders using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 15 years after referral to a screening program in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. We calculated rates of diagnoses for non-Hispanic white and Hispanic women (n = 362) and men (n = 220) adjusting for missing data using multiple imputation and compared psychiatric diagnoses with findings from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication by sex and Hispanic ethnicity.

Eleven percent of non-Hispanic white women and 12.8% of Hispanic women in the driving while impaired sample reported 12-month alcohol abuse or dependence, compared with 1.0% and 1.8%, respectively, in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (comparison) sample. Almost 12% of non-Hispanic white men and 17.5% of Hispanic men in the driving while impaired sample reported 12-month alcohol abuse or dependence, compared with to 2.0% and 1.8%, respectively, in the comparison sample. These differences were statistically significant. Rates of drug use disorders and nicotine dependence were also elevated compared with the general population sample, while rates of major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder were similar.

In this sample, high rates of addictive disorders persisted over 10 years among first offenders and greatly exceeded those found in a general population sample.

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Request Rerprint E-Mail: slapham@bhrcs.org

Care For Veterans With Mental And Substance Use Disorders: Good Performance, But Room To Improve On Many Measures

In 2006 the Department of Veterans Affairs commissioned the Altarum Institute and the RAND Corporation to do an evaluation of its mental health treatment system.

We found that veterans with mental illness and substance use disorders represented 15.4 percent of all veterans using Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA) services in 2007 and that they accounted for 32.9 percent ($12 billion) of VHA costs, of which the majority was for non–mental health conditions. The average cost for a veteran with mental illness and substance use in our study was $12,337, or 2.7 times the cost for an average veteran without these conditions.

The quality of care for the veterans in our study, although similar to or better than the care given to comparable privately insured patients or those enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid, varied by as much as twenty-three percentage points among regional service networks.

Performance on some indicators, such as whether those with alcohol dependence received pharmacotherapy, was low.

There is a need for substantial improvement in the care of these veterans, particularly with respect to ensuring the delivery of evidence-based treatments.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: kwatkins@rand.org

Changes in At-Risk American Men's Crime and Substance Use Trajectories Following Fatherhood

Fatherhood can be a turning point in development and in men's crime and substance use trajectories.

At-risk boys (N = 206) were assessed annually from ages 12 to 31 years. Crime, arrest, and tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use trajectories were examined.

Marriage was associated with lower levels of crime and less frequent substance use. Following the birth of a first biological child, men's crime trajectories showed slope decreases, and tobacco and alcohol use trajectories showed level decreases.

The older men were when they became fathers, the greater the level decreases were in crime and alcohol use and the less the slope decreases were in tobacco and marijuana use.

Patterns are consistent with theories of social control and social timetables.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: david.kerr@oregonstate.edu

Alcohol News - 45/2011

PhysOrg.com (Sweden) - Doctors' own alcohol consumption colors advice to patients

Doctors who drink more themselves are more liberal in their advice to patients on alcohol consumption. They set higher thresholds for what is harmful, and while men who are heavy drinkers get to continue drinking, women are often advised to stop altogether, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

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The Local (Sweden) - Crime falls when Sweden 'drinks like Europe'

"Continental" drinking habits among Swedes have had a positive impact on violent crime levels, despite rising alcohol consumption, according to a report on Tuesday.

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The Baltic Course (Lithuania) - Lithuanian Seimas debates on the prohibition of alcohol advertising

At its plenary sitting on Thursday, MPs had a heated debate on amendments to the Law on Alcohol Control which provide for lifting the prohibition of alcohol advertising that is supposed to enter into force on 1 January 2012, reports LETA/ELTA, referring to Kauno diena.

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IceNews (Denmark) – Study: indicators of alcoholism present at birth

The research, which medical daily Dagens Medicin describes as “rock solid, proven and tangible”, found that if a boy with an alcoholic father suffered a shortage of vitamin K during labour, was underweight at birth and had behavioural problems or ADHD as a child, he stands a high chance of becoming addicted to alcohol as an adult.

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Politiken.dk (Denmark) - Sweets and alcohol up, tobacco not so much

The new centre-left government’s budget is due out today and will include considerable price hikes on wine, beer and sweets, but a lower than expected increase in the price of tobacco products.

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The Guardian (Scotland) - Scottish ministers face legal battle over minimum pricing of alcohol

Drinks industry likely to launch court action opposing bill that aims to cut dangerous levels of alcohol abuse among adults.

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News Tonight (Australia) - Alcohol Makes You Go ‘Looney’ Over the Time

It has been revealed in a recent report that there might be some series links between alcohol consumption and deteriorating mental health of a person. This study was conducted on a team from the Salvation Army.

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NHS Choices - Breast cancer link to alcohol studied

Women who drink within the recommended limits are still putting their health at risk, according to The Daily Telegraph. It said new research shows that less than one small glass of wine a day increases the risk of breast cancer.

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Nursing in Practice (UK) - Calls for clampdown on parental supply of alcohol

A Cornish MP has called for a ‘tightening’ of legislation to stop parents supplying their children with alcohol.

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International Business Times AU (Australia) - BISWorld Study: Aussies Cutting Beer Consumption

There is a shifting preference among Australians in their choice of alcohol consumption in favor of premium drinks over traditional beers.

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Times of India - Alcohol, smoking may trigger fatal allergies

Alcohol and tobacco can lead to life-threatening reactions including asthma attacks and anaphylaxis, and worsen existing allergy symptoms, according to experts.

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New York Daily News - Light drinkers have higher breast cancer risk: study

Women who drink three to six glasses of alcohol per week have a 15 percent higher risk of getting breast cancer than women who do not drink.

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Irish Times (Ireland) - Doctor says alcohol implicated in 45 per cent of all suicides

THE FOUNDER of the Irish Association of Suicidology, Dr John Connolly, has said teenage suicide tends to be a more impulsive act, and that alcohol can lead to an increase in that impulsivity.

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Reuters (USA) - Ask teen patients about drug, alcohol use: doctors

Doctors should be asking adolescents about their drug and alcohol use at every visit and screening for any signs of dependence or addiction, the American Academy of Pediatrics said today in a new policy statement.

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RIA Novosti (Russia) - Clerks selling alcohol to minors should go to jail – Medvedev

Clerks selling alcoholic beverages to teenagers should be subject to criminal responsibility and sent to prison for violating underage alcohol sales laws, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday.

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Irish Times (Ireland) - Alcohol a major factor in failure of rape cases

A MAJOR reason why the Director of Public Prosecutions does not prosecute in alleged rape cases is because the complainant is unable to recall the alleged offence or the details of it as a result of intoxication.

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Times of India - A drink a day causes gastrointestinal problems

Moderate alcohol consumption - just one drink per day for women or two for men - could lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and subsequently cause gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea, a new study has suggested.

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Vancouver Sun (Canada) - Screen all prison inmates for fetal-alcohol syndrome, doctor urges

A Winnipeg doctor says he hopes all inmates will be screened for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder as a matter of course within the next five years, just in time for an expected spike in the country's prison population.

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CTV.ca (Canada) - Mother's Against Drunk Driving launches new campaign

As they launch their annual Red Ribbon campaign, an organization committed to raising awareness against impaired driving also unveiled a new, shocking PSA – one which the city and the province hope drive the message home this holiday season - and possibly beyond.

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3News NZ (New Zealand) - NZDF: 500 alcohol-related offences in five years

3 News can tonight reveal a shocking list of more than 500 alcohol-related offences committed by New Zealand Defence Force personnel. The offences, committed over a five-year period, have been outlined in a series of reports obtained under the Official Information Act.

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TopNews Arab Emirates - Middle-Aged Men More Prone to Liver Disease and Cancer Due to 'Risky Drinking'

Making an immensely shocking disclosure, a recently concluded research, dubbed From One to Many, has revealed that at least one out of every three middle-aged men are evidently toying with their life by escalating their odds of falling for various forms of perilous cancer and liver disorders.

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Radio Netherlands (Netherlands) - Underage still drinking in Holland

Despite government campaigns against underage drinking, it’s still quite easy for youngsters in the Netherlands to get their hands on alcohol, research shows.

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Brief interventions: achieving widespread delivery?

A briefing paper has been released exploring the barriers and challenges to implementing routine alcohol brief interventions (or 'IBA') across England. The paper also explores whether the 'lifestyles agenda' - a wider focus on all health behaviours - offers an opportunity or threat to mainstreaming alcohol brief interventions. > > > > Read More

Social Network Characteristics and Heavy Episodic Drinking Among Women at Risk for HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections

Social networks can either negatively or positively influence a variety of behaviors, including alcohol use. This study examined social network characteristics that are risk factors for and protective factors against heavy episodic drinking among a sample of women at risk for HIV/sexually transmitted infections.

This was a cross-sectional study using baseline data from 567 impoverished women participating in an HIV prevention study in Baltimore, MD. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews at a community-based research clinic. Heavy episodic drinking was defined as six or more drinks per drinking episode on at least a weekly basis. We examined network characteristics, including structure and function and their association with heavy episodic drinking. Multivariate logistic regression was used, adjusting for individual-level factors, such as drug use, demographics, and depression.

Approximately 21% of the sample engaged in heavy episodic drinking at least weekly. Controlling for individual-level factors, women who engaged in heavy episodic drinking had fewer social network members (a) who were in drug treatment, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.65, 95% CI [0.49, 0.88]; (b) who were employed, AOR = 0.89, 95% CI [0.79, 0.99]; and (c) with whom the participant socialized, AOR = 0.74, 95% CI [0.63, 0.96]. Women who engaged in heavy episodic drinking had a significantly higher number of social network members with whom they drank alcohol, AOR = 1.71, 95% CI [1.43, 2.03].

Social network characteristics are both protective and risk factors for heavy episodic drinking among women. Interpersonal interventions, such as peer education, may be a useful strategy to decrease heavy episodic drinking and its subsequent outcomes among women.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: mdavey@jhsph.edu.

Behavioral Approach System Moderates the Prospective Association Between the Behavioral Inhibition System and Alcohol Outcomes in College Students

Reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) is a useful framework for understanding alcohol use, including problematic drinking among college students. Although the link between the behavioral approach system (BAS) and drinking is well established, the role of the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) is less well studied, and findings have been mixed. Consistent with RST, the relationship between BIS and problematic drinking may be moderated by BAS, but tests of the BIS BAS interaction have been scarce. We hypothesized that high BIS would be a risk factor for subsequent problematic drinking in combination with an elevated BAS, whereas BIS would protect against subsequent problematic drinking in the context of low levels of BAS.

College student drinkers (N = 638; 66% women) at two universities completed online measures of BIS, BAS, alcohol use, and alcohol problems at matriculation (Time 1 [T1]) and again 1 year later (Time 2 [T2]).

Regression analyses of alcohol use and problems were performed with BIS, BAS, and the BIS BAS interaction as predictors. The interaction was not statistically significant in cross-sectional models (T1 alcohol outcomes), but it was a significant prospective predictor of T2 alcohol use (marginal) and T2 alcohol problems. Simple slopes analyses revealed that BIS was a positive predictor of T2 alcohol use and problems at high but not low levels of BAS, albeit this effect was less reliable for use.

Our findings enhance interpretation of RST, demonstrating a complex link between BIS and problematic drinking risk, one that is moderated by BAS. The prospective nature of these associations suggests that, together, BIS and BAS may promote increases in problematic drinking over time, highlighting the need for targeted interventions during the first year of college.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: jwardell@buffalo.edu

Vulnerability to the Rapid ("Telescoped") Development of Alcohol Dependence in Individuals with Anxiety Disorder

The frequent co-occurrence of alcohol dependence and anxiety disorder is a long-standing clinical conundrum. An underdeveloped perspective on this issue concerns the impact of a co-occurring anxiety disorder on the sequence and developmental course of alcohol-related milestones. Extrapolating from the body of basic science indicating overlap in the neurobiological processes associated with both anxiety disorder and alcohol dependence—particularly those involving the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and elements of the amygdala—we hypothesized that anxiety-disordered individuals are vulnerable to the rapid development of alcohol dependence. Specifically, we predicted that the time from pre-dependence alcohol milestones (e.g., age at which regular drinking began) to post-dependence alcohol milestones would be briefer ("telescoped") among those with an anxiety disorder.

Seventy-eight individuals with alcohol dependence who had recently begun a chemical dependency treatment program underwent a diagnostic interview to determine the presence of current anxiety disorders and to establish the age at which several alcohol use and dependence milestones were first achieved.

We found that, compared with others in the sample, anxiety-disordered individuals transitioned significantly more quickly from the time they first began drinking regularly and first began getting drunk regularly to the onset of alcohol dependence, as well as from most pre-dependence alcohol milestones to the point at which their alcohol dependence was most severe.

Individuals with anxiety disorders transition from regular drinking to alcohol dependence more rapidly than do individuals without anxiety disorders. These findings contribute to an improved understanding of the etiology of comorbidity and suggest novel directions for future research.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: kushn001@umn.edu

Adherence Monitoring in Naltrexone Pharmacotherapy Trials: A Systematic Review

The efficacy of naltrexone (Revia, Vivitrol) for the treatment of alcohol dependence exhibits a high degree of heterogeneity. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the extent to which variability in patient adherence to treatment contributed to the range of clinical responses observed during naltrexone treatment.

A systematic review was conducted of efficacy trials of naltrexone for the treatment of alcohol dependence to evaluate the level of adherence monitoring.

Of 49 identified trials, 22 (49%) met the inclusion criteria of being randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials that reported adherence. The "adherence-assurance score" of these trials was calculated as a function of the frequency with which "low," "moderate," or "high" confidence levels of adherence monitoring were used. Of these 22 randomized, controlled trials, only 3 (14%) met criteria for high levels of adherence assurance, 5 (23%) met medium adherence-assurance criteria, and 14 (64%) met low adherence criteria. Of the three high-assurance studies, one used direct supervision of thrice-weekly oral dosing of naltrexone, and two used extended-release injectable formulations of naltrexone administered once per month. The Spearman correlation between risk ratios for return to heavy drinking (for naltrexone vs. placebo) and the level of adherence assurance (low vs. medium vs. high) was significant (r = -.62, p = .025).

These findings suggest that the modest effect sizes for naltrexone reported in systematic reviews and meta-analyses may be attributable, at least in part, to variability in naltrexone adherence rates. High-assurance adherence strategies should be standard practice in clinical trials of medications being evaluated for the treatment of alcohol dependence.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: Robert_Swift@brown.edu

Drinking Motives Mediate the Relationship Between Reinforcing Efficacy and Alcohol Consumption and Problems

Several studies have shown that demand curve indices of the reinforcing efficacy of alcohol (i.e., reports of hypothetical alcohol consumption and expenditures across a range of drink prices) are associated with alcohol-related outcomes. A next logical step in this area of research is to examine potential mediators of this direct relationship. It is possible that enhancement and coping drinking motives serve as an intermediary of the reinforcing efficacy–alcohol use relationship, such that higher reinforcing efficacy is associated with increased motivation to drink, which is then associated with greater alcohol use and problems.

Data were collected from 215 college undergraduates who reported drinking in the past 30 days.

The demand curve reinforcing efficacy indices O-max (maximum alcohol expenditure) and intensity (consumption level when drinks were free) demonstrated the strongest and most consistent associations with alcohol use, problems, and motives. Results from two structural equation models indicated that enhancement and coping motives mediated the relationship between reinforcing efficacy and alcohol use and alcohol-related problems.

These results suggest that the motivational effects of the behavioral economic variable reinforcing efficacy on problematic alcohol use are in part mediated by increases in enhancement and coping motives for drinking.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: mailto:myurasek@memphis.edu

Modeling the Severity of Drinking Consequences in First-Year College Women: An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index

The present study examined the latent continuum of alcohol-related negative consequences among first-year college women using methods from item response theory and classical test theory.

Participants (N = 315) were college women in their freshman year who reported consuming any alcohol in the past 90 days and who completed assessments of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related negative consequences using the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index.

Item response theory analyses showed poor model fit for five items identified in the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index. Two-parameter item response theory logistic models were applied to the remaining 18 items to examine estimates of item difficulty (i.e., severity) and discrimination parameters. The item difficulty parameters ranged from 0.591 to 2.031, and the discrimination parameters ranged from 0.321 to 2.371. Classical test theory analyses indicated that the omission of the five misfit items did not significantly alter the psychometric properties of the construct.

Findings suggest that those consequences that had greater severity and discrimination parameters may be used as screening items to identify female problem drinkers at risk for an alcohol use disorder.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: amycohn@usf.edu

Progression to Problem Drinking Among Mexican American and White European First-Year College Students: A Multiple Group Analysis

Problem drinking during college is a well-known phenomenon. However, predictors of progression to problematic drinking, particularly among ethnic minorities such as Mexican Americans, have received limited research attention.

The current study compared the rates and predictors of problem drinking progression from the first to the second year of college among four groups: Mexican American men, Mexican American women, White European men, and White European women (N = 215). At baseline, participants were all first-year college students who scored as nonproblem drinkers on the Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test (YAAPST). Participants were classified as progressors or stable nondrinkers/nonproblem drinkers based on YAAPST scores 12 months later. Hypothesized predictors of progression included behavioral undercontrol, negative emotionality, alcohol use expectancies, and cultural orientation (Mexican American sample only). Differences were anticipated between gender and ethnic groups in both progression rates and predictors of progression.

Twenty-nine percent of the sample progressed to problematic drinking; however, no differences emerged by gender or ethnicity. For the full sample, higher behavioral undercontrol and higher negative emotionality significantly predicted progression. Differences in predictors were not found across gender and ethnic subgroups.

The hypothesis that rates of progression to problem drinking would differ among the four gender and ethnic groups was not supported. Thus, although White European men are most often identified as at high risk for alcohol use problems, the present findings indicate that women and Mexican American students also should be targeted for prevention and/or intervention.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: nmdoran@ucsd.edu

The Role of Academic Motivation in High School Students' Current and Lifetime Alcohol Consumption: Adopting a Self-Determination Theory Perspective

The current study investigated the relationship between different types of academic motives—specifically, intrinsic motivation, introjected regulation, and external regulation—and high school students' current and lifetime alcohol consumption

One thousand sixty-seven high school students completed measures of academic motivation, other school-related factors, and lifetime and current alcohol consumption.

Using structural equation modeling, different types of motivation and school-related factors were differentially related to student drinking. Specifically, intrinsic motivation was negatively related to lifetime and current alcohol consumption. External regulation, on the other hand, was positively associated with current drinking. Grade point average was the only school-related factor related to student alcohol use.

These findings suggest that motivation is an important construct to consider in predicting students' alcohol use, even when other more commonly studied educational variables are considered. In addition, it supports the adoption of a motivation framework that considers different types of motivation in understanding the relationship between academic motivation and alcohol use. Suggestions for incorporating the self-determination model of motivation into studies of alcohol and substance use, as well as potential impacts on intervention efforts, are discussed. In particular, it may be important to foster only certain types of motivation, rather than all types of academically-focused motives, in efforts to deter alcohol use.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: wormings@reed.edu

Influence of Religiosity on 12-Step Participation and Treatment Response Among Substance-Dependent Adolescents

Religious practices among adults are associated with more 12-step participation which, in turn, is linked to better treatment outcomes. Despite recommendations for adolescents to participate in mutual-help groups, little is known about how religious practices influence youth 12-step engagement and outcomes. This study examined the relationships among lifetime religiosity, during-treatment 12-step participation, and outcomes among adolescents, and tested whether any observed beneficial relation between higher religiosity and outcome could be explained by increased 12-step participation.

Adolescents (n = 195; 52% female, ages 14 - 18) court-referred to a 2-month residential treatment were assessed at intake and discharge. Lifetime religiosity was assessed with the Religious Background and Behaviors Questionnaire; 12-step assessments measured meeting attendance, step work (General Alcoholics Anonymous Tools of Recovery), and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)/Narcotics Anonymous (NA)-related helping. Substance-related outcomes and psychosocial outcomes were assessed with toxicology screens, the Adolescent–Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale, the Children's Global Assessment Scale, and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory.

Greater lifetime formal religious practices at intake were associated with increased step work and AA/NA-related helping during treatment, which in turn were linked to improved substance outcomes, global functioning, and reduced narcissistic entitlement. Increased step work mediated the effect of religious practices on increased abstinence, whereas AA/NA-related helping mediated the effect of religiosity on reduced craving and entitlement.

Findings extend the evidence for the protective effects of lifetime religious behaviors to an improved treatment response among adolescents and provide preliminary support for the 12-step proposition that helping others in recovery may lead to better outcomes. Youth with low or no lifetime religious practices may assimilate less well into 12-step oriented treatment and may need additional 12-step facilitation, or a different approach, to enhance treatment response.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: jkelly11@partners.org

Are Changes in Financial Strain Associated With Changes in Alcohol Use and Smoking Among Older Adults?

This study aimed to assess whether changes in levels of financial strain are associated with changes in alcohol use and smoking among older adults.

Multilevel analyses were conducted using longitudinal data from a randomly selected national sample of older adults (N = 2,352; 60% female). The data were collected in six waves during the period of 1992–2006. We estimated associations between within-person changes in levels of financial strain and the odds of engaging in heavy drinking and smoking, while also testing for the moderating effects of gender, education, and age.

A direct association was observed between changes in levels of financial strain and the odds of heavy drinking, particularly among elderly men (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31) and those with low levels of education (OR = 1.27). A direct association between changes in levels of financial strain and the odds of smoking was also evident, particularly among the young-old (i.e., age 65 at baseline; OR = 1.44).

Exposure to financial strain places some groups of older adults at increased risk for unhealthy drinking and smoking. If the current global financial crisis leads to increases in experiences of financial strain among older adults, alcohol and smoking problems can also be expected to increase in this population.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: bashaw@albany.edu

Proposed Model of the Neurobiological Mechanisms Underlying Psychosocial Alcohol Interventions: The Example of Motivational Interviewing

Despite the prevalence and profound consequences of alcohol use disorders, psychosocial alcohol interventions have widely varying outcomes. The range of behavior following psychosocial alcohol treatment indicates the need to gain a better understanding of active ingredients and how they may operate. Although this is an area of great interest, at this time there is a limited understanding of how in-session behaviors may catalyze changes in the brain and subsequent alcohol use behavior. Thus, in this review, we aim to identify the neurobiological routes through which psychosocial alcohol interventions may lead to post-session behavior change as well as offer an approach to conceptualize and evaluate these translational relationships.

PubMed and PsycINFO searches identified studies that successfully integrated functional magnetic resonance imaging and psychosocial interventions.

Based on this research, we identified potential neurobiological substrates through which behavioral alcohol interventions may initiate and sustain behavior change. In addition, we proposed a testable model linking within-session active ingredients to outside-of-session behavior change.

Through this review, we present a testable translational model. Additionally, we illustrate how the proposed model can help facilitate empirical evaluations of psychotherapeutic factors and their underlying neural mechanisms, both in the context of motivational interviewing and in the treatment of alcohol use disorders.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: sfeldstein@mrn.org

Heavy Alcohol Use and Premature Death from Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the United States, 1999 - 2006

The incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma has been rising in the United States during the last 2 decades. Heavy alcohol use has been widely recognized as one of the major etiological factors of hepatocellular carcinoma. This study sought to assess the extent to which heavy alcohol use contributed to premature death from hepatocellular carcinoma on a population scale in the United States.

We analyzed the Multiple Cause of Death public-use data sets. Using codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, hepatocellular carcinoma death was defined based on the underlying cause of death, and heavy alcohol use was indicated by the presence of any alcohol-induced medical conditions among the contributing causes of death. During 1999–2006 in the United States, 51,400 hepatocellular carcinoma deaths were identified from 17,727,245 natural deaths of persons age 25 or older. We conducted Poisson regression, life table, and multiple linear regression analyses to compare prevalence ratios, cumulative probabilities, and mean ages of death, respectively, from hepatocellular carcinoma by heavy alcohol use status across sex and race/ethnicity.

Heavy alcohol use decedents had higher prevalence ratios of dying from hepatocellular carcinoma than from non–chronic liver diseases compared with those decedents without heavy alcohol use. Heavy alcohol use was associated with decreased mean ages and increased cumulative probabilities of death among hepatocellular carcinoma decedents across racial/ethnic groups in both sexes. This association was stronger among women than men and stronger among non-Hispanic Whites than non-Hispanic Blacks.

This study provides mortality-based empirical evidence to further establish heavy alcohol consumption as one of the key risk factors contributing to premature deaths from hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States, and its effect appears more prominent among women and non-Hispanic Whites.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: yhyoon@csrincorporated.com

Trends in Alcohol Use Among Women With and Without Myocardial Infarction in the United States: 1997 - 2008

This study examined the frequency and temporal trends of alcohol use among women with and without myocardial infarction (MI) in the United States.

We pooled yearly surveys from the nationally representative Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System between 1997 and 2008. Subjects for this study were 1,186,951 women, of whom 50,055 had a previous MI. Yearly weighted prevalence rates and frequencies of drinking behaviors were calculated for alcohol use in women with and without previous MI.

Fewer post-MI women consumed alcohol than other women (24% vs. 46%), but the prevalence of drinking increased over time in both groups. Nearly one third of post-MI women and half of all women consumed more than one drink per day. Heavy episodic drinking (four or more drinks per day) increased over time in both groups. After multivariable adjustment, post-MI women were less likely to report any drinking or consuming more than one drink per day, but the prevalence of heavy episodic drinking and the increasing trends over time were similar in both groups.

Heavy alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking among women in the United States increased over the past decade, regardless of MI history. Although this may have reflected the influence of national guidelines on alcohol consumption, the increase in heavy episodic drinking suggests that better efforts to educate clinicians and women about the harms from excessive alcohol are required.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: kmukamal@caregroup.org

Brief Report of a Test of Differential Alcohol Risk Using Sibling Attributions of Paternal Alcoholism

Parental alcoholism is generally found to be a strong predictor of alcohol misuse. Although the majority of siblings agree on the presence of parental alcohol issues, there is a significant minority who do not.

The current study analyzed sibling data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth using multilevel modeling, which accounts for the nested structure of the data. These analyses permitted a test of whether (a) identifying one's father as an alcoholic predicted greater risk of alcohol problems, (b) being from a family whose siblings did not all agree on the presence of paternal alcoholism increased the likelihood of alcohol problems, and (c) risk of alcohol misuse significantly differed among individuals from families in which there was familial disagreement about paternal alcoholism.

Results show that individuals who identified their father as an alcoholic were themselves more likely to have alcohol issues as compared with individuals both within and between families who did not identify their father as an alcoholic. Risk was similar for individuals in families in which there was disagreement about paternal alcoholism compared with individuals from families in which everyone agreed on the presence of paternal alcoholism. Moreover, there was not a significant interaction between paternal alcoholism attributions and familial disagreement.

Findings indicate that in the case of child reports of paternal alcoholism, the increased risk of alcohol problems holds true regardless of the accuracy of an individual's assessment. These results may be not only because of the impact of paternal alcoholism on a person's alcohol misuse but also because of a person's alcohol problems potentially influencing his or her perceptions of familial alcohol-related behaviors.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: marcella.h.boynton@duke.edu

Drosophila Microbiome Modulates Host Developmental and Metabolic Homeostasis via Insulin Signaling

The symbiotic microbiota profoundly affect many aspects of host physiology; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying host-microbe cross-talk are largely unknown.

Here, we show that the pyrroloquinoline quinone–dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (PQQ-ADH) activity of a commensal bacterium, Acetobacter pomorum, modulates insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) in Drosophila to regulate host homeostatic programs controlling developmental rate, body size, energy metabolism, and intestinal stem cell activity.

Germ-free animals monoassociated with PQQ-ADH mutant bacteria displayed severe deregulation of developmental and metabolic homeostasis.

Importantly, these defects were reversed by enhancing host IIS or by supplementing the diet with acetic acid, the metabolic product of PQQ-ADH.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: lwj@snu.ac.kr

New Release - Irish Responsible Drinking Initiative Praised at European Level

An Irish film and multimedia competition that promotes the responsible use of alcohol amongst third-level students was highlighted as a model of best practice at EU level today (19.10.11).

DARE2BDRINKAWARE.ie – which is organised by drinkaware.ie, in association with the Digital Hub Development Agency – was invited to present to the European Alcohol and Health Forum (EAHF) in Brussels, in recognition of the competition’s success in promoting a responsible drinking message to young people in Ireland.

The EAHF was established by the European Commission to support the implementation of the EU Alcohol Strategy. Its members include representatives from public health bodies; the media and advertising industries; alcohol producers; research institutions; and health, consumer and youth NGOs. > > > > Read More

Genetics of GABAergic signaling in nicotine and alcohol dependence

Both nicotine and alcohol addictions are common chronic brain disorders that are of great concern to individuals and society. Although genetics contributes significantly to these disorders, the susceptibility genes and variants underlying them remain largely unknown. Many years of genome-wide linkage and association studies have implicated a number of genes and pathways in the etiology of nicotine and alcohol addictions.

In this communication, we focus on current evidence, primarily from human genetic studies, supporting the involvement of genes and variants in the GABAergic signaling system in the etiology of nicotine dependence and alcoholism based on linkage, association, and gene-by-gene interaction studies.

Current efforts aim not only to replicate these findings in independent samples, but also to identify which variant contributes to the detected associations and through what molecular mechanisms.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: ml2km@virginia.edu