RASGRF-2 regulates alcohol-induced reinforcement by influencing mesolimbic dopamine neurone activity and dopamine release

The firing of mesolimbic dopamine neurons is important for drug-induced reinforcement, although underlying genetic factors remain poorly understood. In a recent genome-wide association metaanalysis of alcohol intake, we identified a suggestive association of SNP rs26907 in the ras-specific guanine-nucleotide releasing factor 2 (RASGRF2) gene, encoding a protein that mediates Ca²⁺-dependent activation of the ERK pathway.

We performed functional characterization of this gene in relation to alcohol-related phenotypes and mesolimbic dopamine function in both mice and adolescent humans. 

Ethanol intake and preference were decreased in Rasgrf2^−/− mice relative to WT controls. Accordingly, ethanol-induced dopamine release in the ventral striatum was blunted in Rasgrf2^−/− mice. Recording of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area revealed reduced excitability in the absence of Ras-GRF2, likely because of lack of inhibition of the I_A potassium current by ERK. This deficit provided an explanation for the altered dopamine release, presumably linked to impaired activation of dopamine neurons firing. 

Functional neuroimaging analysis of a monetary incentive–delay task in 663 adolescent boys revealed significant association of ventral striatal activity during reward anticipation with a RASGRF2 haplotype containing rs26907, the SNP associated with alcohol intake in our previous metaanalysis. 

This finding suggests a link between the RASGRF2 haplotype and reward sensitivity, a known risk factor for alcohol and drug addiction. Indeed, follow-up of these same boys at age 16 y revealed an association between this haplotype and number of drinking episodes. 

Together, these combined animal and human data indicate a role for RASGRF2 in the regulation of mesolimbic dopamine neuron activity, reward response, and alcohol use and abuse.



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Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 2011

This annual bulletin presents alcohol-related death figures and age-standardised rates for the UK, England, Wales, and regions of England for 2011. This updates the previous release ‘Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 2010’. Data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are published separately; see the ‘Context’ section for details. There were 8,748 alcohol-related deaths in the UK in 2011, a decrease of 42 deaths on the number recorded in 2010 (8,790). This fall in the number of deaths has reduced the alcohol-related death rate from 12.9 per 100,000 population in 2010 to 12.6 per 100,000 population in 2011.

For both sexes, age-specific alcohol-related death rates in the UK were lowest among those less than 30 years old. For those aged 30 and over, males were significantly more likely than females to die of alcohol-related causes. For both sexes the number of alcohol-related deaths was highest for those aged 55 to 59, with 838 deaths among males (46.9 per 100,000 population) and 411 among females (22.4 per 100,000 population).

The trend in alcohol-related death rates has remained relatively stable over the last ten years for females across all age-standardised age groups. In contrast, the alcohol-related death rate trend has shown greater fluctuation for males, particularly in the last three years. However, there were no significant changes in rates across all age groups for both males and females between 2010 and 2011.

Across the regions of England there was significant geographical variation in alcohol-related death rates. In 2011, rates for males were highest in the North West (22.9 per 100,000 population) and lowest in the East of England (11.8 per 100,000 population). For females, rates were highest in the North West (10.8 per 100,000) and lowest in London (5.3 per 100,000).

Alcohol-related death rates for both males and females have been higher in Wales than in England over the last 10 years. For females, this difference is significant in 2011, with death rates for Females in England at 7.6 deaths per 100,000 population and 9.5 deaths per 100,000 population in Wales. However, there has been steady decline in the number of male deaths in Wales in each of the last three years. Consequently, while death rates for males remain higher in Wales than England, with 17.0 and 15.9 deaths per 100,000 population respectively, the difference is no longer significant. The fall in death rates among males in Wales has contributed to the overall decrease in alcohol-related death rates in the UK.

Alcohol-related death figures for the UK, England, Wales and the regions of England for 2002 to 2011 are presented in Tables 1 and 2 for males and Tables 3 and 4 for females.


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Circadian Misalignment, Reward-Related Brain Function, and Adolescent Alcohol Involvement

 

Developmental changes in sleep and circadian rhythms that occur during adolescence may contribute to reward-related brain dysfunction, and consequently increase the risk of alcohol use disorders (AUDs).

 

This review (i) describes marked changes in circadian rhythms, reward-related behavior and brain function, and alcohol involvement that occur during adolescence, (ii) offers evidence that these parallel developmental changes are associated, and (iii) posits a conceptual model by which misalignment between sleep–wake timing and endogenous circadian timing may increase the risk of adolescent AUDs by altering reward-related brain function.

 

The timing of sleep shifts later throughout adolescence, in part due to developmental changes in endogenous circadian rhythms, which tend to become more delayed. This tendency for delayed sleep and circadian rhythms is at odds with early school start times during secondary education, leading to misalignment between many adolescents' sleep–wake schedules and their internal circadian timing. Circadian misalignment is associated with increased alcohol use and other risk-taking behaviors, as well as sleep loss and sleep disturbance. Growing evidence indicates that circadian rhythms modulate the reward system, suggesting that circadian misalignment may impact adolescent alcohol involvement by altering reward-related brain function. Neurocognitive function is also subject to sleep and circadian influence, and thus circadian misalignment may also impair inhibitory control and other cognitive processes relevant to alcohol use. Specifically, circadian misalignment may further exacerbate the cortical–subcortical imbalance within the reward circuit, an imbalance thought to explain increased risk-taking and sensation-seeking during adolescence. Adolescent alcohol use is highly contextualized, however, and thus studies testing this model will also need to consider factors that may influence both circadian misalignment and alcohol use.

 

This review highlights growing evidence supporting a path by which circadian misalignment may disrupt reward mechanisms, which may in turn accelerate the transition from alcohol use to AUDs in vulnerable adolescents.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:    haslerbp@upmc.edu

Alcohol Consumption, Deterrence and Crime in New York City

This paper investigates the relationship between alcohol consumption, deterrence, and crime for New York City. 

We examine high-frequency time-series data from 1983 to 2001 for one specific location to examine the impacts of variations in both alcohol consumption and deterrence on seven “index” crimes. 

We tackle the endogeneity of arrests and the police force by exploiting the temporal independence of crime and deterrence in these high-frequency data, and we address the endogeneity of alcohol by using instrumental variables where alcohol sales are instrumented with city and state alcohol taxes and minimum drinking age. 

We find that alcohol consumption is positively related to assault, rape, and larceny crimes but not murder, robbery, burglary, or motor vehicle theft. We find strong deterrence for all crimes except assault and rape. Generally, deterrence effects are stronger than alcohol effects.


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A public response to the Adam Smith Institute’s critique of the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model

As the research team responsible for the development and dissemination of the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model, we welcome the recent contribution of John C. Duffy and Christopher Snowdon to the debate over the effectiveness of minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol published by the Adam Smith Institute.

Duffy & Snowdon raise a series of points regarding the detail of our research; however, we believe at heart their critique is a broad rejection of the use of mathematical models to estimate the potential impact of social policy options. In the response below we address this point of principle before responding to the more specific criticisms. First though, it is important to recognise that the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model is far from an isolated piece of work on the relationship between alcohol prices and alcohol-related harms and so we begin with a brief summary of this substantial set of further evidence. > > > >  Read More


Download the technical appendix to SARG's response to the Adam Smith Institute critique, Jan 2013

The Minimal Evidence for Minimum Pricing

Statistician John C. Duffy and ASI fellow Christopher Snowdon assess the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model, used as the basis for the British and Scottish governments' calls for minimum alcohol pricing. They find that the model is deeply flawed, based on faulty premises and used to justify policy far beyond what it actually proves.  > > > >  Read More

CREATING A CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE WEB-BASED BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION FOR AMERICAN INDIAN/ ALASKA NATIVE WOMEN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: THE HEALTHY WOMEN HEALTHY NATIVE NATION STUDY

Health disparities in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are of high importance to American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. 

We conducted focus groups and interviews with 21 AI/AN women and key informants in Southern California to modify a brief, Web-based program for screening and prevention of prenatal alcohol use. 

This process resulted in several important program modifications and was essential for fostering partnerships between researchers and the community, engaging community members in research, and identifying community priorities.


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Latest from the IBA blog: SIPS - not just a leaflet; IBA in a nutshell; IBA should do it? INEBRIA 2012 presentations and more

A selection of recent posts from the IBA blog, which aims to promote news, links and ideas relating to alcohol brief interventions are included below:

• SIPS Primary Care research: not just a leaflet
• Step-by-step IBA (in a nutshell)
• New look to the blog…
• IBA – who should do it and how do we convince them?
• INEBRIA 2012 presentations
• IBA – are all settings equal? Presentations and experiences
• INEBRIA 2012: research into practice?
• IBA ‘mystery shopping’ experiences: the good, the bad and the…

The blog also has dedicated 'About IBA' and 'IBA tools' pages. See here for the Alcohol IBA Twitter Updates (@Alcohol_IBA).  > > > >   Read More

Drinking contexts and the legitimacy of alcohol use: Findings from a focus group study on alcohol use in Denmark

To examine the perceptions and meanings of alcohol use in Denmark with specific focus on drinking contexts. 

A qualitative study using focus group interviews. The sample consisted of five focus groups of adults with one group for each of the following age groups: 16–20; 21–34; 35–44; 45–64; and 65–82 years. The groups consisted of both men and women with five to six participants in each group (27 in total). 

Alcohol use is perceived as legitimate in many social contexts with few being defined as inappropriate. Drinking alone is mostly associated with having alcohol-related problems, but considered legitimate if it is characterized by activity. Drinking socially plays an important role in people’s considerations of legitimate use and seems to overrule the actual alcohol amount consumed. Different contexts influence different meanings of drinking with context and purpose changing with age and life stages.

The social drinking context is pivotal in people’s perception of the legitimacy of their alcohol use, leaving the alcohol amount less important. This calls for the need to focus on and incorporate the drinking context within public health initiatives aimed at reducing high risk drinking, just as the focus on the actual amount of alcohol people consume or their frequency of use.       


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Request Reprint E-Mail:    mette.groenkjaer@rn.dk

Factor analysis and validity of a short six-item version of the Desires for Alcohol Questionnaire

Reductions in cravings have been associated with improved recovery from alcohol and other drug use problems. Self-report assessments of cravings provide a way of monitoring progress over the course of treatment particularly in residential settings. There is a need to develop brief craving measures suitable for repeat administration. 

The aim of the study was to assess the reliability and validity of a six-item version of the Desires for Alcohol Questionnaire (DAQ-6). 

In study 1 exploratory factor analysis involving 710 participants attending residential treatment revealed two factors: ‘expectancy of negative reinforcement’ and ‘strong desires and intentions’. In study 2 confirmatory factor analysis replicated this factor structure in an independent sample of 116 participants. 

Both studies provided evidence for convergent and discriminant validity of the DAQ-6 when compared to other measures. The DAQ-6 shows promise as a brief self-report measure of cravings but the utility of the separate subscales in treatment contexts requires further research.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:   fdeane@uow.edu.au

Dephosphorylation of GluN2B C-terminal tyrosine residues does not contribute to acute ethanol inhibition of recombinant NMDA receptors

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are ion channels activated by the neurotransmitter glutamate and are highly expressed by neurons. 

These receptors are critical for excitatory synaptic signaling and inhibition of NMDA receptors leads to impaired cognition and learning. Ethanol inhibits NMDA currents at concentrations associated with intoxication and this action may underlie some of the behavioral effects of ethanol. 

Although numerous sites and mechanisms of action have been tested, the manner in which ethanol inhibits NMDA receptors remains unclear. Recent findings in the literature suggest that ethanol, via facilitation of tyrosine phosphatase activity, may dephosphorylate key tyrosine residues in the C-terminus of GluN2B subunits resulting in diminished channel function.

To directly test this hypothesis, we engineered GluN2B mutants that contained phenylalanine in place of tyrosine at three different sites and transiently expressed them with the GluN1 subunit in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. Whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology was used to record glutamate-activated currents in the absence and presence of ethanol (10–600 mM). All mutants were functional and did not differ from one another with respect to current amplitude, steady-state to peak ratio, or magnesium block. 

Analysis of ethanol dose–response curves showed no significant difference in IC₅₀ values between wild-type receptors and Y1252F, Y1336F, Y1472F or triple Y-F mutants. 

These findings suggest that dephosphorylation of C-terminal tyrosine residues does not account for ethanol inhibition of GluN2B receptors.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:  woodward@musc.edu

Alcohol consumption by parents of Pacific families residing in New Zealand: Findings from the Pacific Islands Families Study

Harmful alcohol consumption amongst Pacific people (those of Polynesian descent) is recognized as a public health priority in New Zealand, yet little epidemiological information exists on this pattern of drinking.

Using a large birth cohort study, which includes the mother, father and child triad, this study aims to determine the prevalence and change in any harmful drinking levels prenatally, antenatally and in the postpartum period for mothers and fathers, and to measure the concordance of both partners' reports of that drinking in an ethnically representative sample of Pacific families within New Zealand. 

Participants were selected from births where at least one parent was identified as being of Pacific ethnicity and a New Zealand permanent resident (1376 mothers and 825 fathers at baseline); many of whom are young to middle aged adults. These participants have been prospectively followed-up multiple times since. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test consumption questions (AUDIT-C) were used over successive measurement waves to define any and harmful drinking levels. Recommended screening thresholds were employed. Longitudinal analyses on complete cases and imputed data, accounting for differential attrition, were undertaken and reported.

Clear temporal patterns of alcohol consumption emerged for both mothers and fathers, together with significant and important ethnic differences. Moreover, there was considerable movement in alcohol consumption categories between consecutive measurement waves for both mothers and fathers. Among couples, there was significant asymmetry in drinking patterns and poor statistical agreement. However, 9.1% (14.1% in imputed analyses) of Pacific children aged 2 years had both parents indicated for harmful drinking. 

The significant important heterogeneity and ethnic differences suggest that both ethnic-specific and pan-Pacific interventions and prevention strategies are likely needed for successful interventions. More emphasis should be placed on targeting and addressing parents' alcohol misuse, particularly in the antenatal or postnatal period.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:   philip_schluter@hotmail.com

FTC study taking aim at online marketing of booze

Distillers, brewers and wineries pour millions of dollars into brand promotion on Twitter, Facebook and other social media, and industry critics contend they are not doing enough to prevent young consumers from receiving these messages.

"We're doing a deep dive on how they're using the Internet and social media," said Janet Evans, a lawyer with the FTC, which is conducting a year-long study due to be released by early summer. "We're focusing on underage exposure."

She would not elaborate on any potential recommendations that might come out of the study, which began in April 2012. > > > > >  Read More

SBIRT for adolescent drug and alcohol use: Current status and future directions

Adolescence is a period of rapid biological, psychological, and social development in the human life cycle. Drug and alcohol misuse during this critical period poses substantial problems for individual and public health, yet is highly prevalent in the United States and elsewhere. The screening, brief interventions, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) model may be well-suited for identifying and intervening with adolescents who are at-risk of developing substance use disorders and those adolescents whose substance use puts them at risk for injury or illness. 

This article reviews the literature on SBIRT for adolescent populations, focusing on findings from randomized controlled trials.

The limited evidence suggests that brief interventions may be effective with adolescents, but a number of gaps in the literature were identified. Considerations for implementing SBIRT with adolescent populations are discussed. 

Randomized trials are needed that have adequate statistical power, employ longer-term follow-ups, and test the effectiveness of SBIRT for adolescents in various service delivery settings.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:    smitchell@friendsresearch.org

Abstinence self-efficacy in people with severe mental illness

To validate the Brief Situational Confidence Questionniare (BSCQ) with people diagnosed with severe mental illness (N = 129), we examined the associations between abstinence self-efficacy (BSCQ) and alcohol consumption level (within the previous 6 months), drug use, and problems related to substance use while controlling for key symptoms of major mental illness and motives for alcohol use (Drinking Motives Questionnaire). 

Regression models revealed that abstinence self-efficacy was a significant predictor of all three substance use measures suggesting that, even when controlling for psychiatric symptoms and substance use motives, abstinence self-efficacy accounts for unique variance in alcohol use, drug use, and related problems. 

This study is limited by the cross sectional design and lack of structured diagnostic interviewing.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:   oharet@bc.edu

Alcohol Outlet Business Hours and Violent Crime in New York State

 



Alcohol-related harm places a significant strain on victims, perpetrators and society. The present research reports on how licensed alcohol outlet business hours may influence the reported incidence of interpersonal violence and the associated burden of disease.

 We examined the relationship between alcohol outlet business hours and violent crime in 2009 in New York State (excluding New York City). Regression analyses modeled the burden of disease for the violence associated with outlet business hours.                   

Every 1 h increase in weekly outlet business hours was associated with a greater reported incidence of violent crimes generally, more reported aggravated assaults and more reported non-gun violence. The estimated cost from having licensed premises open after 1 a.m. was $194 million in 2009.

The findings suggest that alcohol outlet business hours affect the incidence of reported violence even in regions that would not be considered to have severe problems with alcohol-fueled violence.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:     t.schofield@unsw.edu.au

Current Issue: November–December 2012

Interventions and Assessments
•Implementation of Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention Leads to Less Reduction in Risky Use: A Cautionary Tale 
•Acamprosate Was Not Effective for Treating Alcohol Dependence in a Family Medicine Setting 
•For People Who Drink Heavily, Alcohol Consumption Decreases after a Health-Care Visit without Brief Intervention 
•Effectiveness and Feasibility of Extended-Release Naltrexone plus Medical Management in Primary Care: 15-Month Results 
•Meta-Analysis: Behavioral Counseling Interventions for Nondependent Unhealthy Alcohol Use Decrease Drinking in Adult Primary Care Patients 
•Systematic Review: Adding Psychosocial Support to Routine Counseling in Opioid Agonist Treatment Does Not Provide Additional Benefits 

•Brief Intervention for Patients Admitted to Emergency Services for Acute Alcohol Intoxication (AAI) May Decrease AAI Readmission Rates 

Health Outcomes
 •Is “Moderate” Alcohol Consumption Associated with an Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease?

HIV and HCV
 •HIV Infection Incidence Is Reduced 54% in People with Injection Drug Use Who Receive Opioid Agonist Treatment
•Injectable Extended-Release Naltrexone Is Not Associated with Liver Enzyme Elevation in Patients with HCV, HIV 
•Alcohol Use Does Not Affect CD4 T-cell Count Response after Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation 
•Behavioral Activation May Reduce HIV Sexual-Risk Behaviors among Methamphetamine-using Men Who Have Sex with Men 

Ethical Conduct of Alcohol and Other Drug Research: Feature Article
 •Paying Participants to Take Part in Addiction Research: Ethical Considerations

Slide Presentations
•Update on Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health
•Journal Club

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Alcohol News - 4/2013

The Baltic Course (Estonia) - The Economist places Estonia on top position in its alcohol sale top list

The pocket boom "Pocket World in Figures 2013", issued by the Economist, indicates that more alcohol is sold in Estonia per capita than in any other state in the world, LETA/Public Broadcasting reports.

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Postimees (Estonia) - Estonian minister against equal excise rates for strong, light alcohol

Social Affairs Minister Taavi Roivas has said he is not in favor of a proposal of Estonian producers of strong alcohol to equalize the excise duty rates for strong alcoholic beverages and low-alcohol beverages.

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YLE uutiset (Finland) - Campaign wants to stop adults buying alcohol for kids

A new campaign by the Finnish Parents' League calls attention to the practice of parents purchasing alcohol for teens. The street campaign plastered across Finnish cities asks parents whether they're pushing alcohol on their children.

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Mpelembe (Sweden) - Leading Swedish doctor claims some alcoholics can be taught to drink moderately

Doctor Sven Andreasson, who has carried out research into the subject of alcoholism in his role as adjunct professor of social medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, has claimed that abstinence is not the only way to treat those with drink problems. Instead, cognitive behavioural therapy techniques could be used to teach problem drinkers to drink moderately.

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Nursing Times - Calls for international consensus on alcohol consumption

Psychologists from the University of Sussex have called for unified alcohol consumption guidelines after discovering different countries have significantly different approaches.

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About - News & Issues - TV Alcohol Ads Influence Underage Drinking

Most parents are concerned about the influence that media has on their kids, from encouraging them to smoke and drink alcohol, to doing drugs or becoming violent. That's why many try to supervise and limit what they watch on TV, which movies they see, and what video games they play.

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Press TV (UK) - Female death toll from alcohol abuse soars faster than male’s

More career women are dying of alcohol-related deaths in Britain than men and the number of deaths has been fast growing during the past decade, fresh figures show.

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NEWS.com.au (Australia) - Alcohol campaign 'tinkering'

A STATE government campaign to promote drinking wisely is "tinkering around the edges", the Police Association said.

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USA Today - Health roundup: Alcohol and sleep don't mix, study says

Drinking alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but is likely to disrupt your sleep later in the night and leave you less rested, a new review of 27 studies confirms. Alcohol also can contribute to sleep apnea, a disruption in breathing during sleep.

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PsychCentral.com - Intervention for High-Risk Teens Can Reduce Alcohol Abuse

Mental health interventions directed toward high-risk teenagers significantly reduces their drinking behavior and that of their schoolmates.

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Science Daily - Alcohol Use from Adolescence to Adulthood Follows Different, Complex Pathways

Adolescence is often a time of novelty seeking and risk taking, including the initiation of drinking. While heavy drinking that begins in adolescence can lead to problematic alcohol use later in life, other risk factors are also involved in trajectories of alcohol use that may develop.

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7thSpace Interactive - Alcohol-related dementia: an update of the evidence

The characteristics of dementia relating to excessive alcohol use have received increased research interest in recent times. In this paper, the neuropathology, nosology, epidemiology, clinical features, and neuropsychology of alcohol-related dementia (ARD) and alcohol-induced persisting amnestic syndrome (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, or WKS) are reviewed.

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CNN - Mental health manual changes may turn binge drinkers into mild alcoholics

Are you an alcoholic -- or just a problem drinker? It may not matter, according to the latest version of the DSM, psychiatry's diagnostic manual.

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ABC News (Ireland) - Irish County Votes to Let Some Drive Drunker

The County Kerry Council in southwest Ireland passed a measure on Monday that allows rural drivers to legally drive while under the influence of alcohol.

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Brafton - Auto brands and alcohol companies are cranking out social media content

Social media – it’s not going anywhere – and neither are the experts who develop initiatives and strategies for sites like Facebook and Twitter. According to The Dachis Group’s Social Business Index, a report that ranks the world’s top-performing social companies, Chrysler, Carlsberg and Diageo proved themselves to be businesses with sound social strategies. Topping the list were National Amusements Inc. (Viacom) and The Walt Disney Company.

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Examiner.com - New review spotlights the damage from binge drinking alcohol

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) covers a range of diseases such as fatty liver, hepatitis and cirrhosis. All are commonly linked to alcohol abuse or the disease of alcoholism.

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Irish Health (Ireland) - Suicide - alcohol abuse must be tackled

The high suicide level among young Irish men could be reduced if more was done to tackle the issue of alcohol abuse, Alcohol Action Ireland has said.

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Science Daily - The Ability to 'Hold One's Liquor' Indicates Risk of Developing Alcohol Problems

Prior studies have shown that a low subjective response (SR) to alcohol is a risk factor for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Research on moderate drinkers has shown that acquired tolerance is different from initial response, and is also significantly associated with drinking problems.

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Indian Express - Women drink more alcohol after marriage

Women consume more alcohol after they get married while men actually cut down after marriage, a survey has found.

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CBC.ca (Canada) - Finance minister says no to selling alcohol in corner stores

The provincial government says it has no plans to either privatize the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation or to allow the sale of alcohol in corner stores, rejecting an idea put forward by Progressive-Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie.

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WA today (Australia) - Local bottle shops linked to mental health

While being within walking distance of your local corner bottle shop may be convenient, a Perth university has found a link between the number of neighbourhood liquor outlets and harmful drinking behaviour, in first-of-its-kind research.

Read more

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The effects of dehydration, moderate alcohol consumption, and rehydration on cognitive functions

This study investigated the impact of mild–moderate dehydration on alcohol-induced deteriorations in cognitive functions. 

Sixteen healthy males participated in a single-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design study involving 4 experimental trials (separated by ≥7 d). In each trial, participants were dehydrated by 2.5% body mass through exercise. After 1 h recovery in a thermo-neutral environment (22 ± 2 °C, 60–70% relative humidity) 4 tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were administered to the participants (test 1). In two of the trials, participants were provided with water equivalent to either 50% or 150% body mass loss and given salt (NaCl) capsules (50 mmol/L). A set volume of alcohol or placebo was then consumed in each trial, incorporating the conditions: dehydration-placebo (DP), dehydration-alcohol (DA), partial rehydration-alcohol (PA), and full rehydration-alcohol (FA). The same 4 CANTAB tasks were then re-administered (test 2). Subjective ratings of mood and estimates of alcohol intoxication and driving impairment were also recorded in each trial. 

Alcohol consumption caused deterioration on 3 of the 4 CANTAB measures (viz., choice reaction time, executive function and response inhibition). This reduction in performance was exacerbated when participants were dehydrated compared to trials where full rehydration occurred. 

Subjective ratings of impairment and intoxication were not significantly different between any of the trials where alcohol was consumed; however ratings for alcohol trials were significantly higher than in the placebo trial. 

These findings suggest that rehydration after exercise that causes fluid loss can attenuate alcohol-related deterioration of cognitive functions. This may pose implications for post match fluid replacement if a moderate amount of alcohol is also consumed.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:    irwin@griffith.edu.au

Substance Use Among Military-Connected Youth: The California Healthy Kids Survey

Young people in military-connected families may be exposed to deleterious stressors, related to family member deployment, that have been associated with externalizing behaviors such as substance use. Substance use predisposes youth to myriad health and social problems across the life span.

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of lifetime and recent substance use in a normative sample of youth who were either connected or not connected to the military.

Data are from a subsample of the 2011 California Healthy Kids Survey (N=14,149). Items in the present analyses included present familial military affiliation (no one, parent, sibling); number of deployments (none, one, two or more); gender; grade; and race/ethnicity. Substance use items assessed whether the youth reported lifetime use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, other drugs, or prescription drugs; and recent (past 30 days) use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs.

Multivariate analysis conducted in 2012 revealed that an increase in the number of deployments was associated with a higher likelihood of lifetime and recent use, with the exception of lifetime smoking.

These results indicate that experiences associated with deployment of a family member may increase the likelihood of substance use.

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Request Reprint E-Mail:    tgilreat@usc.edu

Do parent--child acculturation gaps affect early adolescent Latino alcohol use? A study of the probability and extent of use

The literature has been mixed regarding how parent--child relationships are affected by the acculturation process and how this process relates to alcohol use among Latino youth. 

The mixed results may be due to, at least, two factors: First, staggered migration in which one or both parents arrive to the new country and then send for the children may lead to faster acculturation in parents than in children for some families. Second, acculturation may have different effects depending on which aspects of alcohol use are being examined. 

This study addresses the first factor by testing for a curvilinear trend in the acculturation-alcohol use relationship and the second by modeling past year alcohol use as a zero inflated negative binomial distribution.

Additionally, this study examined the unique and mediation effects of parent--child acculturation discrepancies (gap), mother involvement in children's schooling, father involvement in children's schooling, and effective parenting on youth alcohol use during the last 12 months, measured as the probability of using and the extent of use. Direct paths from parent--child acculturation discrepancy to alcohol use, and mediated paths through mother involvement, father involvement, and effective parenting were also tested.

Only father involvement fully mediated the path from parent--child acculturation discrepancies to the probability of alcohol use. None of the variables examined mediated the path from parent--child acculturation discrepancies to the extent of alcohol use.

Effective parenting was unrelated to acculturation discrepancies; however, it maintained a significant direct effect on the probability of youth alcohol use and the extent of use after controlling for mother and father involvement. Implications for prevention strategies are discussed.


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Effectiveness of a Selective, Personality-Targeted Prevention Program for Adolescent Alcohol Use and Misuse A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

                 
 Selective school-based alcohol prevention programs targeting youth with personality risk factors for addiction and mental health problems have been found to reduce substance use and misuse in those with elevated personality profiles.

To report 24-month outcomes of the Teacher-Delivered Personality-Targeted Interventions for Substance Misuse Trial (Adventure trial) in which school staff were trained to provide interventions to students with 1 of 4 high-risk (HR) profiles: anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, impulsivity, and sensation seeking and to examine the indirect herd effects of this program on the broader low-risk (LR) population of students who were not selected for intervention.

Cluster randomized controlled trial.

Secondary schools in London, United Kingdom.

A total of 1210 HR and 1433 LR students in the ninth grade (mean [SD] age, 13.7 [0.33] years).

Schools were randomized to provide brief personality-targeted interventions to HR youth or treatment as usual (statutory drug education in class).

Participants were assessed for drinking, binge drinking, and problem drinking before randomization and at 6-monthly intervals for 2 years.

Two-part latent growth models indicated long-term effects of the intervention on drinking rates (β = −0.320, SE = 0.145, P = .03) and binge drinking rates (β = −0.400, SE = 0.179, P = .03) and growth in binge drinking (β = −0.716, SE = 0.274, P = .009) and problem drinking (β = −0.452, SE = 0.193, P = .02) for HR youth. The HR youth were also found to benefit from the interventions during the 24-month follow-up on drinking quantity (β = −0.098, SE = 0.047, P = .04), growth in drinking quantity (β = −0.176, SE = 0.073, P = .02), and growth in binge drinking frequency (β = −0.183, SE = 0.092, P = .047). Some herd effects in LR youth were observed, specifically on drinking rates (β = −0.259, SE = 0.132, P = .049) and growth of binge drinking (β = −0.244, SE = 0.073, P = .001), during the 24-month follow-up.

Findings further support the personality-targeted approach to alcohol prevention and its effectiveness when provided by trained school staff. Particularly novel are the findings of some mild herd effects that result from this selective prevention program.


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Synergism Between Obesity and Alcohol in Increasing the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Prospective Cohort Study

Obesity and alcohol interact to increase the risk of death from liver failure in men. In the present study, we aimed to examine whether obesity and alcohol were multiplicative or additive in increasing the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both men and women. 

We conducted a prospective, population-based study of 23,712 Taiwanese residents (50.3% men) from 7 townships who underwent an evaluation for liver disease and were followed for 11.6 years for incident HCC. The mean age was 47 (standard deviation, 10) years and the mean body mass index (weight (kg)/height (m)²) was 24 (standard deviation, 3). Overall, 305 cases of HCC were identified over 275,126 person-years of follow-up.

Age, male sex, alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, elevated alanine aminotransferase, serum hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-hepatitis C virus positivity, and diabetes mellitus were each statistically significant predictors of incident HCC in univariate analyses (P < 0.05). 

Alcohol use and obesity (body mass index ≥30) showed a synergistic association with the risk of incident HCC in both unadjusted analyses (hazard ratio = 7.19, 95% confidence interval: 3.69, 14.00; P < 0.01) and multivariable-adjusted analyses (age, sex, smoking, serum alanine aminotransferase, serum hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-hepatitis C virus antibody, and diabetes mellitus) (hazard ratio = 3.82, 95% confidence interval: 1.94, 7.52; P < 0.01).

Relative excess risks due to interaction, attributable proportion, and synergy index were 4.83, 0.67, and 4.53, respectively, suggesting a multiplicative interaction between alcohol use and obesity. Obesity and alcohol synergistically increase the risk of incident HCC.


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Genetic and Environmental Predictors of Latent Trajectories of Alcohol Use from Adolescence to Adulthood: A Male Twin Study

Adolescence is characterized by higher levels of novelty-seeking and risk-taking behavior, including initiation of alcohol use. Also, there is considerable heterogeneity in the change and continuity of alcohol use over time, which emphasizes the need to examine factors predicting alcohol use and the patterns of use over time.

Retrospective data on average monthly alcohol use and risk and protective factors were obtained through interviews and questionnaires in 1,560 adult male twins. Latent class growth analysis in Mplus was performed on data of alcohol use over ages 15 to 36. Second, logistic regression analyses were used to associate risk and protective characteristics with membership in distinct latent trajectories of alcohol use.

Six trajectories of alcohol use were identified, varying in the level of alcohol use, the rate of change in use in early adolescence and the persistence of use into adulthood. Genetic risk of externalizing disorder and peer deviance showed the greatest risks for unfavorable alcohol trajectories with higher levels of use and higher rates of early increase in use. Parental monitoring and involvement in social activities showed protective effects. Involvement in religious activities was strongly associated with reduced persistence of high-level drinking in univariate but not multivariate regression analyses.

Risk and protective factors impacted differentially on level of alcohol use, rate of increase in use during adolescence, and persistence of heavy alcohol use over time. Insight into the different ways in which predictors impact on alcohol use is relevant for the development of new intervention strategies. For this purpose, causality of the associations should be further examined.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:   m.wichers@maastrichtuniversity.nl