A randomised controlled feasibility trial of alcohol consumption and the ability to appropriately use a firearm

To show the feasibility of using a controlled trial to investigate the effect of alcohol on firearm use.

12 subjects enrolled in the trial, completing 160 training scenarios. All subjects in the alcohol arm reached target alcohol level. 33% of placebo subjects reported alcohol consumption. Mechanical malfunction of the simulator occurred in 9 of 160 (5.6%) scenarios. Intoxicated subjects were less accurate, slower to fire in reaction time scenarios, and quicker to fire in scenarios requiring judgement relative to controls.

The feasibility of a randomised, controlled trial exploring the relationship between alcohol consumption and firearm use was shown. The hypothesis that alcohol consumption worsens accuracy and retards judgement about when to use a gun should be tested. Larger trials could inform policies regarding firearm use while intoxicated.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: carrb@upenn.edu

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Don’t lose your snooze - cut back on the booze

Drinkers across England are losing valuable sleep and disrupting vital brain functions without knowing that their boozing is the cause, new research for the Government’s Know Your Limits campaign has today revealed.

More than half (58%) of nearly 2,000 drinkers surveyed by YouGov did not realise that drinking above the recommended daily limits can cause sleep problems, with more men (63%) than women (53%) unaware of the link.

Almost half (45%) of those surveyed admit to experiencing tiredness the day after drinking over the recommended daily limits, but it seems many people don’t realise this could be due to alcohol interfering with their normal, restful sleep. . . . .

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Alcohol Consumption before and after a Significant Reduction of Alcohol Prices in 2004 in Finland: Were the Effects Different across Population Subgro

To examine trends in adult alcohol consumption by age, gender and education from 1982 to 2008 and evaluate the effects that a significant reduction in alcohol prices in 2004 had on alcohol consumption in different population subgroups.

Following the reduction of alcohol prices in 2004, drinking increased among men and women aged 45–64. Among men, both moderate to heavy drinking and heavy episodic drinking increased in the lowest educational group. Among women, moderate to heavy drinking increased mostly in the lowest and intermediate educational groups, while the highest increases for heavy episodic drinking were in the intermediate and highest female educational groups.

Alcohol consumption increased especially among those aged 45–64 and among lower educated people following the reduction in alcohol prices in 2004 in Finland.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: satu.helakorpi@thl.fi
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Social inequalities in alcohol consumption in the Czech Republic: A multilevel analysis

Czech Republic traditionally ranks among the countries with the highest alcohol, consumption.

This paper examines both risk and protective factors for frequent of alcohol, consumption in the Czech population using multilevel analysis.

Risk factors were measured at the, individual level and at the area level. The individual-level data were obtained from a survey for a, sample of 3526 respondents aged 18–64 years. The area-level data were obtained from the Czech, Statistical Office.

The group most inclinable to risk alcohol consumption and binge drinking are mainly, men, who live as single, with low education and also unemployed.

Only the variable for divorce rate, showed statistical significance at both levels, thus the individual and the aggregated one.

No cross-level interactions were found to be statistically significant.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: dzurova@natur.cuni.cz

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A Review of Alcoholics Anonymous/ Narcotics Anonymous Programs for Teens

The investigation of the applicability of Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA) for teens has only been a subject of empirical research investigation since the early 1990s.

In the present review, the author describes teen involvement in AA/NA programming, provides an exhaustive review of the outcomes of 19 studies that used an AA/NA model as part of their formal teen substance abuse treatment programs, and provides data on the effects of AA/NA attendance on abstinence at follow-up, on which youth tend to become involved in AA/NA, and on mediation of the benefits of AA/NA participation.

In addition, the author suggests the reasons for somewhat limited participation by teens in more informal, community-based 12-step meetings, and makes suggestions for maximizing participation at meetings in the community.

The author concludes that AA/ NA participation is a valuable modality of substance abuse treatment for teens and that much can be done to increase teen participation, though more research is needed.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: ssussma@usc.edu
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Effects of Adolescent Ethanol Exposure on Event-Related Oscillations (EROs) in the Hippocampus of Adult Rats

Electrophysiological studies have shown that adolescent ethanol (EtOH) exposure can produce long-term changes in hippocampal EEG and ERP activity.

Recently, evidence has emerged suggesting that event-related oscillations (EROs) may be good indices of alcoholism risk in humans, however, have not been evaluated for their ability to index the effects of EtOH exposure.

The objective of the present study was to characterize EROs generated in hippocampus in adult rats exposed to EtOH during adolescence.

Adolescent male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to EtOH vapor for 12 h/d for 10 days. A time-frequency representation method was used to determine delta, theta, alpha and beta ERO energy and the degree of phase variation in the hippocampus of adult rats exposed to EtOH and age-matched controls.

The present results suggest that the decrease in P3 amplitudes, previously observed in adult rats exposed to EtOH during adolescence, is associated with increases in evoked theta ERO energy.

These studies suggest that EROs are suitable for characterizing the long-term effects of adolescent EtOH exposure.

Further studies are needed to determine the relationship between the mechanisms that regulate these neurophysiological endophenotypes and the consequences of adolescent EtOH exposure.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: cindye@scripps.edu

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Associations Between ADH Gene Variants and Alcohol Phenotypes in Dutch Adults

Recently, Macgregor et al. (2009) demonstrated significant associations of ADH polymorphisms with reactions to alcohol and alcohol consumption measures in an Australian sample.

The aim of the present study was to replicate these findings in a Dutch sample.

Survey data on alcohol phenotypes came from 1,754 unrelated individuals registered with the Netherlands Twin Register. SNPs in the ADH gene cluster located on chromosome 4q (n = 491) were subdivided in seven gene sets: ADH5, ADH4, ADH6, ADH1A, ADH1B, ADH1C and ADH7. Within these sets associations of SNPs with alcohol consumption measures, age at onset variables, reactions to alcohol and problem drinking liability were examined.

Of the original 38 SNPs studied by Macgregor et al. (2009), six SNPs were not available in our dataset, because one of them had a minor allele frequency < .01 (rs1229984) and five could not be imputed.

The remaining SNP associations with alcohol phenotypes as identified by Macgregor et al. (2009) were not replicated in the Dutch sample, after correcting for multiple genotype and phenotype testing.

Significant associations were found however, for reactions to alcohol with a SNP in ADH5 (rs6827292, p = .001) and a SNP just upstream of ADH5 (rs6819724, p = .0007) that is in strong LD with rs6827292.

Furthermore, an association between age at onset of regular alcohol use and a SNP just upstream of ADH7 (rs2654849, p = .003) was observed.

No significant associations were found for alcohol consumption and problem drinking liability.

Although these findings do not replicate the earlier findings at the SNP level, the results confirm the role of the ADH gene cluster in alcohol phenotypes.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: JHDA.van.Beek@psy.vu.nl
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A Genomewide Association Study of Nicotine and Alcohol Dependence in Australian and Dutch Populations

Persistent tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption are major public health concerns worldwide. Both alcohol and nicotine dependence (AD, ND) are genetically influenced complex disorders that exhibit a high degree of comorbidity.

To identify gene variants contributing to one or both of these addictions, we first conducted a pooling-based genomewide association study (GWAS) in an Australian population, using Illumina Infinium 1M arrays. Allele frequency differences were compared between pooled DNA from case and control groups for: (1) AD, 1224 cases and 1162 controls; (2) ND, 1273 cases and 1113 controls; and (3) comorbid AD and ND, 599 cases and 488 controls.

Secondly, we carried out a GWAS in independent samples from the Netherlands for AD and for ND.

Thirdly, we performed a meta-analysis of the 10,000 most significant AD- and ND-related SNPs from the Australian and Dutch samples.

In the Australian GWAS, one SNP achieved genomewide significance (p <>⁻⁸) for ND (rs964170 in ARHGAP10 on chromosome 4, p = 4.43 × 10⁻⁸) and three others for comorbid AD/ND (rs7530302 near MARK1 on chromosome 1 (p = 1.90 × 10⁻⁹), rs1784300 near DDX6 on chromosome 11 (p = 2.60 × 10⁻⁹) and rs12882384 in KIAA1409 on chromosome 14 (p = 4.86 × 10⁻⁸)).

None of the SNPs achieved genomewide significance in the Australian/Dutch meta-analysis, but a gene network diagram based on the top-results revealed overrepresentation of genes coding for ion-channels and cell adhesion molecules.

Further studies will be required before the detailed causes of comorbidity between AD and ND are understood.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: penelope.lind@qimr.edu.au
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Overexpression of Serum Response Factor Restores Ocular Dominance Plasticity in a Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Neuronal plasticity deficits underlie many of the neurobehavioral problems seen in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).

Recently, we showed that third trimester alcohol exposure leads to a persistent disruption in ocular dominance (OD) plasticity. For instance, a few days of monocular deprivation results in a robust reduction of cortical regions responsive to the deprived eye in normal animals, but not in ferrets exposed early to alcohol.

This plasticity deficit can be reversed if alcohol-exposed animals are treated with a phosphodiesterase type 1 (PDE1) inhibitor during the period of monocular deprivation. PDE1 inhibition can increase cAMP and cGMP levels, activating transcription factors such as the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and the serum response factor (SRF). SRF is important for many plasticity processes such as LTP, LTD, spine motility, and axonal pathfinding.

Here we attempt to rescue OD plasticity in alcohol-treated ferrets using a Sindbis viral vector to express a constitutively active form of SRF during the period of monocular deprivation.

Using optical imaging of intrinsic signals and single-unit recordings, we observed that overexpression of a constitutively active form of SRF, but neither its dominant-negative nor GFP, restored OD plasticity in alcohol-treated animals. Surprisingly, this restoration was observed throughout the extent of the primary visual cortex and most cells infected by the virus were positive for GFAP rather than NeuN.

This finding suggests that overexpression of SRF in astrocytes may reduce the deficits in neuronal plasticity seen in models of FASD.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: amedina@vcu.edu

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A pharmacogenetic model of naltrexone-induced attenuation of alcohol consumption in rhesus monkeys

Variation at the human μ-opioid receptor has been associated with alcohol abuse. The A118G (N40D) polymorphism in humans is functionally mimicked by the C77G (P26R) polymorphism in rhesus monkeys; both show similar in vitro influences on ligand binding and in vivo correlations with physiological measures as well as behavioral measures including predilection towards alcohol consumption. Naltrexone, an antagonist at the receptor, has been used to treat alcoholism in humans and has been reported to show differences in effectiveness depending on genotype.

Here we describe a study in which we a priori selected rhesus monkeys based on genotype at the OPRM1 C77G single nucleotide polymorphism, trained them to self-administer alcohol, and assessed naltrexone responsiveness.

Alcohol intake in rhesus monkeys varied with genotype across a range of alcohol concentrations (0.5–4%, w/v) such that animals with the G/G genotype drank consistently more alcohol than those animals with the C/C genotype. Additionally, naltrexone attenuated alcohol drinking in a dose- and genotype-dependent manner. Animals harboring the G/G genotype were more sensitive to the effects of naltrexone and showed greater reductions in alcohol consumption at lower naltrexone doses compared to animals with a C/G or C/C genotype.

This preliminary study demonstrates a pharmacogenomic response to naltrexone in rhesus monkeys that parallels that seen in humans. This finding provides a basis for developing a pharmacogenetic animal model for naltrexone effect that can expand further our understanding of the causes and treatments of alcohol use disorders.

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

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The epidemiological profile of alcohol and other drug use in metropolitan China

There is evidence that alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use may be rising in China, but epidemiological studies that examine several drugs simultaneously and the transition from initial try to current use are limited.

The present study provides an epidemiological profile of drug use in contemporary metropolitan China.

An estimated 70–76% had used any type of drug: alcohol and tobacco were the most commonly used drugs (alcohol, 67%; tobacco, 39%). Regarding extra-medical use of internationally regulated drugs, sedatives and analgesics were most common and illegal drug use was rare. The majority of tobacco users used it recently (82.5%), especially young adults. Male–female differences were observed in lifetime tobacco use, but not for recent use. Concurrent use of alcohol and tobacco was very common.

Psychoactive drug use is common in metropolitan China. Public health policies and prevention initiatives may be needed to address associated problems that may increase following the country’s rapid socioeconomic change.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: chenghu2@msu.edu

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Controlled Drinking Programs Is One of Our Programs for You?

The Controlled Drinking by Correspondence Program and Control Your Drinking Online Program are beneficial for:

• People who wish to reduce their drinking
• People who wish to remain anonymous during their involvement in a treatment program
• People who do not wish to attend any alcohol treatment clinic
• People who cannot attend an alcohol treatment clinic due to other reasons (e.g. live to far away, do not have time etc.)
• People who wish to take part in a program that is FREE and requires very LITTLE TIME involvement

For more information on these programs click on the following links:
Controlled Drinking by Correspondence Program
more information

Control Your Drinking Online
more information

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DRUGS AND SOCIETY IN AFRICA Ninth Biennial International Conference

Announcement & Call for Papers

The African Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA) is pleased to announce its Ninth Biennial International Conference on “Drugs and Society in Africa” scheduled to take place in Abuja, Nigeria, in August 2010. The organizers invite you to this very important conference that will focus on the role of alcohol and other drug use in the HIV/AIDS epidemics in different African societies. Interested researchers in various disciplines, policy experts, practitioners, representatives of NGOs and students are encouraged to submit abstracts of papers for presentation at the conference.

Major Theme:

Alcohol, Drugs and HIV/AIDS in Africa

Research, Prevention and Treatment Issues

Read full announcement

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News Release - APA Announces Draft Diagnostic Criteria for DSM-5 New Proposed Changes Posted for Leading Manual of Mental Disorders

The American Psychiatric Association today released the proposed draft diagnostic criteria for the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mentaln Disorders (DSM). The draft criteria represent content changes under consideration for DSM, which is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health and other health professionals, and is used for diagnostic and research purposes.

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Alcohol Consumption, Serum Gamma-Glutamyltransferase, and Helicobacter Pylori Infection in a Population-Based Study Among 9733 Older Adults

Moderate alcohol consumption has been suggested to facilitate the elimination of Helicobacter pylori infection as the result of its antibacterial effect.

We aimed to assess the associations of current and lifetime alcohol consumption as well as serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), an established biomarker of alcohol consumption, with H. pylori infection in a large population-based study.

A significant inverse association, in dose-response manner, was observed between both current and lifetime alcohol consumption and H. pylori seropositivity. The estimates based on lifetime consumption were more pronounced than the results for current consumption, and such inverse associations were found both for men and women. Stronger relations were observed for those who only drank wine or mixed drinkers compare with those who only drank beer. Furthermore, there was a significant inverse dose-response relationship between serum GGT levels and H. pylori seropositivity, which was selectively observed among alcohol drinkers.

In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that moderate alcohol consumption may facilitate elimination of H. pylori.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: gaolei615@sohu.com

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NIAAA Spectrum
Volume 2, Issue 1, February 2010


In This Issue Features
Playing Matchmaker:Finding Personalized
Approaches To Solve
Alcohol Problems

Alcohol and Cancer News

Photo essay
Input, Output, Throughput:
How Is High-Throughput
Technology Advancing
Alcohol Research Problems

Charticle
Drinking Too Much Can
Kill You Quickly...or Slowly

News From the Field
Molecule Repairs Alcohol
Metabolism Enzyme

The Vine That Ate the
South May Help Alcoholics
Curb Cravings

Can Drinking During
Pregnancy Affect Kids’
Behavior?

Can Drinking Policies Keep
Risks at Bay?

Looking To Sober Up?
Caffeine Is Not the Answer

Marriage and Parenthood
May Protect Against Stress-
Induced Harmful Drinking

Questions with...
David Goldman, M.D.

Read Full Issue (PDF)
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Consultation on options for improving information on the labels of alcoholic drinks to support consumers to make healthier choices in the UK

Next Steps on Alcohol Labelling

In May 2007 the Government announced its voluntary agreement with the alcohol industry to introduce, by the end of 2008, labels on the majority of alcoholic drinks containers showing unit and other health information, including advice to women on alcohol and pregnancy. A report was published, following the first stage of an independent market survey conducted by CCFRA (Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association) in March 2008, which showed the extent to which the elements of the labelling regime had been implemented.

In April 2009 a second stage monitoring survey was conducted. This survey found that the Government’s expectation that a majority of labels should be covered by the end of 2008 was a long way from being achieved. The latest report (2009) is available below.

The Government is launching a UK wide consultation on 15 February 2009 to consider how best to improve unit and health information for consumers on alcohol labels, whether through a renewed and strengthened voluntary agreement or a mandatory requirement through legislation under the Food Safety Act. The consultation is being launched jointly by the Department of Health, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government, and the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

The views of alcohol producers and other stakeholders for improving the labelling of alcoholic drinks is being sought.

• Download Consultation on options for improving information on the labels of alcoholic drinks to support consumers to make ealthier choices in the UK (PDF, 1340K)
• Download Monitoring Implementation of Alcohol Labelling Regime Stage 2 (including advice to women on alcohol and pregnancy) (PDF, 5642K)

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Too much of the hard stuff: what alcohol costs the NHS

Consumption of alcohol in the UK has increased by 19 per cent over the last three decades. Recent reports indicate that 10.5 million adults in England drink above sensible limits and around 1.1 million have a level of alcohol addiction. Alcohol is the third leading cause of disease burden in developed countries and, as a result, the cost of providing alcohol-related services is escalating. The burden on the NHS will be unsustainable if this continues.

This Briefing, produced with the Royal College of Physicians, outlines the extent of the problem and gives examples of where the NHS is managing problem drinkers effectively and efficiently. The NHS Confederation visited hospitals between August and November 2009 and gathered evidence from members to gain an understanding of the extent of the burden and the ways in which hospitals can improve their services.

Read Full Briefing (PDF)

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Changing network support for drinking: Network Support Project 2-year follow-up.

The Network Support Project was designed to determine whether a treatment could lead patients to change their social network from one that supports drinking to one that supports sobriety.

This study reports 2-year posttreatment outcomes. Alcohol-dependent men and women (N = 210) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 outpatient treatment conditions: network support (NS), network support + contingency management (NS + CM), or case management (CaseM, a control condition).

Analysis of drinking rates indicated that the NS condition yielded up to 20% more days abstinent than the other conditions at 2 years posttreatment. NS treatment also resulted in greater increases at 15 months in social network support for abstinence, as well as in AA attendance and AA involvement than did the other conditions.

Latent growth modeling suggested that social network changes were accompanied by increases in self-efficacy and coping that were strongly predictive of long-term drinking outcomes.

The findings indicate that a network support treatment can effect long-term adaptive changes in drinkers' social networks and that these changes contribute to improved drinking outcomes in the long term.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: Litt@nso.uchc.edu ________________________

Sequence Variations of the Human MPDZ Gene and Association With Alcoholism in Subjects With European Ancestry

Mpdz gene variations are known contributors of acute alcohol withdrawal severity and seizures in mice.

Sequencing of MPDZ gene in individuals with EA ancestry revealed no variations in the sites identical to those associated with AWS in mice. Exploratory haplotype and single SNP association analyses suggest a possible association between the MPDZ gene and alcohol dependence but not AWS.

Further functional genomic analysis of MPDZ variants and investigation of their association with a broader array of alcoholism-related phenotypes could reveal additional genetic markers of alcoholism.

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