Possible Association Between OPRM1 Genetic Variance at the 118 Locus and Alcohol Dependence in a Large Treatment Sample: Relationship to Alcohol Depen

Several lines of evidence from previous research indicate that opioid receptors play an important role in ethanol reinforcement and alcohol dependence (AD) risk. Conflicting results were reported on the role of the mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) polymorphism A118G (Asn40Asp, rs1799971) in the development of alcoholism.

We investigated a total number of 1,845 alcohol-dependent subjects recruited from inpatient facilities in Germany and 1,863 controls for the mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) polymorphism using chi-square statistics.

An association between the OPRM variant and AD was detected (p = 0.022), in recessive (AA vs. GA/GG) and co-dominant (AA vs. GA) models of inheritance. An association between the OPRM variant and the DSM-IV criterion “efforts to cut down or could not” (p = 0.047) was found, but this did not remain significant after the correction for multiple testing.

The results indicate that this functional OPRM variant is associated with risk of AD and these findings apply to more severe AD, although the association is only nominally significant.

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Adenosine and Glutamate Signaling in Neuron–Glial Interactions: Implications in Alcoholism and Sleep Disorders

Recent studies have demonstrated that the function of glia is not restricted to the support of neuronal function. Especially, astrocytes are essential for neuronal activity in the brain.

Astrocytes actively participate in synapse formation and brain information processing by releasing or uptaking gliotransmitters such as glutamate, d-serine, adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), and adenosine. In the central nervous system, adenosine plays an important role in regulating neuronal activity as well as in controlling other neurotransmitter systems such as GABA, glutamate, and dopamine.

Ethanol (EtOH) increases extracellular adenosine levels, which regulates the ataxic and hypnotic/sedative (somnogenic) effects of EtOH.

Adenosine signaling is also involved in the homeostasis of major inhibitory/excitatory neurotransmission (i.e., GABA or glutamate) through neuron–glial interactions, which regulates the effect of EtOH and sleep.

Adenosine transporters or astrocytic SNARE-mediated transmitter release regulates extracellular or synaptic adenosine levels. Adenosine then exerts its function through several adenosine receptors and regulates glutamate levels in the brain.

This review presents novel findings on how neuron–glial interactions, particularly adenosinergic signaling and glutamate uptake activity involving glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1), are implicated in alcoholism and sleep disorders.

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Alcohol Misuse and Abuse Reported by Nurse Aides in Assisted Living

Alcohol misuse and abuse in Assisted Living (AL) as reported by nurse aides is examined. Data came from a secondary analysis of nurse aides included in the Pennsylvania nurse aide registry.

A total of 832 nurse aides had a prior place of employment in AL. Information reported from these nurse aides include the percent of residents identified as drinking alcohol, opinions of alcoholmisuse and abuse, and the prevalence of alcohol misuse and abuse.

Nurse aides believe a majority (69%) of AL residents drink alcohol. Of these residents, 34% are thought to drink alcohol daily. Estimated prevalence rates show that in 19% of cases nurse aides believe alcohol consumption has influenced residents’ health and 28% are suspected to make poor choices for alcohol consumption.

The findings present preliminary evidence that alcohol misuse and abuse may be a problem of importance in AL. Given the potential impact of this on the health, safety, and quality of life for elders, more attention should be focused on alcohol misuse and abuse by residents living in AL.



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EC deny backing for Scotland's minimum alcohol price plan

A Scottish government claim that it had EU backing for plans to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol has been denied by the European Commission. > > > > Read More

News Release - Nearly half of all substance abuse treatment admissions involving college students were primarily for treating alcohol disorders

A new report shows that nearly half (46.6 percent) of all substance abuse treatment admissions involving college or other post secondary school students ages 18 to 24 were primarily related to alcohol disorders. The rate of primary alcohol-related treatment admissions is far higher among college students than for non-college students in the same age bracket (46.6 percent versus 30.6 percent) according to this new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). > > > > Read More

Minimum pricing of alcohol urged

Minimum pricing and an exclusion of industry lobbyists from education programmes must be key parts of the Government’s forthcoming alcohol strategy, a Tory MP has said.

Dr Sarah Wollaston, the Totnes MP, told a Westminster Hall debate in the Parliament that alcohol contributes to 22,000 deaths in Britain every year and costs the country £20 billion.

Public Health Minister Anne Milton pledged the Government’s strategy would ensure that authorities do everything possible to help tackle the problem of alcohol abuse, but to be effective every part of society would need to take part.

Elected in 2010 following a pioneering open primary in her Totnes seat, Dr Wollaston said action needed to be taken on pricing, marketing, education and labelling. People who already have a problem must be helped, she said. > > > > Read More

Correlates of Recovery from Alcohol Dependence: A Prospective Study Over a 3-Year Follow-Up Interval

Correlates of recovery from alcohol dependence have been identified through a variety of study designs characterized by different strengths and limitations. The goal of this study was to compare correlates of recovery based on a 3-year prospective design with those based on cross-sectional analyses of data from the same source.

Data from the 2001 to 2002 Wave 1 and 2004 to 2005 Wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) were used to examine baseline characteristics associated with Wave 2 recovery from alcohol dependence, among those who classified with past-year DSM-IV alcohol dependence at Wave 1 (n = 1,172).

Abstinent recovery was significantly associated with Black/Asian/Hispanic race/ethnicity, children <1 year of age in the household at baseline, attending religious services greater than or equal to weekly at follow-up, and having initiated help-seeking that comprised/included 12-step participation within <3 years prior to baseline. Nonabstinent recovery was positively associated with being never married at baseline, having job problems or being unemployed in the year preceding baseline, attending religious services less than weekly at follow-up, baseline smoking and volume of ethanol intake, and having terminated a first marriage within <3 years prior to baseline. Findings, including others of marginal significance (0.05 < p < 0.10), generally supported results from prior pseudo-prospective survival analyses with time-dependent covariates but differed in many ways from cross-sectional analyses of Wave 1 NESARC data.

Various aspects of study design must be considered when interpreting correlates of recovery. Cross-sectional analyses of lifetime correlates of recovery are highly subject to misinterpretation, but pseudo-prospective survival analyses with time-dependent covariates may yield results as valid as those from prospective studies.

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Alcohol Behaviour Change

A new campaign aimed at encouraging Scots to think about the health effects of regularly drinking above the recommended alcohol guidelines was launched today.

The Scottish Government’s Alcohol Behaviour Change is this year encouraging women to ‘Drop a Glass Size’ in 2012.

Figures in the Scottish Health Survey show that around 38 per cent of women regularly exceed daily and/or weekly sensible drinking guidelines. It is possible for a woman to exceed the weekly guidelines for less than £3. It is estimated that 1 in 30 female deaths in Scotland is alcohol-related.

The campaign encourages people to make small changes to the way they drink such as alternating alcohol with soft drinks or water and having two alcohol-free days a week.

The initiative, which also includes a national roadshow, aims to educate Scots about what they’re drinking, how much is too much and how they can moderate their drinking. > > > > Read More

EUCAM meeting March 29-30, 2012

29 and 30 March 2012 Warsaw, Poland

EUCAM organizes in cooperation with PARPA its fourth conference on alcohol marketing in Europe 29 and 30 March 2012 in Warsaw, Poland. The EUCAM contact persons of Public Health NGOs, governmental organizations and research institutes are invited to participate.

The topic of the training will be:


-Alcohol and sport sponsoring

-Training how to monitor alcohol marketing effectively

Alcohol and sport sponsoring In 2012 the UEFA European Football Championship will take place in Poland and Ukraine. This event will be a new opportunity for the alcohol industry to intensify their sponsor and marketing activities. EUCAM will present during this training new relevant information about alcohol and sport sponsoring: the impact on youth, an overview of sport sponsorship of top teams in Europe and a discussion with Polish policy makers and politicians. > > > > Read More

Formal and informal substance use treatment utilization and alcohol abstinence over seven years: Is the relationship different for blacks and whites?

This study examines whether the effects of formal substance use treatment utilization and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) on 30-day abstinence vary for black versus white Americans.

The current analysis utilizes data from a longitudinal sample of 1013 black and white, dependent and problem drinkers across a 7-year period. Participants were identified through a probability survey in the general population and consecutive intakes in chemical dependency treatment programs in a California County. Generalized Estimating Equations assessing interactions between race and treatment utilization incorporated variables from four post-baseline interviews, controlling for baseline variables.

Formal treatment utilization was associated with 30-day abstinence (OR:1.6, 95%CI: 1.3, 2.1), yet this relationship did not differ for blacks and whites. In contrast, there was a significant interaction between AA utilization, race and 30-day abstinence. While both whites and blacks who attended AA were more likely to report 30-day abstinence compared to their non-AA attending counterparts (white OR:4.0, 95%CI: 3.2–5.1 and black OR:2.2, 95%CI: 1.5–3.2), the relationship was stronger for whites. Among those who did not attend AA, blacks were more likely than whites to be abstinent. Post hoc analyses suggest that these latter findings may be related to greater religiosity and “drier” social networks among black Americans.

While utilization of formal treatment may yield similar benefits for blacks and whites, AA utilization may be more important for maintaining abstinence among whites than blacks. Future research should investigate racial differences in social network drinking patterns and religious reinforcement of sobriety, and the role these may play in AA outcomes.

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SURVEILLANCE REPORT #92 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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How does gender equality progress link to alcohol care and death? A registry study of the Swedish parental cohort of 1988/1989

This article examines how gender equality during early parenthood (1988–1991) associates with alcohol-related inpatient care or mortality (1992–2006).

We categorised all Swedish couples having had a first child together in 1988–1989 (N=118 595) as traditional, or gender equal, or untraditional based on income and occupational position (bread-winning indicators), parental leave and temporary child care (child-care indicators).

Overall, traditional women run lower risk, whereas traditional men and untraditional women (those opposing the traditional division of parenthood responsibilities) run higher risks of alcohol harm than their gender-equal counterparts.



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Global Actions: February 1, 2012

Key Recent Milestones:

· Rwanda: An ICAP representative visited Rwanda in December 2011 to meet with individuals from the Ministry of Health, Rwanda Bureau of Standards, and the Ministry responsible for Radio & Television and industry (Bralirwa Ltd. and Brasserie des Mille Collines). A first draft of a marketing code for Rwanda has been developed and shared with industry stakeholders. The code will be finalized in the coming months.



Global Actions in Focus: Nanjing Drink Drive Education Campaign

In January, Global Actions China launched its Drink Drive Safety Education Campaign in Nanjing. The month-long effort was launched with support from the Nanjing Traffic Management Bureau, the Jiangsu Institute for Health Education, and the Jiangsu Restaurant Association.

“Approximately 100 local restaurants joined in the campaign by promising to provide customers with reminders about drink driving,” said Global Actions China Country Manager James Yu. “In each restaurant, volunteers will remind customers of drink driving at three times: when they park their cars, when they drink, and when they are leaving the restaurant.” Security staff in restaurant parking lots have been trained to caution intoxicated customers not to drive, with instructions to call police if the customer does not comply.

Before the project launch, James Yu and Channel Research’s Annina Mattsson distributed thousands of Global Actions posters, brochures, and educational cards to local hotels and restaurants. Traffic police officers are now conducting enforcement activities that target drink driving on Nanjing streets. Once the campaign wraps up at the end of February, educational content addressing the progress of enforcement operations will be updated and available online.

“Although alcohol-related road traffic accidents have reduced by about 50% from last year, we need to do something more to tackle the problem,” said Nanjing Traffic Management Bureau’s Lihong Zhao, “especially during the Spring festival holiday when people have more chances to consume alcohol.”

Highlights from the launch event included performances by traffic police that incorporated drink drive education into song, sketch, and poetry routines that were well-received by the audience.

What’s Happening Next:

· Argentina: Consejo de Autorregulación Publicitaria (CONARP) is conducting an internal review of its processes. Once reviewed, CONARP will publish the results of these findings on its website http://www.conarp.org.ar/ in order to further align with international advertising self-regulation best practice. These developments are part of CONARP’s collaboration with ICAP and the World Federation of Advertisers.

National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2010 Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities

This report presents results from the 2010 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment
Services (N-SSATS), an annual census of facilities providing substance abuse treatment.

Conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), N-SSATS is designed to collect data on the location, characteristics, and use of alcohol and drug abuse treatment facilities and services throughout the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions.


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Alcohol Consumption and Mortality Risks in the USA

To estimate all-cause and cause-specific mortality risks by alcohol consumption level for the US population.

The survival analysis of data from National Health Interview Survey participants from 1997 to 2004 who were followed for mortality through 2006. Hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for available demographic and health characteristics were calculated by alcohol consumption level for all-cause mortality and for mortality from circulatory and external causes. Alcohol consumption levels were generally defined as ‘never drinker’ (<12 drinks in life), ‘former drinker’ (0 drinks during last year), ‘infrequent drinker’ (<12 drinks in any year), ‘light drinker’ (1 drink per drinking day), ‘moderate drinker’(2 drinks) and ‘heavy drinker’ (3+ drinks).

Adjusted mortality hazards for lifetime infrequent drinkers were much lower than the hazards for never drinkers among women, so lifetime infrequent drinkers were used as the reference category in survival analysis to estimate the mortality effects of alcohol consumption. Estimated all-cause mortality HRs for moderate drinkers were generally somewhat lower when compared with infrequent drinkers [HR for male moderate drinkers = 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.75–1.01 and HR for female occasional moderate drinkers = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.69–0.93]. Former drinkers and regular heavy drinkers had higher mortality hazards among both men and women.

US light to moderate drinkers may have reduced mortality risks, but some portion of their previously observed lower mortality may be due to factors other than alcohol consumption such as medical care and social integration, particularly among women. Alcohol consumption among former and heavy drinkers appears to have increased their mortality risks.


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Mortality and potential years of life lost attributable to alcohol consumption in Canada in 2005

Alcohol is a substantial risk factor for mortality according to the recent 2010 World Health Assembly strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol which outlined the need to characterize and monitor this burden. Accordingly, using new methodology we estimated 1) the number of deaths caused and prevented by alcohol consumption, and 2) the potential years of life lost (PYLLs) attributable to alcohol consumption in Canada in 2005.

Mortality attributable to alcohol consumption was estimated by calculating Alcohol-Attributable Fractions (AAFs) (defined as the proportion of mortality that would be eliminated if the exposure was eliminated) using data from various sources. Indicators for alcohol consumption were obtained from the Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey 2008 and corrected for adult per capita recorded and unrecorded alcohol consumption. Risk relations were taken from the Comparative Risk Assessment within the current Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Due to concerns about the reliability of information specifying causes of death for people aged 65 or older, our analysis was limited to individuals aged 0 to 64 years. Calculation of the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the AAFs was performed using Monte Carlo random sampling. Information on mortality was obtained from Statistics Canada. A sensitivity analysis was performed comparing the mortality results obtained using our study methods to results obtained using previous methodologies.

In 2005, 3,970 (95% CI: 810 to 7,170) deaths (4,390 caused and 420 prevented) and 134,555 (95% CI: 36,690 to 236,376) PYLLs were attributable to alcohol consumption for individuals aged 0 to 64 years. These figures represent 7.7% (95% CI: 1.6% to 13.9%) of all deaths and 8.0% (95% CI: 2.2% to 14.1%) of all PYLLs for individuals aged 0 to 64 years. The sensitivity analysis showed that the number of deaths as measured by this new methodology is greater than that if mortality was estimated using previous methodologies.

The mortality burden attributable to alcohol consumption for Canada is large, unnecessary, and could be substantially reduced in a short period of time if effective public health policies were implemented. A monitoring system on alcohol consumption is imperative and would greatly assist in planning and evaluating future Canadian public health policies related to alcohol consumption

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Alcohol News - 6/2012

PubMed (Finland) - Mortality in people with depressive, anxiety and alcohol use disorders in Finland

Individuals with depressive and alcohol use disorders have an increased mortality risk comparable with many chronic somatic conditions, that is only partly attributable to differences in sociodemographic, somatic health status and hazardous health behaviour.

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The Foreigner (Norway) - Norway dairy goes alcoholic

Farmers’ dairy cooperative TINE may be complementing its butter-based products (eventually) and dispensing French red wine into cartons.

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Alcohol Help (Denmark) - First fine ever for targeting alcohol marketing at minors

Lately a ruling in Denmark – the first of its kind – provides that alcohol has no place in advertising targeted minors. The ruling is a victory for the Consumer Ombudsman, as well as for Alcohol and Society (former Danish Alcohol Policy Network) being the fruit of several complaints throughout the years.

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www.eurekalert.org (Denmark) - The effect of occasional binge drinking on heart disease and mortality among moderate drinkers

Most studies have found that binge drinking is associated with a loss of alcohol's protective effect against ischemic heart disease (IHD) and most studies have found an increase of coronary risk among binge drinkers.

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alcoholsubstanceabuse (Denmark) - Danes Developing Pill to Cure Alcoholism

Researchers in Denmark are testing a pill among alcoholics that reduces their alcohol consumption by more than 50% if they take it over a 12-month period.

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The Guardian - Two glasses of wine a day 'triples mouth cancer risk'

Regularly drinking two large glasses of wine or two strong pints of beer a day triples the risk of developing mouth cancer, a government campaign will warn.

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The Press Association (Scotland) - App to show alcohol's ageing effect

A phone app which illustrates the impact alcohol has on personal appearance aims to "shock people into drinking just a little bit less", its creator has said.

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Mirror.co.uk (UK) - Alcohol death toll equivalent to a jumbo jet crashing every 17 days, British Liver Trust reveals

The number of Brits being killed by drinking is equivalent to a major plane crash every 17 days, a charity revealed yesterday. It says there were 8,664 alcohol-related deaths in 2009, more than double the 4,023 during 1992.

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Doctors Lounge - High Alcohol Intake, Family History Impact Colon CA Risk

Individuals who consume 30 g alcohol or more per day have a significantly elevated risk of colon cancer, especially those with a family history of colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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Irish Examiner (Ireland) - Public health not a luxury, says alcohol group

Government ministers raising objections to plans to scrap alcohol sponsorship for sports and arts events have been told by Alcohol Action Ireland: "Public health is not a luxury."

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Irish Times (Ireland) - Average alcohol consumption falling, says report

THE AVERAGE alcohol consumption per person fell in the last decade to 12 litres per year – 17 per cent below the 2001 peak, according to an industry report.

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OnMedica (Scotland) - Study backs discount ban on alcohol

A minimum pricing policy combined with an off-licence discount ban would significantly reduce alcohol-related harm. These are the conclusions from the University of Sheffield, which worked on an updated report commissioned by the Scottish Government to examine whether a restricted pricing policy would make a real difference.

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Toronto Sun - Health benefits of alcohol still uncertain

While a moderate amount of alcohol may be beneficial for the heart, those benefits may be cancelled out by an elevated risk for other diseases.

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HRmagazine.co.uk (UK) - Alcohol charity urges Government to act on workplace drinking

Alcohol Concern has written to Vince Cable, secretary of state for Business, Innovation and Skills, to call for greater focus on alcohol issues in the workplace, which have a major negative impact on productivity.

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Yorkshire Post (UK) - Street alcohol ban a success in area blighted by drunken yobs

A BAN on street drinking in an area once plagued by alcohol-fuelled yobs has been hailed as a success, after bringing about a “significant” reduction in crime.

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Renal and Urology News - Prostate Cancer Linked to Heavy Alcohol Intake

Heavy ethanol intake is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (PCa) among low-risk men with at least one prior negative prostate biopsy, investigators reported here at the annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. It also is associated with an elevated risk for high-grade PCa.

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Elliot Lake Standard (Canada) - Solutions exist for fetal alcohol related crimes: lawyer

More grandmothers are needed in the lives of those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, says lawyer and advocate David Boulding.

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WA today (Australia) - Pregnant women 'ignoring alcohol warnings'

Women are continuing to place their unborn children at risk by drinking while pregnant, health experts have told a federal parliamentary inquiry.

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FASD News - 5/2012

USA TODAY - Study: No alcohol intake safe during pregnancy

It's known that drinking during pregnancy leaves babies vulnerable to a spectrum of abnormalities called fetal alcohol syndrome. Now, a new study pinpoints the latter half of the first trimester as a critical time in the development of some of the syndrome's most telling physical characteristics.

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Primedia Broadcasting - Eyewitness News (South Africa) - 0% alcohol is best for pregnancy - WHO

A Worcester-based alcohol syndrome organisation on Friday urged pregnant women not to drink any alcohol as doing so may cause brain damage. The World Health Organisation (WHO) pin-pointed the Western Cape as having the highest number of children who have fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the world.

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CBS Local - New Study Reveals More Problems With Drinking During Pregnancy

A new study released this week reveals the hidden dangers of women who drink alcohol while pregnant.

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MyNorthwest.com - Colton Harris-Moore's attorney says emails are examples of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome behavior

After emails and phone calls from Colton Harris-Moore, also known as the "Barefoot Bandit," ridiculing police were released, his attorney John Henry Browne responded saying this is a classic example of behavior seen in people diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

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Elliot Lake Standard (Canada) - Solutions exist for fetal alcohol related crimes: lawyer

More grandmothers are needed in the lives of those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, says lawyer and advocate David Boulding.

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WA today (Australia) - Pregnant women 'ignoring alcohol warnings'

Women are continuing to place their unborn children at risk by drinking while pregnant, health experts have told a federal parliamentary inquiry.

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The North West Star (Australia) - Don't poison your baby, don't drink

MOUNT Isa is the perfect environment for a health disorder that condemns children to a life of misery and often jail, but which is 100 per cent preventable.

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Wall Street Journal - Stricter Thinking on Alcohol During Pregnancy

In the sixth to 12th week of pregnancy, a fetus's bones, brain and central nervous system are forming. Buds blossom into arms and legs, and internal organs start to function. A face with eyelids, lips and other features appears.

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MATERIALS

Fetal Alcohol Forum – Issue 6 December 2011

NOFAS-UK have published Issue 6, 2011 of their newsletter.

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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Understanding the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in the United States has recently released a 6-page summary called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Understanding the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. It summarizes the latest research on the full spectrum of alcohol-related developmental disorders, new diagnostic tools that can detect these disorders, and promising interventions and treatment options.

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Pregnancy and Alcohol Brochure for Aboriginal Families

Best Start Resource Centre in Ontario has released a new brochure for Aboriginal women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy and their families on pregnancy and alcohol.

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COMING UP

Managing Difficult Behaviour in FASD Children in the Community

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IN OTHER LANGUAGES

Food Holland (Netherlands) - Schippers voor zelfregulering logo alcohol en zwangerschap op fles

Minister Schippers van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport (VWS) gaat inventariseren of het mogelijk is een logo alcohol en zwangerschap op flessen alcoholische dranken via zelfregulering in te voeren. Schippers antweoord dat op vragen vanuit de Tweede Kamer.

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Alcoholism and Cellular Vulnerability in Different Brain Regions

Alcohol-induced damage causes dysfunction of selected brain regions. Multidisciplinary studies have provided an extensive description of changes observed in neurons and glia following alcohol consumption.

In this study the authors have elucidated preferential cellular vulnerability in three different brain regions.

Autopsy material of the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and substantia nigra obtained from the brain tissue of alcoholic subjects was used in this study.

We found that dendritic tree and astroglial damage is irreversible, while neuronal somata and most axons do not display irreversible changes.


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sandra.skuja@gmail.com

Gene Coexpression Networks in Human Brain Identify Epigenetic Modifications in Alcohol Dependence

Alcohol abuse causes widespread changes in gene expression in human brain, some of which contribute to alcohol dependence. Previous microarray studies identified individual genes as candidates for alcohol phenotypes, but efforts to generate an integrated view of molecular and cellular changes underlying alcohol addiction are lacking.

Here, we applied a novel systems approach to transcriptome profiling in postmortem human brains and generated a systemic view of brain alterations associated with alcohol abuse.

We identified critical cellular components and previously unrecognized epigenetic determinants of gene coexpression relationships and discovered novel markers of chromatin modifications in alcoholic brain.

Higher expression levels of endogenous retroviruses and genes with high GC content in alcoholics were associated with DNA hypomethylation and increased histone H3K4 trimethylation, suggesting a critical role of epigenetic mechanisms in alcohol addiction.

Analysis of cell-type-specific transcriptomes revealed remarkable consistency between molecular profiles and cellular abnormalities in alcoholic brain.

Based on evidence from this study and others, we generated a systems hypothesis for the central role of chromatin modifications in alcohol dependence that integrates epigenetic regulation of gene expression with pathophysiological and neuroadaptive changes in alcoholic brain.

Our results offer implications for epigenetic therapeutics in alcohol and drug addiction.



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Request Reprint E-Mail: piatut@mail.utexas.edu