Ed Balls to target rowdy teenage drinkers

By Martin Beckford and Andrew Porter

31/05/2008

Rowdy teenagers who habitually get drunk in parks and on the streets are the main targets of a plan to tackle under-age alcohol abuse.

Police will be given new powers to prosecute youths who are repeatedly found drinking in public and to break up gangs.

Officers will also be told to take more action against children who try to buy beer and alcopops from supermarkets and off-licences.

The Youth Alcohol Action Plan – to be unveiled on Monday – will also make it easier to take away the licences of shopkeepers who sell drink to under-18s.
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Press Release - Look Before You Leap: New Study Examines Self-Control

Reckless decision-making can lead to dire consequences when it comes to food, credit cards, or savings. What’s the key to making good decisions? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research outlines a novel method for measuring people’s abilities to consider the consequences of their actions. It also provides hope for consumers who want to make more prudent decisions.

Authors Gergana Y. Nenkov (Boston College), J. Jeffrey Inman, and John Hulland (both University of Pittsburgh) developed a 13-question survey that rated participants on a scale called the Elaboration on Potential Outcomes (EPO) scale. The scale proved to be a reliable measure of how much participants considered the consequences of their actions. For example, when undergraduates considered whether to get LASIK surgery or whether to charge an expensive electronics item on an already heavily charged credit card, high EPO scores were associated with more consequence-related thoughts.

In a number of settings, researchers found that consumers who think about the pros and cons before making decisions reported that they were more likely to exercise and consume healthy foods. They had lower rates of alcohol abuse, procrastination, and overspending. They were also more likely to be saving money for retirement.

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Considering the Future: The Conceptualization and Measurement of Elaboration on Potential Outcomes
JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc. • Vol. 35 • June 2008

We examine a new construct dealing with individuals’ tendency to elaborate on potential outcomes, that is, to generate and evaluate potential positive and negative consequences of their behaviors.

We develop the elaboration on potential outcomes (EPO) scale and then investigate its relationships with conceptually related traits and its association with consumer behaviors such as exercise of self-control, procrastination, compulsive buying, credit card debt, retirement investing, and healthy lifestyle.

Finally, we show that consumers with high EPO levels exhibit more effective self-regulation when faced with a choice and that EPO can be primed, temporarily improving self-regulation for consumers with low EPO levels.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: gergana.nenkov@bc.edu

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Alcohol, intestinal bacterial growth, intestinal permeability to endotoxin, and medical consequences: Summary of a symposium
Alcohol In Press Corrected Proof , Available online 27 May 2008


This report is a summary of the symposium on Alcohol, Intestinal Bacterial Growth, Intestinal Permeability to Endotoxin, and Medical Consequences, organized by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Office of Dietary Supplements, and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland, October 11, 2006.

Alcohol exposure can promote the growth of Gram-negative bacteria in the intestine, which may result in accumulation of endotoxin. In addition, alcohol metabolism by Gram-negative bacteria and intestinal epithelial cells can result in accumulation of acetaldehyde, which in turn can increase intestinal permeability to endotoxin by increasing tyrosine phosphorylation of tight junction and adherens junction proteins.

Alcohol-induced generation of nitric oxide may also contribute to increased permeability to endotoxin by reacting with tubulin, which may cause damage to microtubule cytoskeleton and subsequent disruption of intestinal barrier function.

Increased intestinal permeability can lead to increased transfer of endotoxin from the intestine to the liver and general circulation where endotoxin may trigger inflammatory changes in the liver and other organs. Alcohol may also increase intestinal permeability to peptidoglycan, which can initiate inflammatory response in liver and other organs. In addition, acute alcohol exposure may potentiate the effect of burn injury on intestinal bacterial growth and permeability.

Decreasing the number of Gram-negative bacteria in the intestine can result in decreased production of endotoxin as well as acetaldehyde which is expected to decrease intestinal permeability to endotoxin. In addition, intestinal permeability may be preserved by administering epidermal growth factor, l-glutamine, oats supplementation, or zinc, thereby preventing the transfer of endotoxin to the general circulation.

Thus reducing the number of intestinal Gram-negative bacteria and preserving intestinal permeability to endotoxin may attenuate alcoholic liver and other organ injuries.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: vpurohit@nida.nih.gov
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Acid Sensitive Channel Inhibition Prevents Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Cerebellar Purkinje Cell Loss
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol (May 28, 2008)

Ethanol is now considered the most common human teratogen. Educational campaigns have not reduced the incidence of ethanol mediated teratogenesis leading to a growing interest in the development of therapeutic prevention or mitigation strategies.

Based on the observation that maternal ethanol consumption reduces maternal and fetal pH, we hypothesized that a pH-sensitive pathway involving the TWIK-related acid sensitive potassium channels (TASKs) is implicated in ethanol-induced injury to the fetal cerebellum, one of the most sensitive targets of prenatal ethanol exposure.

in the total number of fetal cerebellar Purkinje cells, the cell type most sensitive to developmental ethanol exposure. Extracellular pH manipulation to create the same degree and pattern of pH fall caused by ethanol (manipulations large enough to inhibit TASK 1 channels), resulted in a 24% decrease in Purkinje cell number.

We determined immunohistochemically that TASK 1 channels are expressed in Purkinje cells and that the TASK 3 isoform is expressed in granule cells of the ovine fetal cerebellum.

Pharmacological blockade of both TASK 1 and TASK 3 channels simultaneous with ethanol effectively prevented any reduction in fetal cerebellar Purkinje cell number.

These results demonstrate for the first time functional significance of fetal cerebellar two pore domain pH-sensitive channels and establishes them as a potential therapeutic target for prevention of ethanol teratogenesis.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: tcudd@cvm.tamu.edu

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Genetic and pharmacological manipulations of the CB₁ receptor alter ethanol preference and dependence in ethanol preferring and nonpreferring mice
Synapse 62:574-581, 2008

Recent studies have indicated a role for the endocannabinoid system in ethanol-related behaviors.

This study examined the effect of pharmacological activation, blockade, and genetic deletion of the CB₁ receptors on ethanol-drinking behavior in ethanol preferring C57BL/6J (B6) and ethanol nonpreferring DBA/2J (D2) mice.

The deletion of CB₁ receptor significantly reduced the ethanol preference. Although the stimulation of the CB₁ receptor by CP-55,940 markedly increased the ethanol preference, this effect was found to be greater in B6 than in D2 mice. The antagonism of CB₁ receptor function by SR141716A led to a significant reduction in voluntary ethanol preference in B6 than D2 mice.

A significant lower hypothermic and greater sedative response to acute ethanol administration was observed in both the strains of CB₁ -/- mice than wild-type mice. Interestingly, genetic deletion and pharmacological blockade of the CB₁ receptor produced a marked reduction in severity of handling-induced convulsion in both the strains.

The radioligand binding studies revealed significantly higher levels of CB₁ receptor-stimulated G-protein activation in the striatum of B6 compared to D2 mice. Innate differences in the CB₁ receptor function might be one of the contributing factors for higher ethanol drinking behavior.

The antagonists of the CB₁ receptor may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of ethanol dependence.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: hungund@nki.rfmh.org
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Postnatal binge-like alcohol exposure reduces spine density without affecting dendritic morphology in rat mPFC

Synapse 62:566-573, 2008.


Among the deficits associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), cognitive impairments are the most debilitating and permanent. These impairments, including deficits in goal-directed behavior, attention, temporal planning, and other executive functions, could result from damage to the prefrontal cortex (PFC), an area that has not been studied sufficiently in the context of FAS.

Neuronal connectivity in this area, as measured by distribution of dendritic spines and the complexity of dendritic tree structure, can be influenced by exogenous variables other than alcohol, and the neuronal connectivity in other brain regions can be affected by alcohol exposure.

The goal of this study was to determine whether binge-like alcohol exposure on postnatal days (PD) 4-9 affects dendritic spine density and other dendritic tree parameters in mPFC that could possibly underlie functional damage.

Spine density was significantly decreased in AE animals relative to SI and SC controls, but no differences in dendritic complexity were found across experimental groups.

Our findings demonstrate that neonatal alcohol exposure has a persistent effect on the spine density in mPFC that can explain functional deficits in this cortical area.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: klintsov@udel.edu
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Comparative psychometric study of a range of hazardous drinking measures administered online in a youth population
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume 96, Issues 1-2, 1 July 2008, Pages 121-127

To compare the psychometric performance of a range of existing alcohol measures when data are collected online with young people, and thereby to gain insights into the reliability and validity of this mode of data collection.

One hundred and sixty-seven U.K. resident young people aged 16–24 who had drunk alcohol within the past week participated in a cross-sectional psychometric study with a test–retest reliability component. Eight hazardous drinking measures were used: the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) summary instrument and dedicated assessments of consumption (timeline follow-back and diary-format recall of alcohol drunk in the last 7 days), dependence (Leeds dependence questionnaire and severity of dependence scale) and problems (Rutgers alcohol problem index, alcohol problems scale and academic role expectations and alcohol scale).

Internal consistency and test–retest correlation statistics were generally satisfactory, providing evidence of reliability. Validation data obtained in principal components analyses, investigation of the correlation matrix and in a multiple regression model of total AUDIT score were also supportive of the online use of these measures. Evidence was weakest for the alcohol problems scale.

A range of hazardous drinking measures exhibit sound psychometric properties when administered online. Further comparative study of the relationships between different measures is needed.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: Jim McCambridge
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Drinkers and bettors: Investigating the complementarity of alcohol consumption and problem gambling
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume 96, Issues 1-2, 1 July 2008, Pages 155-164

Regulated gambling is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States with greater than 100% increases in revenue over the past decade. Along with this rise in gambling popularity and gaming options comes an increased risk of addiction and the associated social costs.

This paper focuses on the effect of alcohol use on gambling-related problems. Variables correlated with both alcohol use and gambling may be difficult to observe, and the inability to include these items in empirical models may bias coefficient estimates.

After addressing the endogeneity of alcohol use when appropriate, we find strong evidence that problematic gambling and alcohol consumption are complementary activities.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: mfrench@miami.edu
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A test of alcohol dose effects on multiple behavioral measures of impulsivity
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume 96, Issues 1-2, 1 July 2008, Pages 111-120

Acute alcohol administration affects impulsive behavior, although these effects vary as a function of alcohol dose, assessment instrument, and time of measurement following administration.

We concurrently examined the dose-dependent effects of alcohol on three distinct types of impulsivity tasks (continuous performance [IMT], stop-signal [GoStop], and delay-discounting [SKIP] tasks). Ninety healthy alcohol drinkers were assigned to one of the three task groups (n = 30 each), each group experienced placebo, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 g/kg alcohol doses across 5 experimental days, and task performance was assessed at 0.5 h before and 0.25, 1.0, and 2.0 h after alcohol administration.

We hypothesized that impulsive responding on all tasks would be increased by acute alcohol administration both across time and during the peak BrAC, but the magnitude would depend on the task being tested. Analyses included the time course and the peak BrAC effects. Task comparisons of peak behavioral changes following each dose are illustrated using standardized scores.

While alcohol consumption increased impulsive responding during all three tasks to some extent, our hypothesis was only partially supported. During the IMT, the 0.6 and 0.8 g/kg doses produced increased impulsive responding across time and at the peak BrAC. However, during the GoStop and SKIP, impulsivity increased across time regardless of the alcohol dose size, with no differences in impulsive responding among dose conditions at peak BrAC.

This study demonstrated alcohol-induced changes in impulsivity are not uniformly affected by alcohol. These data, in conjunction with previous studies, further support that impulsivity is not a unitary construct.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: donald.m.dougherty@uth.tmc.edu
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Protective effect against alcohol dependence of the thermolabile variant of MTHFR
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume 96, Issues 1-2, 1 July 2008, Pages 30-36

Hyperhomocysteinemia is frequently observed in alcohol-dependent subjects, in particularly in those with marked withdrawal symptoms. The common C677T transition on the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene influences homocysteinemia.

Our objective was to study the prevalence of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism in alcohol-dependent subjects and the influence of this polymorphism on symptoms associated with alcoholism.

MTHFR C677T polymorphism was determined in 93 control subjects and 242 alcohol-dependent subjects. Serum homocysteine, folate and vitamin B₁₂ levels together with hepatic biological parameters were determined in the control and alcohol-dependent subjects.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is frequently observed in alcohol-dependent subjects, particularly in those with marked withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol-dependent subjects showed a significant decrease in MTHFR 677TT prevalence (9%, 21/242) compared to controls (18%, 17/93) (p <>p <>

MTHFR 677TT genotype could play a protective role against alcohol dependence. Moreover, when subjects with MTHFR 677TT genotype become dependent to alcohol, they seem to constitute a subgroup of alcoholic patients with a decreased risk for developing neurotoxic withdrawal symptoms and hepatic toxicity.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: raphael.saffroy@pbr.ap-hop-paris.fr

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Expression of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits and splice variants in an animal model of long-term voluntary alcohol self-administration
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume 96, Issues 1-2, 1 July 2008, Pages 16-21


Long-term, free-choice, alcohol self-administration with repeated alcohol deprivation phases is known to enhance N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activity.

We hypothesized that this might not only reflect an increase in NMDA receptor density, but that differential transcriptional regulation and alternative splicing of the various subunits comprising the NMDA receptor may lead to changes in receptor composition and subsequent function. We, therefore, aimed to further investigate this effect in various brain regions.

The relative mRNA expression of exon 5 inclusion/exclusion variants of the NR1 subunit, and the relative expression of NR2A, NR2B and NR2C subunits was examined in rats subjected to long-term free-choice, alcohol self-administration with repeated alcohol deprivation phases.

We observed a relative decrease of the NR2C/NR2A mRNA ratio and an increase of NR1 splice variants including exon 5 (NR1 + E5) in the striatum but not in the cortex, hippocampus or cerebellum in the experimental group.

Our results demonstrate that long-term voluntary alcohol self-administration, affects the regulation of genes encoding the various subunits and splice variants of the NMDA receptor in a brain regional-specific manner.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: Dan.Rujescu@med.uni-muenchen.de
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How much are people in Scotland really drinking?

26 May 2008

This review assesses the extent to which Scotland’s routine national surveys reflect true drinking behaviour. Comparing survey estimates with sales data, it shows that survey underestimation of alcohol consumption has increased (due to larger and stronger drinks) and suggests that people in Scotland may be drinking twice as much as surveys have previously reported. It presents survey trends in drinking over the last decade for both adults and children and interprets them in light of their validity. It concludes with recommendations for the improvement of Scottish survey data on alcohol consumption so that they provide a more accurate picture of Scottish drinking.

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3rd National Conference on Women, Addiction and Recovery

September 15–17, 2008, Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina in Tampa, FL

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, in partnership with New Century Institute and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, is pleased to host The 3rd National Conference on Women, Addiction and Recovery: Inspiring Leadership, Changing Lives.

This 2 ½ day conference will bring together a diverse audience with an interest in substance abuse treatment for women and women with children. The audience will find a broad mix of topics addressed, including best practices as well as innovative and emergent approaches to treating women, issues pertaining to recovery support, health and wellness, as well as program administration and management. The conference theme, “Inspiring Leadership, Changing Lives,” provides a framework for the conference and will be addressed by nationally recognized speakers.

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Cut tax on light booze: Police Commissioner

Tue May 27, 2008

New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione says taxes should be reduced on drinks with lower alcohol content to help curb binge drinking.

The idea is one of several Commissioner Scipione has discussed with his counterparts in other states, territories and New Zealand as they focus on how to curb alcohol-related crime.

The Commissioner backs the Federal Government's plan to increase taxes on alcopops by 70 per cent but has suggested it should also lower the taxes on drinks with a small percentage of alcohol.

"We would believe that would make it more attractive to purchase those alcoholic drinks that have a lower alcohol content," he said.

"I think it's probably important here that we concentrate more on the positives by looking at tax incentives for low-alcohol equivalents."
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Conference to brainstorm alcohol solutions

Thu May 29, 2008

Business, community and government representatives will come together today in Port Macquarie to try and find solutions to alcohol-related problems.

The conference will include the Gloucester, Great Lakes, Manning, Macleay and Hastings liquor accords.
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Promoter specific methylation of the dopamine transporter gene is altered in alcohol dependence and associated with craving
Journal of Psychiatric Research Article in Press, 27 May 2008


Dopaminergic neurotransmission plays a crucial role in the genesis and maintenance of alcohol dependence. Epigenetic regulation via promoter specific DNA methylation of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT) may influence altered dopaminergic neurotransmission in alcoholism.

Aim of the present study was to investigate DNA promoter methylation of DAT in early alcohol withdrawal and in relation to alcohol craving.

Compared to healthy controls we found a significant hypermethylation of the DAT-promoter (Mann–Whitney U-test: p = 0.001). Ln-transformed methylation of the DAT-promoter was negatively associated with the OCDS (linear regression: Beta = −0.275, p = 0.016), particularly with the obsessive subscale (Beta = −0.300, p = 0.008).

Findings of the present study show that the epigenetic regulation of the DAT-promoter is altered in patients undergoing alcohol withdrawal. Furthermore, hypermethylation of the DAT-promoter may play an important role in dopaminergic neurotransmission and is associated with decreased alcohol craving.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: thomas.hillemacher@psych.imed.uni-erlangen.de
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In vivo and in vitro ethanol exposure in prenatal rat brain: GABA_B receptor modulation on dopamine D₁ receptor and protein kinase A

Synapse 62:534-543, 2008


We have investigated the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on GABA_B receptors (GABA_BRs), protein kinase A (PKA), and DA D₁ receptor (DAD₁R) expressions. GABA_B1R and GABA_B2R showed different age-dependent expressions in in vivo fetal rat forebrain from gestational days (GD) 15.5 to 21.5 upon 10% ethanol treatment to mother, with and without baclofen at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight/day. The protein level changes could not be attributed to changes in the level of transcription since GABA_BR mRNA presented different expression patterns upon in vivo ethanol treatment.

Using in vitro cultivated cortical neurons from GD 17.5 fetuses, we also explored the modulatory effects of ethanol on PKA and DAD₁R through GABA_BRs, under 50 M baclofen and 100 M phaclofen administrations, with or without 100 mM of ethanol treatment in the culture media.

The results showed that 20 min ethanol treatment without baclofen or phaclofen had increasing effects on both the GABA_BRs. Further, baclofen and phaclofen administration significantly affected PKA and GABA_BR levels upon 20 min and 1 h ethanol treatment. In contrast, DAD₁R showed increasing effects upon ethanol treatment, which was modulated by GABA_BR's agonist baclofen and antagonist phaclofen.

Therefore the present study suggested that the GABA_BR activity could modulate ethanol's cellular effects, which possibly including PKA and DAD₁R activities, and may be an underlying cause of ethanol's effects.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: mokim@gsnu.ac.kr
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Value of ethyl glucuronide in plasma as a biomarker for recent alcohol consumption in the emergency room
Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access published online on May 25, 2008



This emergency department (ED) study compared the value of plasma ethyl glucuronide (EtG) testing with the information about alcohol consumption obtained using the standard alcohol biomarkers gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and carbohydrate-deficient transferring (CDT) and the AUDIT questionnaire.

Out of the 81 patients, 23 (28%) were positive (8 points) on the AUDIT questionnaire. Only 3 (4%) showed a detectable ethanol concentration (range 0.01–0.07 g/L) but 31 (38%) showed a detectable EtG (0.16–39.5 mg/L). In four patients, EtG was detectable in plasma for >48 h after estimated completed elimination of ethanol. EtG was not correlated with the long-term biomarkers %CDT or GGT, or the AUDIT results, but with the time since estimated completed ethanol elimination.

EtG testing in blood was found useful in the ED as a way to detect recent drinking, even in cases of a negative ethanol test, and to confirm abstinence from alcohol. This sensitive and specific short-term biomarker provides valuable additional information about individual drinking habits and might also be helpful to identify an alcohol hangover.

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Request Reprint E-Mail:</sup> tim.neumann@charite.de
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TheDrosophila homolog of jwa is required for ethanol tolerance
Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access published online on May 25, 2008

Alcohol abuse poses a serious public health problem, and repeated ingestion can produce tolerance, leading to dependence and addiction. However, the mechanisms underlying alcohol tolerance and addiction are not fully understood.

Drosophilae have been employed as a suitable model to study the molecular mechanisms underlying ethanol tolerance. JWA, a newly identified microtubule-binding protein, was shown to regulate cell stress responses, transportation of intracellular excitatory amino acids, and the MAPK signal transduction pathway. The JWA mouse homologue addicsin, was postulated to play a role in the development of morphine tolerance and dependence.

This study was designed to determine whether JWA participates in ethanol tolerance in Drosophila.

The djwa and the human jwa genes share a significant sequence similarity. Their genomic nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence identities are 41.4% and 53.6%, respectively. In inebriation tests, the wild type w¹¹¹⁸ flies and the cDNA-djwa flies acquired ethanol tolerance after several exposures whereas the anti-djwa flies did not.

The JWA genes are evolutionarily conserved. The djwa function is required for acquiring ethanol tolerance in Drosophila. JWA is likely a novel molecule playing an important role in ethanol tolerance and drug addiction.

Our results present a new direction for research related to alcohol tolerance and addiction.

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Rerquest Reprint E-Mail: jwzhou@njmu.edu.cn

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