English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
Esperanto
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
UrduPeople with alcohol use disorder (AUD) may not respond typically to images of food (i.e., cues), according to a novel study using brain imaging.
Tag: Alcohol Use Disorder
Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder at Risk of Liver Disease May be Less Commonly Referred for Liver Treatment if they are primarily seen for Mental Health Disorders
People with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who are at risk of advanced liver disease are less likely to be referred for liver evaluation and care if they present primarily with alcohol-related mental health issues or a mental health diagnosis, according to a study of referral practices in Virginia’s largest health system. The findings point to the possibility of widespread missed opportunities for treating three conditions that commonly co-occur: AUD, mental health disorders, and liver disease. Recent years have seen notable increases in the USA in alcohol-related deaths, mental health disorders, and hospital admissions relating to alcohol use and concurrent mental health conditions. AUD is a significant cause of liver disease, and both addiction and co-occurring mental illness can be barriers to successful liver treatment. Integrating AUD treatment, mental health care, and hepatology (liver care) is necessary to improve outcomes, but data suggests this approach is not the norm. For the st
Three Concepts Key to Recovery from Substance Use Disorders Identified Via Reviewing 30+ Years of Scientific Findings
Certain concepts have a demonstrated basis for aiding recovery from dangerous alcohol or substance use, according to an analysis of scientific literature since 1990. Self-efficacy (a belief in one’s ability to achieve a goal), social support, and managing cravings are among the treatment elements best supported by evidence. Effective treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs) depends on understanding how human behaviors change and incorporating that knowledge into clinical practice. An ongoing research effort continues to investigate varying treatment approaches and how they relate to recovery outcomes, but those findings have not been well synthesized into a useful format. For the new review published in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research, researchers from around the USA reviewed published studies, identified the treatment elements best supported by data, and evaluated their potential as key factors in behavior change. The researchers drew
Study Finds Low Utilization of Specialty Treatment for Problem Alcohol Use; Differences Associated with Race, Ethnicity, and Health Risk Status
Only four percent of people who are screened and report heavy drinking go on to receive specialty treatment for their alcohol use, according to a study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research. The study found race, ethnicity, and health risk profile to be associated with differences in the likelihood of receiving specialty treatment. These findings echo previous studies and highlight the need for more tailored approaches to screening and intervention to improve treatment for diverse groups of people with varying levels of alcohol use problems, from heavy drinking to alcohol use disorder.
UNC Health Researchers Present Preliminary Data on Weight Loss Drugs on Alcohol Addiction
Christian Hendershot, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Clinical and Translational Addiction Research Program at the UNC School of Medicine, presented early findings from the first completed randomized controlled trial of semaglutide for reducing alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers.
New research identifies biomarkers that link alcohol use disorder and Alzheimer disease
Researchers agree that alcohol use can produce global and regional tissue volume changes in the brain, and that excessive alcohol use is associated with dementia and cognitive decline. A new study has examined the relationship between Alzheimer disease – the most common type of dementia – and alcohol use disorder (AUD), discovering biomarkers that link the two.
People with Severe Alcohol Use Disorder May Form and Recall Social Memories Differently
People with severe alcohol use disorder tended to have greater difficulty forming new social memories. And, while they had better immediate recall of positive than negative social cues, for longer-term memories, they tended to remember more negative experiences than positive ones.
Alcohol misuse can disrupt gut microbiota, causing inflammation that leads to organ damage
Alcohol researchers have long known that excessive drinking can cause damage to the liver, pancreas, heart, muscle, bone, and brain. However, only a subset of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) appear to develop organ damage. New research shows that alcohol-induced gut inflammation is the missing link between unhealthy drinking and organ damage among certain AUD patients.
Young Adults’ Varying Reasons Not to Drink Point to Potential for More Effective AUD Prevention and Treatment Interventions
Young adults (aged 18-25) who use alcohol have varying personal reasons for not drinking on some days—reasons that could be harnessed to improve the effectiveness of programs preventing and treating alcohol use disorder (AUD), a new study suggests.
Data analysis of electronic medical records can predict adverse outcomes and suggest medications
Electronic medical records (EMRs) are digital versions of the paper charts typically found in clinician offices, clinics, and hospitals and are mostly used by healthcare providers for diagnosis and treatment. New research has leveraged EMR data analysis to predict the risk of developing adverse outcomes in the near future based on an individual’s medical history, and also pinpoint which medications may have beneficial effects.
Gut Microbiome Linked to Brain Structure and Symptom Severity in People Who Drink Heavily
Gut bacteria may be associated with differences in brain structure and clinical symptom severity in people with alcohol use disorder.
Experts call for more clinical trials on alcohol use, liver disease
More clinical research is needed to investigate how reducing alcohol consumption in patients with alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) may slow disease progression and improve outcomes, according to an international task force of experts from more than two dozen institutions including UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Alcohol Use Disorder Amplifies Suicidal Ideation Severity in Military Personnel with PTSD
Heavy alcohol use may be a key factor contributing to suicide among military personnel with untreated post-traumatic stress disorder. A study of active military personnel found that heavy drinking amplifies the relationship between PTSD symptoms and the severity of suicidal thoughts. The authors of the study, which is published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, recommend that the military health system consider requiring screening for suicidal ideation and alcohol use in service members who may have post-traumatic stress disorder and further develop integrated treatment programs that simultaneously treat alcohol use disorder and PTSD.
Stress Activates Brain Regions Linked to Alcohol Use Disorder, Differently for Women Than Men
When exposed to stress, people with alcohol use disorder engage parts of the brain associated with both stress and addiction, which may cause them to drink or crave alcohol after a stressful experience, suggest the authors of a study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.
ACP recommends an evidence-based public health approach to excessive alcohol use
Policymakers and public health officials have a critical role to play in reducing excessive alcohol use and alcohol use disorder, says the American College of Physicians in a new policy published today.
Heavy Alcohol Use May Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Middle-aged Adults
Heavy alcohol use may increase middle-aged adults’ risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to research to be presented this week at the American Physiology Summit in Long Beach, California. The Summit is the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS).
Recovery Checkups in Primary Care Settings Linked to Increased Substance Use Treatment and Reduced Alcohol and Cannabis Use in Patients with Complex Needs
Highly vulnerable patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) or substance use disorder (SUD) who received regular assessments after their initial intervention had substantially better outcomes a year later than those who did not receive the same follow-up, according to a new study. Fewer than one in ten people with SUD receive any form of treatment in a given year; among those who do, relapse and treatment reentry are common. A Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) protocol is intended to facilitate treatment referrals, especially among patients with more severe SUDs, but research has shown it to be relatively ineffective in that regard. Adding a Recovery Management Checkup (RMC) intervention can improve treatment rates; RMC conceptualizes AUD and SUD as chronic conditions requiring longer-term monitoring via regular check-ins, early re-intervention in cases of relapse, and treatment retention strategies. For the study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Resear
Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder Improves Quality of Life in Men and Women Aged 60+, Study Finds
Adults aged 60 and older reported better overall health and quality of life after treatment for their alcohol use disorder, according to a new study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.
SMART Recovery Meetings for Alcohol Recovery Appeal to People with More Social and Economic Stability and Lower Spiritual Leanings, Compared to Alcoholics Anonymous
Certain characteristics of people seeking remission from alcohol use disorder (AUD) are linked to their choice of recovery meeting, a new study suggests. Informal peer recovery groups—mutual-help organizations—play a crucial role for many individuals with AUD or other drug disorders. Such groups are proliferating and differ substantially in approach.
U.S. States Maintain Outdated Laws That Create Barriers to Screening and Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
Eighteen U.S. states have laws that allow insurance companies to deny health care payments to treat people who were intoxicated when they sustained an injury, despite evidence showing that these laws prevent people from receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder and shift costs from insurance companies to the health care system, the government, individuals and families.
People with Severe Alcohol Use Disorder Have Impaired Ability to Learn From Others’ Painful Experiences, Raising Their Risk for Ongoing Dangerous Drinking, Study Suggests
People with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are less able to learn from others’ negative experiences, potentially rendering them more vulnerable to maintaining their dangerous drinking or relapsing, according to the first study of its type. The study explored social cognition, processes that enable us to understand and interact with others, and specifically social learning, our ability to learn by observing others’ experiences.
Brain Imaging May Predict Motivation for Behavior Change in Alcohol Use Disorder
Brain imaging of neuron activity in certain areas of the brain may predict whether an individual is likely to successfully respond to interventions to reduce their drinking. In a study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, individuals whose baseline imaging showed decreased activity in areas of the brain associated with reward processing and impulsivity and increased activity in regions responsible for complex cognitive processes and emotional regulation were more likely to reduce their drinking following an intervention.
Racial discrimination contributes to increases in alcohol craving to cope with racial stress
Alcohol craving is associated with relapse following alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment. A new study is the first to examine how distinct experiences of interpersonal racial discrimination contribute to elevated alcohol craving. Findings will be shared at the 46th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) in Bellevue, Washington.
Older consumers of alcohol have a greater vulnerability to accelerated brain aging
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a common neuropsychiatric disorder marked by neuropsychological deficits and neurocircuitry brain damage that can lead to serious negative consequences for family, work, and personal well-being. Researchers will share their published findings on the adverse effects of AUD on the brain and its interaction with aging and postural instability at the 46th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) in Bellevue, Washington.
People with alcohol use disorder impaired after heavy drinking, despite claims of higher tolerance
New research shows that drinkers with alcohol use disorder display the same level of fine motor and cognitive impairment as light drinkers when consuming their usual excessive amount.
Do People Who Drink Heavily Have a Higher Tolerance for Alcohol? It Depends, Study Finds
People who have a pattern of heavy drinking showed less impairment than light drinkers after drinking similar amounts of alcohol — yet this difference depends largely on how much time has elapsed after drinking and may only be evident at moderate intoxication. A study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that people who exceed drinking an amount of alcohol that is typical for them showed substantial impairment. And, when heavy drinkers and lighter drinkers were similarly impaired, the heavy drinkers perceived themselves to be less impaired, which may lead to risky decisions.
Among Young People, Being Around Peers May Elicit Greater Drinking Cravings than the Presence of Alcohol
The presence of peers is a key prompt for alcohol cravings among young people, according to a new study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research. When certain settings, people, or items—a bar, a friend, a glass—are paired with alcohol, they can become conditioned cues, eliciting drinking cravings. These learned reactions are associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD), treatment outcomes, and relapse. Adolescents and emerging adults are particularly susceptible to peer influence. In real-world settings, studies have found that the presence of peers predicts young people’s intensifying drinking cravings at the moment. In laboratory studies, however, peer influence is largely absent, potentially limiting the usefulness of their findings. Better understanding peers as alcohol cues could inform more effective AUD prevention and treatment programs. For the current study, researchers from Brown University, RI, evaluated alcohol cravings among youth in the human laboratory, using drinking-
IU researchers receive $8.6M NIH grant renewal to study alcohol use, binge drinking
A multi-disciplinary team of Indiana University researchers is focusing their efforts on a growing public health concern: binge and “high-intensity” drinking—extreme drinking behaviors that are increasingly prevalent among college-age adults.
A vicious cycle: How alcohol’s impact on the brain makes us more likely to drink
Heavy alcohol use creates a vicious cycle: It changes signaling pathways in the brain, which in turn affects cognitive functions like decision-making and impulse control — and makes the individual more likely to drink. The mechanism behind this may involve the brain’s immune system, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Older Adults with Alcohol Use Disorder Need Age-Appropriate Treatment Interventions
Adults with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) seeking to moderate their drinking respond differently to interventions depending on their age, a new study suggests.
Soldiers in Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder Who Experience Cardiovascular Withdrawal Symptoms May Benefit from Medication Targeting Brain Stress Response
Prazosin, a medication FDA-approved for hypertension and used off-label for alcohol use disorder, may help prevent drinking relapse in people with cardiovascular or behavioral symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, according to a new study involving active-duty soldiers.
Study Suggests Alcohol Consumption Linked to Acceleration of Alzheimer’s Disease
In a new preclinical study, scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine showed that even modest amounts of alcohol can accelerate brain atrophy, which is the loss of brain cells, and increase the number of amyloid plaques, which are the accumulation of toxic proteins in Alzheimer’s disease.
Close Relationships with Parents Promote Healthier Brain Development in High-Risk Teens, Buffering Against Alcohol Use Disorder
For teens at elevated risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD), close relationships with parents can help mitigate their genetic and environmental vulnerability, a new study suggests. The offspring of people with AUD are four times more likely than others to develop the disorder. Increasing evidence suggests that this heritable risk may be either amplified or mitigated by the quality of parenting.
Parental Discord May Be An Indicator of Children’s Genetic Risk for Future Alcohol Misuse
Parents can transmit a genetic risk for alcohol problems to their children not only directly, but also indirectly via genetically influenced aspects of the home environment, such as marital discord or divorce, according to a Rutgers researcher.
Why We Want to Drink, What That Has to Do with Genes, and Why it Matters for Our Alcohol Risk
Motives for drinking — to party, to conform, to cope, or to feel good — are consistent through young adulthood, and genes play a role in how those motives influence alcohol use, a new study of college students suggests. Understanding the mechanisms linking genetic variants to differences in drinking behaviors could present opportunities for predicting individuals’ vulnerability to Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and intervening to prevent it. Genetic factors are responsible for about 50% of individual risk of AUD. Much of how that heritability functions is unexplained, however. The relationship between genes and drinking behavior is complex, involving thousands of genetic variants that each have small effects. Critical factors known as endophenotypes, or intermediary phenotypes, affect how an individual’s genetic predisposition manifests as a behavioral trait. For the new study in Alcoholism: Clinical & Environmental Research, investigators sought to determine whether drinking motives are o
‘Front-loading’ Alcohol, an Important Focus for Future Research to Understand Drinking Motivations and Alcohol Use Disorder
Front-loading alcohol, or drinking faster at the outset of a drinking session, may be associated with harmful patterns which can lead to alcohol use disorders and should be studied, according to the authors of an analysis published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. The analysis suggests increasing evidence that front-loading drinking behavior is driven by reward effects more than by other factors, such as metabolic tolerance or negative reinforcement.
Low-income charter school graduates had lower rates of problematic substance use as young adults, UCLA research suggests
An 8-year study of nearly 1300 low-income adolescents in Los Angeles found that students who attended high performing charter high schools were much less likely to engage in risky substance use by the time they reached age 21. Males who attended the high-performing schools also had better physical health and lower obesity rates as young adults while females had substantially worse outcomes in those two areas.
Mood Influences Alcohol Craving Differently in Men and Women, Pointing the Way to Alcohol Use Disorder Treatments Tailored by Sex
Drinkers’ mood shifts and exposure to alcohol-related cues — beer cans, bars, and drinking buddies — contribute to alcohol cravings in opposite ways for men and women, a new study suggests. The findings have implications for how men and women develop dangerous drinking habits and ways that this might be prevented or treated. Various theories link alcohol use to positive and negative emotions: drinking to either enhance good mood or cope with stress, potentially becoming a self-reinforcing cycle. Studies have yielded mixed findings, however, suggesting that mood interacts with subconscious cognitive processes to prompt alcohol-seeking.
Drinking to Manage Physical Pain Results in Perceived Relief, Increasing Vulnerability to Dangerous Alcohol Use
People who self-medicate pain with alcohol may be vulnerable to hazardous drinking, with their experience of pain relief a potentially powerful driver of alcohol consumption, a new study suggests. Both pain and dangerous alcohol use are major public health issues. Each affects millions of US adults and costs hundreds of billions of dollars annually in health care and lost productivity. Recent studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between pain and alcohol use; people with chronic pain are more likely than others to report heavy drinking, and those with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are more likely to report chronic pain. Alcohol has known analgesic effects. Evidence of shared neural mechanisms underlying chronic pain and substance misuse suggest alcohol’s pain-relieving capacity might be influenced by individuals’ experience of chronic pain. Better understanding the relationship between chronic pain and alcohol use could inform improved prevention and treatment approaches. For the
Perfectionism May be a Risk Factor for Severe Alcohol Use Disorder, Novel Study Shows
Perfectionist traits — higher self-criticism, and unrealistic standards leading to isolation — are associated with severe alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to the first study directly comparing patients with AUD to a healthy control group. Perfectionist people strive for unrealistic performance standards and are prone to self-criticism.
Difficulty in Differentiating Emotions Predicts Relapse In People Recovering From Alcohol Use Disorder
Heightened negative mood and stress during early recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) impair people’s ability to distinguish between emotions, which in turn predicts drinking relapse three months later.
Trials of Alcohol Use Disorder Treatments Routinely Exclude Sex, Gender, Race, and Ethnicity from Consideration in Outcomes
The manifestation of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and its social, health, and psychological implications depend in part on patient demographics. Yet researchers routinely exclude those demographics from analyses of non-medicinal AUD treatment trials, a review of studies has found. Consequently, little is known about how sex, gender, race, and ethnicity influence the effectiveness of those treatments, or which treatments are indicated — or not — for specific patients and communities. This is despite the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act in 1993 requiring that NIH-funded studies include diversity of sex/gender and race/ethnicity in their participant samples and analysis. Problematic alcohol use, which has high prevalence and low treatment rates, is a leading contributor to preventable death and disease. Non-pharmacological treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), contingency management, twelve-step programs, and more. Inequalitie
What Causes the Brain’s Emotional Hub to Switch to Negative States?
Alcohol can change the pattern of activity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in a mouse model, essentially telling the brain to change emotions, according to a study led by Tufts neuroscientists. Some of the same research team is also looking at the BLA for relevance for fear response.
Science is Rejecting Language About Alcohol and Drugs That Perpetuates Stigma and Worsens Outcomes — But Must Do More
Scientists investigating substance use are making progress on eliminating stigmatizing language that can perpetuate negative biases and worsen outcomes, according to a new analysis of published research articles. Nevertheless, the field has further to go.
Study Highlights Underuse of Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder in Acute Care Settings
New research has revealed a significant gap in prescribing of effective medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD). The study, reported in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, showed that just one in twenty patients with an alcohol-related diagnosis were prescribed an approved AUD drug (naltrexone, disulfiram, or acamprosate). The findings reinforce and build on previous evidence of under-prescribing, despite these treatments being proven to reduce heavy drinking and relapse. In the inpatient acute care setting, provision of AUD medication has been shown to be both feasible and associated with a reduction in re-admissions and emergency department (ED) visits. However, few prior studies had reported on prescribing habits in this setting. The current study examined prescribing in the acute inpatient care setting compared to other care settings within the University of Colorado Healthcare System.
Online Tools for Alcohol Recovery Could Narrow Treatment Gaps — But Uptake is Slow
Online resources for supporting recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) are promising but underused, a new study suggests. The expansion of digital recovery supports, such as video meetings, discussion forums, and social networking sites, could potentially help address a substantial unmet need for services. In 2020, fewer than one in ten Americans with current or recent substance use disorder received any form of treatment. Women are less likely to access treatment than men, research shows. Online services may make recovery support more accessible, eliminating certain barriers associated with traditional treatment (e.g., transportation and cost) and reducing others (e.g., stigma). Research is sparse, however, and the factors influencing the use and effects of digital services are not well understood. For the study in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, researchers explored how people in recovery from AUD use online supports and whether that use is linked to gender or outcome
Study: Deaths from Alcohol Use Disorder Surged During Pandemic
Deaths involving alcohol use disorder increased dramatically during the pandemic, according to a new study by Cedars-Sinai investigators. The study also found that young adults 25 to 44 years old experienced the steepest upward trend in alcohol use disorder mortality.
Facebook Users’ Language Predicts Who’s at Risk for Dangerous Drinking
The language used in Facebook posts can identify people at risk of hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorders (AUDs), according to a new study. Social media platforms are a “low-cost treasure trove” of data, researchers claim, expanding the options for studying, screening, and helping people at risk. Social media content in recent years has been used to explore various public health phenomena. For example, language and “likes” have predicted depression, hospital visits, low birthweight, obesity, and life expectancy. Social media language has also been linked to patterns of alcohol consumption and related problems. For the study in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, investigators explored how convincingly the language of Facebook could be used to identify risky drinking. They compared the accuracy of multiple predictive tools, including a new technique for processing language that has rarely been applied to health research.
A ‘factory reset’ for the brain cures anxiety, drinking behavior
Gene editing may be a potential treatment for anxiety and alcohol use disorder in adults who were exposed to binge drinking in their adolescence, according to the results of an animal study published in the journal Science Advances. The researchers used a gene-editing tool called CRISPR-dCas9 in their experiments to manipulate the histone acetylation and methylation processes at the Arc gene in models of adult rats.
Brain Activity Helps Explain Response to Alcohol and How People Recognize Emotions Before Becoming Intoxicated
People who need to drink relatively high amounts of alcohol before feeling its effects, a genetically influenced risk factor for future heavy drinking and alcohol problems, may have differences in brain connectivity that impair their ability to interpret facial expressions and recognize their own intoxication, a new study suggests. The paper, in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, is believed to be the first to demonstrate differences in brain connectivity between people with low and high responses to alcohol. Varying levels of responses to alcohol — for example, how many drinks a person consumes before feeling intoxicated — are known to be related to neurobiological processing. Low responders, who drink more alcohol before feeling affected by it, are at greater risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD) than high responders, who feel the effects of fewer drinks. Scientists using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are exploring the possibility that low responders are less a