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Alcohol
and Alcoholism
Volume
40, Number 4, July/August 2005
(Updated
July 8, 2005)
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Guilherme Borges, Liliana Mondragón, Maria Elena Medina-mora,
Ricardo Orozco, Joaquin Zambrano, and Cheryl Cherpitel. A
case-control study of alcohol and substance use disorders as risk
factors for non-fatal injury. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(4):257-262, July/August 2005.
Summary:
Using a case-control study design the authors examined the
association of alcohol use disorders (AUD) and substance use disorders
(SUD) and the risk of non-fatal injuries. AUD and SUD were diagnosed
according to criteria of the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition
(DSM-IV) and the International
Classification
of Diseases, Version 10 (ICD-10).
The cases were injured patients (n
= 653) 18–65-years-old who attended one emergency department (ED). The
controls were subjects (n =
1,131) of the same age group from a representative sample of Mexico
City residents. Information on drug and alcohol use
was obtained by interview using the World
Mental Health version of the Composite
International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI). Among
injured patients, the prevalence of substance abuse or dependence
within the last 12 months was 12.3% for alcohol and 2.5% for other
substances (marijuana, cocaine, tranquilizers, amphetamines, others),
compared to 1.8% and 0.3%
respectively among controls. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) of injury were
4.95 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.87–8.52)
for alcohol use and 2.58 (95% CI, 0.73–9.17) for other substance use. A
significant
level of comorbid alcohol and substance use disorders was also found.
The authors conclude that efforts should be made to treat or
refer ED patients with alcohol and substance use disorders, and that
special
care should be taken to address comorbid cases.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
AOD abuse, AOD dependence, alcohol
use disorder classification, accident, injury, trauma, diagnostic
criteria,
emergency care, case-control study, Mexico, interview, prevalence,
marijuana in any form, cocaine,
tranquilizers, amphetamines, risk analysis, risk factors, relative
risk, comorbidity, multiple drug use, human study
|
Kerrianne Watt, David M. Purdie, Ann M. Roche, and Roderick J.
Mcclure. The
relationship between acute alcohol consumption and consequent injury
type. Alcohol
and Alcoholism 40(4):263-268,
July/August 2005.
Summary:
The relationship between acute
alcohol consumption and injury type (nature of injury, body region
injured) was quantified in a cross-sectional study, with adjustment for
the effect of known confounders (demographic and situational variables,
usual drinking patterns,
substance use, and risk-taking behavior). The
study was conducted between October, 2000 and October, 2001. The
participants were patients
aged ≥15 years presenting to an emergency department for
treatment of an injury sustained in the preceding 24 hours. Three
measures of acute alcohol consumption were used: drinking setting,
quantity, and beverage type consumed in the 6 hours before injury. Two
variables were used to quantify injury type: nature of injury
(fracture/dislocation, superficial, internal, and central nervous
system injury) and body
part injured (head/neck, face, chest, abdomen, external, and
extremities). Both were derived from patient medical records.
Interviews were conducted with 593 patients. After controlling for
relevant
confounding variables, logistic regression analyses indicated that
there was no significant association between any
of the three measures of acute alcohol consumption and injury type.
The authors concluded that the effects of acute alcohol consumption are
not specific
to injury type, and that interventions aimed at reducing the incidence
of
alcohol-related injury should not be targeted at specific injury types.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
AOD use pattern, binge AOD use, AOD intake per occasion, acute AODE,
accident, injury, trauma, emergency care, alcoholic beverage, drinking
venue,
bone fracture, skeletal
system, central nervous system, head injury, neck, face, thorax,
abdomen, arm, leg,
medical history, interview, cross-sectional study,
confounding variable, human study |
Olli Savola, Onni Niemelä, and Matti Hillbom. Alcohol
intake and the pattern of trauma in young adults and working aged
people admitted after trauma. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(4):269-273, July/August 2005.
Summary:
The relationship of different patterns of alcohol intake
to various types of trauma was investigated in a series of consecutive
trauma admissions
(N = 385; 278 men, 107 women;
16–49 years old). Patients underwent
clinical examinations, structured interviews on the amount and pattern
of alcohol intake, and measurements of blood alcohol concentration
(BAC). Blood alcohol was detected in 51% of the patients on
admission. Binge drinking was the predominant (78%) drinking pattern.
Assaults, falls, and biking accidents were the most
frequent causes of trauma. Dependent alcohol drinking and binge
drinking were significantly more common among patients with
head trauma than in those with other types of trauma (77% vs 59%, odds
ratio [OR] =
2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50–3.77).
The OR for sustaining head injury increased
sharply with increasing BAC: 1–99 mg/dl, OR = 1.24 (95% CI, 0.55–2.01);
100–149 mg/dl, OR = 1.64 (95% CI,
0.71–3.77), 150–199 mg/dl, OR = 3.20
(95% CI,
1.57–6.53); and >199 mg/dl, OR = 9.23
(95% CI, 4.79–17.79). In conclusion: (1) Binge drinking is a major risk
factor for head trauma among trauma
patients. (2) Assaults, falls, and biking accidents are the commonest
causes
for such injuries. (3) The relative risk for head injury markedly
increases
with increasing BAC. The authors believe that alcohol control measures
should
feature in policies aiming at preventing trauma-related
morbidity and mortality.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
AOD use pattern, AOD consumption, accident, injury, trauma, emergency
care, interview,
BAC level, binge AOD use, AOD dependence, risk analysis, risk factors,
relative risk, head injury,
assault and battery, accidental
fall, dose-response relationship, human study |
Ma  gorzata
Bednarska-Makaruk, Maria
Rodo, Cezary Markuszewski, Anna Rozenfeld, Ma  gorzata Swiderska,
Boguslaw Habrat,
and Hanna Wehr. Polymorphisms
of apolipoprotein E and angiotensin-converting enzyme genes and carotid
atherosclerosis in heavy drinkers. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(4):274-282, July/August 2005.
Summary:
The authors investigated the influence of gene polymorphisms of
apolipoprotein E (APO E) and
angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) on carotid
artery atherosclerosis in alcohol dependence. Polymorphism of both
genes was identified by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis in male
alcohol-dependent
patients (N = 130).
Intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured by
ultrasonography. Multivariate regression analysis revealed
that of all the known risk factors the greatest impact on carotid
atherosclerosis in alcoholics was exerted by age, hypertension,
low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose levels. Subjects carrying the
APO E ε4 allele were more likely to develop atherosclerotic
changes in carotid arteries compared with subjects with the ε3/3
genotype (statistically significant in
patients under age 50 years). No association was shown between ACE
I/D polymorphism and carotid atherosclerosis. Thus APO E
polymorphism can increase the risk of carotid atherosclerosis
development in alcoholics. The association of the APO E ε4 allele with
carotid atherosclerosis was significant in
younger patients. Since elevated carotid IMT is considered to be a
good marker of increased risk of generalized atherosclerosis, the
consequences could involve both cardiac and cerebrovascular events.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
genetic polymorphism, allele,
genotype, AOD dependence, apolipoproteins, angiotensin, athersclerosis,
carotid artery, DNA,
ultrasonography, multivariate analysis, regression analysis, risk
factors, age differences, hypertensive disorder, low density
lipoprotein, cholesterol, glucose, plasma,
genetic markers,
myocardial ischemia, stroke, human study |
M. Ceccanti, R. Mancinelli, G. F. Sasso, J. P. Allen, R. Binetti, A.
Mellini, F. Attilia, L. Toppo, and M. L. Attilia. Erythrocyte
thiamine (Th) esters: a major factor of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome
or a candidate marker for alcoholism itself? Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(4):283-290, July/August 2005.
Summary:
This
study investigated the relationship of alcohol withdrawal syndrome to
thiamine and thiamine esters, as well as the diagnostic power of
thiamine and its esters. Thiamine and its esters were assessed in
a series of alcoholics and in controls using an improved
method. No association was found between alcohol withdrawal syndrome
severity and thiamine
and its esters, although the diagnostic power of thiamine diphosphate
and thiamine was very high. Thiamine diphosphate was the most
significant among the
parameters studied, confirming that erythrocyte thiamine diphosphate is
a suitable
marker of alcoholism. Thiamine diphosphate
sensitivity across subjects was 84.1%,
specificity was 85.4%, positive predictive value was 82.4%, and
negative
predictive value was 88.0%.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
AOD withdrawal syndrome, AOD dependence, thiamine,
esters, diagnosis, symptom severity, erythrocyte, phosphates, biochemical markers,
specificity and sensitivity of measurement, predictive factor, human
study |
Marina Perfumi, Laura Mattioli, Laura Forti, Maurizio Massi, and
Roberto Ciccocioppo. Effect of Hypericum perforatum CO2
extract on the motivational properties of ethanol in alcohol-preferring
rats. Alcohol
and Alcoholism 40(4):291-296,
July/August 2005.
Summary:
Extracts of Hypericum perforatum
(HPE; St. John's wort) reduce voluntary ethanol
intake in different alcohol-preferring rat lines. This study
evaluated the effect of the intragastric (IG) administration of a CO2
HPE extract (HPCO2) on operant
ethanol
self-administration, as well as on voluntary ethanol intake, after a
period of ethanol deprivation in Marchigian
Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. HPCO2
was administered through an indwelling IG catheter 1 hour before the
tests. For the
self-administration experiments, the rats were trained to
self-administer 10% (v/v) ethanol in 30-minute daily sessions under a
fixed ratio 1 reinforcement schedule. HPCO2
was also tested on 0.2%
w/v saccharin self-administration. For the ethanol deprivation
experiments, rats that had a previous experience with voluntary ethanol
drinking were deprived of ethanol for 9 days, with water and food
freely available; HPCO2
was given by IG injection 1 hour before re-presentation of ethanol. HPCO2
in doses of 31 or 125 mg/kg but
not 7 mg/kg, significantly reduced ethanol self-administration, but had
no effect on saccharin self-administration. The same doses of the
extract abolished the increased ethanol intake following ethanol
deprivation. The results provide evidence that HPCO2
markedly reduces the reinforcing properties of ethanol in the
self-administration paradigm, as well as the increase of ethanol intake
following ethanol deprivation. These findings further support the view
that the use of HPE may represent an interesting pharmacological
approach in the treatment of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
herbal
therapy,
antidepressants, animal selectively bred for alcohol preference,
laboratory rat, intragastric administration, self-administration of
drugs, saccharin, AOD abuse, AOD dependence, drug therapy, animal study
|
Yong-Kyu Lee, Sung-Woo Park, Young-Kyung Kim, Dai-Jin Kim, Jaeseung
Jeong, Hugh Myrick, and Young-Hoon Kim. Effects of
naltrexone on the ethanol-induced changes in the rat central
dopaminergic system. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(4):297-301, July/August 2005.
Summary:
The opioid antagonist naltrexone may reduce ethanol reward, but the
underlying neurochemical mechanisms have not been clarified. The
afferent projections to the nucleus accumbens from the ventral
tegmental area (VTA) provide a potential substrate by which endogenous
opioids may modulate the dopaminergic rewarding effects of ethanol. The
authors
assessed messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of tyrosine
hydroxylase (TH), a major regulatory
enzyme in dopamine synthesis and levels of dopamine and its
metabolites, after chronic ethanol administration with and without
naltrexone. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed for 4 weeks to 5% ethanol
consumption with and without concurrent
naltrexone administration. Levels of TH mRNA in the VTA and substantia
nigra (SN) were measured by in situ hybridization,
and dopamine and its metabolites in the striatum were measured by high
performance liquid
chromatography. Chronic ethanol consumption
increased TH mRNA levels in the VTA, but produced no significant
change in the SN. With naltrexone treatment, ethanol-induced increase
in the TH mRNA level was reduced in the VTA. Chronic ethanol
consumption did not cause any change in the levels of dopamine and its
metabolites in most brain regions. Ethanol
consumption with naltrexone treatment significantly increased dopamine
level only in the striatum. The results support the presence of
interactions of opioid and dopaminergic systems in the VTA in mediating
ethanol reward. Thus naltrexone attenuates the ethanol's rewarding
properties by interfering with ethanol-induced stimulation of the
mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
naltrexone,
opioid receptors, antagonists, endogenous opioids, mRNA, tyrosine,
hydroxylases, dopamine, neurotransmitter
metabolism, laboratory rat, ethanol,
ventral tegmental area,
corpus striatum,
high pressure liquid chromatography, chronic AODE,
dopaminergic neuron,
brain reward pathway,
mesolimbic system, animal study |
I. Pelc, C. Hanak, I. Baert, C. Houtain, P. Lehert, F. Landron, and P.
Verbanck. Effect of
community nurse follow-up when treating alcohol dependence with
acamprosate. Alcohol
and Alcoholism 40(4):302-307,
July/August 2005.
Summary:
This study measured the effect of community nurse follow-up on
abstinence and
retention rates in alcohol-dependent
outpatients treated with acamprosate. Recently detoxified
alcohol-dependent patients were prescribed acamprosate for 26 weeks and
randomized to either physician-only follow-up, or physician plus
regular visits from a community nurse. Drinking behavior in the next
26 weeks was assessed at monthly visits to non-blind clinicians.
The cumulative abstinence duration proportion (CADP) was
significantly longer (P =
0.03) in the subjects who had received
community nurse support (0.57) than in those who had not (0.39). In
part, this
might be an artefact of the higher retention rate among those
followed up by the nurse, in that the method of calculating CADP
allocates 100% days of drinking for the month before a failed
attendance. Differences favoring community nurse follow-up were seen
for
time to first drink and clinical global impression. It was concluded
that for
recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients treated with
acamprosate, follow-up by a community nurse improves patient retention
and probably the 6-month drinking outcome.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
AOD dependence, detoxification, outpatient care, nurse,
calcium acetylhomotaurinate,
randomized controlled trial, AOD use behavior, AOD abstinence,
follow-up study, patient compliance, relapse prevention, human study
|
Martin Driessen, Wolfgang Lange, Klaus Junghanns, and Tilman
Wetterling. Proposal of
a comprehensive clinical typology of alcohol withdrawal — a cluster
analysis approach. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(4):308-313, July/August 2005.
Summary:
The various courses of alcohol withdrawal were characterized by
applying the
Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (AWS) was applied to alcohol-dependent
patients (N = 217) every 4
hours until withdrawal symptoms had passed (four consecutive scores
below 3). Patients were medicated by
a standardized treatment scheme according to AWS-scores. Hierarchical
cluster analysis and discriminant analysis were applied. Five clusters
were identified representing increasing alcohol
withdrawal severity. Each cluster is characterized by a combination of
the two
maximum subscores (vegetative and psychopathological subscore) and
three additional psychopathological symptoms (anxiety, disorientation,
and hallucination). In 18.4% of the patients, relevant symptoms were
not observed (cluster 1), 18.9% developed mild or moderate vegetative
symptoms only (cluster 2), and 40.6% additional anxiety (cluster 3). In
cluster 4 (11.1%) the most frequent psychopathological symptoms were
disorientation and anxiety but no hallucinations, which could be
observed only in cluster 5 (11.1%). Discriminant analysis using the
maximum subscores at the first day of treatment as independent
variables correctly predicted 89.9% of the five clusters. The results
support a model of alcohol withdrawal clustering along the
two dimensions of vegetative and psychopathological severity.
Furthermore, the AWS may be useful for predicting the course of alcohol
withdrawal on the first day of treatment.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
AOD withdrawal syndrome, AOD dependence, symptom severity, cluster
analysis,
discriminant analysis, anxiety,
AODR hallucinosis, predictive factor,
variable, characteristic, factor, human study |
Carla de Bruijn, Wim van den Brink, Ron de Graaf, and Wilma A. M.
Vollebergh. The craving
withdrawal model for alcoholism: Towards the DSM-V. Improving the
discriminant validity of alcohol use disorder diagnosis.
Alcohol and
Alcoholism 40(4):314-322,
July/August 2005.
Summary:
The discriminant validity of the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and the International Classification of Diseases
(ICD-10)
classification of alcohol use disorders (AUD) was compared with that of
the Craving Withdrawal Model
(CWM). The CWM is an alternative classification that requires
craving and withdrawal for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence and
raises the alcohol abuse threshold to two DSM-IV AUD criteria. Data
were derived from The Netherlands
Mental Health Survey and
Incidence Study, a large representative sample of the general
Dutch
population. Only non-abstinent subjects (N = 6041) were included in the
present study. The DSM-IV, ICD-10, and CWM
were compared using the following discriminant variables: alcohol
intake, psychiatric comorbidity, functional status, familial alcohol
problems, and treatment sought. The year prevalence of CWM
alcohol dependence was lower than the prevalence of ICD-10 and DSM-IV
dependence (0.3% versuss 1.4% and 1.4%). The year prevalence of abuse
was
similar for CWM and DSM-IV (4.7% and 4.9%), but lower for ICD-10
harmful
use (1.7%). DSM-IV discriminated poorly between normality and
abuse and ICD-10 discriminated poorly between harmful use and
dependence. In contrast, the CWM distinctions between normality and
abuse, and between abuse, and dependence were significant for most of
the discriminant variables. The results indicate that CWM
improves the discriminant validity of AUD diagnoses. The predictive
validity of the CWM for alcohol and other substance use disorders
remain to be studied.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
discriminant validity, diagnostic criteria, alcohol use disorder
classification, AOD abuse, AOD dependence, comparative study, AOD
intake per occasion, mental health, comorbidity,
family AODU history, familial alcoholism, prevalence, survey, human
study |
Enrique Echeburúa, Ricardo Bravo de Medina, and Javier
Aizpiri. Alcoholism
and personality disorders: An exploratory study.
Alcohol and
Alcoholism 40(4):323-326,
July/August 2005.
Summary:
The International Personality
Disorder
Examination and the Millon
Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II for
personality disorders were used to identify the most frequent
personality disorders related to alcohol dependence. Consecutively
recruited alcohol-dependent
patients (n = 30) attending an
outpatient clinic were compared with consecutively recruited
psychiatric patients with non-addictive
disorders (n = 30) and
subjects from the general population (n = 31) who matched
the patient samples on age, gender, and socioeconomic level. At least
one personality disorder was found in 40% of the alcohol-dependent
patients and 16.6% of the
general clinical sample, compared to 6.4% of the normative sample.
Dependent personality disorders were
most prevalent (13.3%), followed by paranoid and obsessive-compulsive
personality disorders (10% each).
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
AOD dependence, personality disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder,
disorder classification,
AODR disorder, case-control study, prevalence, AODR paranoia, human study |
Charles P. M. Webb, Evelyn J. Bromet, Semyon Gluzman, Nathan L. Tintle,
Joseph E. Schwartz, Stanislav Kostyuchenko, and Johan M.
Havenaar. Epidemiology
of heavy alcohol use in ukraine: Findings from the world mental health
survey. Alcohol
and Alcoholism 40(4):327-335,
July/August 2005.
Summary:
Data from the World Mental Health (WMH) Survey were used to study the
epidemiology of heavy alcohol use in Ukraine. The
WMH Composite International
Diagnostic Interview was administered in
2002 to a national probability sample of Ukrainian adults (N = 4,725).
An algorithm for classifying past-year heavy alcohol use was developed
from self-reports about the quantity and frequency of drinking, and its
convergent validity was demonstrated. Prevalences and
sociodemographic risk factors were examined separately for men and
women. The 12-month rates of heavy alcohol use were 38.7% in
men and 8.5% in women (22.0% overall). Among heavy alcohol users, 92%
of men and 52% of women consumed at least 80 g of ethanol in a typical
drinking day on a monthly basis in the year before the interview. The
most significant risk factors in men and women were age (26–54 years
for men; 18–25 years for women), living in the Southeast region, being
in the labor force whether employed or unemployed, and for men, low
education and being the father of a young child. For both sexes, a
highly significant
linear relationship was found between number of risk factors and heavy
alcohol use. The rates for men were similar
to those reported in a Russian national survey except for
Southeast Ukraine where the rate was over 10% higher. The highest rates
were among men who were middle-aged, fathers, and unemployed. Future
prospective studies are needed to assess the impact of heavy alcohol
use on Ukrainian physical health, mental health, and occupational and
social
functioning.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
heavy AOD use, Ukraine, prevalence, risk factors, demographic
characteristics, AOD use pattern, AOD use frequency, AOD intake per
occasion, gender differences, regional differences, educational level
achieved, employed,
unemployed, correlation analysis, risk factors, international
differences, Russia, age differences, survey, human study |
Home Page
Alcohol
and Alcoholism
Volume
40, Number 3, May/June 2005
(Updated
April 15, 2005)
Home Page
N.
Signorini-Allibe, B. Gonthier, F. Lamarche, H. Eysseric, and L.
Barret. Chronic
consumption of ethanol leads to substantial cell damage in cultured rat
astrocytes in conditions promoting acetaldehyde accumulation.
Alcohol and
Alcoholism 40(3):163-171,
May/June 2005.
Summary:
The cerebral cytotoxicity of ethanol was compared with that of its main
metabolite acetaldehyde after acute or chronic exposures of
rat astrocytes in primary culture. Cytotoxicity was evaluated as
reduced cell viability (MTT reduction test) and deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA) damage
(characterized by single cell gel electrophoresis. Changes in astrocyte
survival and DNA
integrity only occurred when the astrocytes were chronically exposed to
ethanol (20 mM; 3, 6, or 9 days). In contrast, acute exposure to
acetaldehyde strongly affected both viability and DNA
integrity in a concentration-dependent manner. The
cytotoxic effect of acetaldehyde was also indirectly evaluated after
modifications of the normal ethanol metabolism by the use of different
inducers or inhibitors. In presence of ethanol, the concomitant
induction of catalase (by glucose oxidase) and inhibition of
aldehyde dehydrogenase (by methylene blue) led to acetaldehyde
accumulation within cells, which was followed by reduced
viability and a substantial increase in DNA strand breaks. These
results are consistent with a possible major role of
acetaldehyde during brain ethanol metabolism. On the other hand, the
effects observed after N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine (AMT;
melatonin) could also suggest a possible direct ethanol
effect and a role for free radical attacks. The results are thus
consistent with a possible predominant role of acetaldehyde during
brain ethanol metabolism. On the other hand, the effects observed after
AMT could also suggest a possible direct ethanol effect and a role for
free radical attacks.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
cytotoxicity, ethanol, acetaldehyde, cerebrum, astrocyte, cell culture
study, cultured cell line, electrophoresis, DNA,
cell function, chronic AODE, acute AODE, ethanol
metabolism, enzyme inhibitors, inducible enzymes, catalase, aldehyde
dehydrogenases, antioxidants, melatonin, free radicals, oxidative
stress, dose-response relationship, laboratory study
|
Youqing Xu, Maria A. Leo, and Charles S. Lieber. DLPC
attenuates alcohol-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells expressing CYP2E1.
Alcohol and
Alcoholism 40(3):172-175,
May/June 2005.
Summary:
This study examined whether oxidative stress generated by ethanol
metabolism via cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) could be overcome by using
dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC), a harmless antioxidant
extracted from soybeans. The question was addressed by
determining whether DLPC protects against alcohol-induced cytotoxicity
in HepG2 cells expressing CYP2E1. A HepG2 subclone (2E1) expressing
CYP2E1 and a control subclone (Neo) were exposed for 2 hours to DLPC
(10
µM). Ethanol (100 mM) was then added for 5 days. Ethanol
significantly decreased cell viability in the 2E1 cells and
increased apoptosis. DLPC attenuated these alterations, with the
most significant effects in the 2E1 cells. This was accompanied by a
reduction of ethanol-induced oxidative stress, including lower
hydrogen peroxide production in the 2E1 cells, but not in the Neo
cells. The
mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly diminished by
ethanol in both cells and was also improved after adding DLPC, but only
in the 2E1 cells. Mitochondrial glutathione (GSH) was
also partially restored in the 2E1 cells by DLPC, which significantly
inhibited CYP2E1 induction by ethanol. Thus DLPC opposes the
cytotoxicity
induced by alcohol in HepG2 cells expressing CYP2E1, a protective
action due, at least in part, to attenuation of alcohol-induced
oxidative stress and the alteration in the mitochondrial membrane
potential. Based on these beneficial effects of DLPC and its
harmlessness, the authors suggest that its therapeutic action be tested
in
alcoholics.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
ethanol metabolism, cytochrome P450 2E1, antioxidants, cytotoxicity,
cell culture study, cultured cell line, alcoholic liver disorder,
apoptosis, oxidative stress, peroxide, mitochondria, glutathione,
inducible enzymes, protective drug effect, AOD dependence, laboratory
study
|
Kyoko Miyasaka, Hiroko Hosoya, Saeko Takano, Minoru Ohta, Ayako Sekime,
Setsuko Kanai, Toshimitsu Matsui, and Akihiro Funakoshi. Differences
in ethanol ingestion between cholecystokinin-A receptor deficient and
-B receptor deficient mice. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(3):176-180, May/June 2005.
Summary:
Cholecystokinin (CCK) modulates dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus
accumbens (NA) through the CCK-A receptor (CCK-AR). The dopaminergic
neurotransmission between the ventral tegmental area and the limbic
forebrain is a critical neurobiological component of alcohol and drug
self-administration. Based on the evidence of interaction between CCK
and DA, the authors had found previously that the CCK-AR gene –81A/G
polymorphism was associated with alcohol dependence. Since the precise
mechanism underlying this association has not been elucidated, the
authors examined the role
of CCK-AR in ethanol ingestion by comparing CCK-AR gene-deficient
(CCK-AR–/–) mice with CCK-BR–/–
and wild-type mice.
The two-bottle choice protocol was conducted and the righting
reflex was examined in these three genotypes. The protein
level of dopamine 2 receptor (D2R) in the NA was
determined by western blotting. CCK-AR–/–
mice consumed more
ethanol than CCK-BR–/– and wild-type mice and
showed no aversion to
high concentrations of ethanol solution. However, the difference was
actually in the total fluid consumption; alcohol preference remained
unchanged, indicating that the differences were not specific to
alcohol. Behavioral sensitivity to ethanol, examined using the righting
reflex, did not differ significantly between the groups. D2R expression
in the NA was significantly lower in the CCK-BR–/–
mice and significantly higher in CCK-AR–/–
mice than in wild-type
mice. The difference in voluntary ethanol ingestion between CCK-AR–/–
and CCK-BR–/– mice might
be attributable
in part to the different levels of D2R expression in the NA.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
ethanol, cholecystokinin, dopamine, nucleus accumbens, dopaminergic
receptors, genetic polymorphism, gene knockout technology, genotype,
controlled study, animal behavior, righting reflex, laboratory mice,
animal study
|
Isabel J. Pastor, Francisco Javier Laso, Alfonso Romero, and Rogelio
González-Sarmiento. Interleukin-1
gene cluster polymorphisms and alcoholism in Spanish men.
Alcohol and
Alcoholism 40(3):181-186,
May/June 2005.
Summary:
Different genes, including those encoding inflammatory cytokines, have
been analyzed in an attempt to explain differences in susceptibility to
alcoholism and alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Thus it has been
reported recently that both the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist
(IL1RN) and the IL1ß (IL1B) genes may influence the risk of ALD
in Japanese alcoholics. The authors of this study analyzed the
distribution of single
nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the IL1A, IL1B, IL1R1, and
IL1RN genes in alcoholic and nonalcoholic Spanish men. Deoxyribonucleic
acid samples were obtained from 139 male alcoholics, 78 of whom were
diagnosed as alcohol dependent (32 patients with cirrhosis and 46
without ALD) and 61 as alcohol abusers (25 with cirrhosis and 36
without ALD). The controls were 81 age- and sex-matched healthy
volunteers. Alleles –511 IL1B*1 and IL1RN*1 were found
more frequently in alcoholic patients than in the control group. No
association of alcoholism or ALD with polymorphisms in the IL1A and
IL1R1 genes was found. It was concluded that the proteins encoded by
the
IL1RN and IL1B genes may be involved in susceptibility to alcoholism in
Spanish men, probably through a different pathway from that involved in
the regulation of the inflammatory response.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
inflammation, cytokines, AOD dependence, alcoholic liver disorder,
alcoholic liver cirrhosis, antagonists,
interleukin-1, risk factors, genetic polymorphism, genetic correlation
analysis, controlled study, allele, gene frequency, human study
|
Andreas Franke, Inaam A. Nakchbandi, Alexander Schneider, Hermann
Harder, and Manfred V. Singer. The effect
of ethanol and alcoholic beverages on gastric emptying of solid meals
in humans. Alcohol
and Alcoholism 40(3):187-193,
May/June 2005.
Summary:
The study examined the effect of pure ethanol, alcoholic
beverages, and their non-alcoholic components on gastric emptying of
solid meals in humans. Fasting healthy male subjects
(N = 16) received 300 ml of
the following solutions in random order once a week:
4% and 10% (v/v) ethanol, beer, red wine, 5.5% and 11.4% (w/v) glucose,
and water. The test solutions were given either together with a
low-calorie (270 kcal, n = 8)
or a high-calorie (740 kcal, n
= 8) solid
meal. Gastric emptying was determined by ultrasonography of the antrum.
Gastric half-emptying time (t½) of the
high
caloric solid meal with water was 131.3 ± 7 minutes. The
ingestion
of 4% and 10% ethanol (t½ = 158.8
± 9.3 and 165.6 ± 6.2
minutes respectively), beer (t½ =
163.1 ± 11
minutes), and red wine (t½
= 186.3
± 8.4 minutes) resulted in a significantly longer t½
than water.
The lag phases after 4% and 10% ethanol, beer, and red wine were
not significantly different from that of water (48.1
± 6.5 minutes).
Compared with water, ingestion of 5.5% and 11.4% glucose
resulted in a significantly longer t½
(153.8 ± 5 and 168.1
± 14.4 minutes respectively) by increasing the duration of the
lag
phase. The high-calorie meals resulted in a doubling of t½
when compared with the low-calorie meals. The effect of the
solutions on the gastric emptying times, however, was similar for both
test meals. The results led to the following conclusions: (1) ethanol
in low concentrations (4% and 10%)
prolongs gastric emptying of solid meals; this inhibitory effect
is not dose-dependent; (2) alcoholic beverages (beer and red wine)
also prolong gastric emptying; the inhibitory
effect of red wine, but not of beer, is more pronounced than that of
the corresponding ethanol concentration and amount; (3) the
inhibitory effect of ethanol and alcoholic beverages is mainly induced
by prolongation of the gastric emptying phase (without affecting the
lag phase), whereas glucose (5.5% and 11.4%) prolongs the lag phase
in a dose-dependent manner; (4) the inhibitory effect of ethanol,
beer, and red wine on gastric emptying does not depend on the caloric
content of the meal.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
digestion, stomach emptying, ethanol, beer, red wine, water, glucose, caloric value,
dose-response relationship, ultrasonography, human study |
Lisa C. Caldwell, Alecia D. Schweinsburg, Bonnie J. Nagel, Valerie C.
Barlett, Sandra A. Brown, and Susan F. Tapert. Gender and
adolescent alcohol use disorders on BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent)
response to spatial working memory. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(3):194-200, May/June 2005.
Summary:
The objective was to determine how alcohol use differentially affects
brain functioning
in male and female adolescents. Adolescents with alcohol use
disorders (AUDs; 7 females, 11 males) and control adolescents without
AUDs (9 females, 12 males), aged 14–17 years, performed spatial working
memory and vigilance tasks during functional magnetic resonance
imaging. Gender, AUD, and their interaction were significantly
associated with brain activation patterns to the tasks. There were
interactions in the superior frontal, superior temporal, cingulate, and
fusiform regions, in which females and males with AUDs showed
a different brain response from each other and control subjects.
Overall, female adolescents with AUDs showed a greater departure from
normal activation patterns than male adolescents with AUD. Thus
adolescent alcohol involvement may affect male and female brains
differently, and adolescent females may be somewhat more vulnerable to
adverse alcohol effects. With continued drinking, these adolescents may
be at increased risk for behavioral deficits.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
ethanol, underage AOD use, brain function, adolescent, gender
differences, alcohol use disorder classification, controlled study,
spatial memory, attention, magnetic resonance imaging, behavioral
problem, human study
|
J.E. Yonker, L.-G. Nilsson, Agneta Herlitz, and R.M. Anthenelli. Sex
differences in spatial visualization and episodic memory as a function
of alcohol consumption. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(3):201-207, May/June 2005.
Summary:
Sex differences in visuospatial ability and in episodic memory have
been reliably demonstrated, and studies of
alcoholics have consistently documented cognitive deficits in
visuospatial ability, problem solving, and memory function. This
cross-sectional, population-based study examined whether sex
differences in
cognitive performance are affected by alcohol consumption.
Drinking data were collected from 2,224 randomly sampled
adults, aged between 35 and 85 years, who participated in the Betula
study on memory, health, and aging. Participants were classified into
non-drinking and light, moderate, and heavy drinking subgroups based on
sex-adjusted normative values. Cognitive tasks demonstrating clear sex
differences, such as episodic memory tasks (favoring women) and
spatial visualization tasks (favoring men), were conducted and
performance was assessed by sex and by drinking group. After
controlling for age and education, overall analyses found expected sex
differences in episodic memory and spatial visualization. When these
sex differences were
examined by drinking group, visuospatial performance favoring men
disappeared for the moderate to heavy drinking groups, but higher
performance by women on episodic memory tasks was consistent across all
alcohol consumption levels. Traditional biomarkers of increased
alcohol consumption (gamma-glutamyl transferase and mean corpuscular
volume) correlated with the reported
drinks/day. The results support the theory that
moderate alcohol intake may benefit cognitive function in
women, but not necessarily in men.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
cross-sectional study, gender differences, cognitive ability, AOD
consumption, AOD nonuse, light AOD use, moderate AOD use, heavy AOD
use, controlled study, random sample, spatial processing impairment,
memory, AODR biological markers, gamma glutamyl transferase, mean
corpuscular volume, correlation analysis, human study
|
Andrea Canagasaby and Daniel C. Vinson. Screening
for hazardous or harmful drinking using one or two quantity–frequency
questions. Alcohol
and Alcoholism 40(3):208-213,
May/June 2005.
Summary:
The accuracy of quantity-frequency (QF) questions in
screening for hazardous or harmful drinking was evaluated based on
interviews with three groups: patients presenting to emergency
departments for care of
an acute injury (n = 1,537) or
a medical illness (n = 1,151),
and
community controls interviewed by telephone (n = 1,112). The first
question about alcohol was a single alcohol screening question (SASQ),
‘When was the last time you had more than X drinks in one day?’, where
X = 4 for women and 5 for men, with any time in the past 3 months
considered a positive screen (1 drink = 14 g ethanol). The subsequent
alcohol questions were a calendar-based review of recent drinking and
the alcohol questions from the Diagnostic
Interview Schedule,
which included questions about usual frequency and average quantity.
Hazardous drinking was defined as drinking >4 drinks in a day or
>14 drinks in a week for men (3 and 7 for women). Standard
diagnostic criteria were
used to define current alcohol
use disorders. The areas under the
receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in identifying hazardous
drinking or current alcohol use disorder were compared. The
area under the ROC curves in the three samples combined were 0.81 for
SASQ (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79–0.82), 0.80 for a question
about average quantity alone (0.79–0.82), and 0.85 for the product of
usual frequency times average quantity (0.84–0.86). The QF product and
the question about average quantity performed consistently across the
three groups. One way to put these
findings into practice in clinical settings is to screen first with a
single question, such
as the SASQ, a single question about typical quantity, or a question
about the frequency of heavy drinking such as the third item of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
(AUDIT).
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
alcohol quantity-frequency methods, evaluation study, emergency care,
AODR injury, AODR disorder, AOD use screening method, questionnaire,
heavy AOD use, alcohol use test, human study
|
Adam Bisaga, Michael Laposata, Shan Xie, and Suzette M. Evans. Comparison
of serum fatty acid ethyl esters and urinary 5-hydroxytryptophol as
biochemical markers of recent ethanol consumption.
Alcohol and
Alcoholism 40(3):214-218,
May/June 2005.
Summary:
The effects of an acute dose of ethanol on serum fatty acid
ethyl esters (FAEE) concentration and urinary 5-hydroxytryptophol
(5-HTOL)/5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) ratio were examined in
heavy drinkers (N = 16; 14
males) who were tested in a single,
2-day long session. Six participants received 1.5 g/l of ethanol/l of
body water (~0.75 g/kg of body weight, low dose [LD] group) and 10
participants received 2.0 g/l of ethanol (~1.0 g/kg of body weight,
high dose [HD] group) in four divided doses every 20 minutes. Blood,
urine, and breath samples were collected repeatedly over 36 hours
following the
ingestion of ethanol and analyzed for the presence of FAEE (blood),
5-HTOL/5-HIAA (urine), and ethanol (breath). Serum
gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), a marker of chronic ethanol use, was
also measured. The breath ethanol level peaked ~1 hour after the
last dose, at 95 and 120 mg/dl for the LD and HD groups respectively.
The mean urinary 5-HTOL/5-HIAA ratio was significantly elevated 5
and 9 hours after ethanol administration, but returned to baseline at
13 hours. This ratio was twice as high in the HD
group compared with the LD group. Serum FAEE levels were
significantly elevated at 5 hours after ethanol administration, but not
at 13 hours. There were no time-dependent changes in serum GGT
levels. It was concluded that measuring FAEE levels and the
5-HTOL/5-HIAA
ratio provides a convenient method to detect recent ethanol use,
particularly
binge drinking. However, the applicability of these measures
in detecting ethanol use may be limited in traditional clinical trial
settings.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
fatty acid ethyl esters, hydroxytryptophol, hydroxyindoleacetic acid,
breath alcohol analysis, heavy AOD use, ethanol, acute AODE, chronic
AODE, blood, urine, gamma glutamyl transferase, AODR biological
markers, dose-response relationship, binge AOD use, comparative study,
human study
|
M.J. Emmen, G. M. Schippers, H. Wollersheim, and G. Bleijenberg. Adding
psychologist's intervention to physicians' advice to problem drinkers
in the outpatient clinic. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(3):219-226, May/June 2005.
Summary:
The effectiveness of a brief psychological intervention for
problem drinking was tested among outpatients in a hospital setting.
Over
a period of 3 years patients who visited an
outpatient clinic for general internal medicine were screened by
physicians for problem drinking.
Of the 4,728 patients screened, 284 (6%) scored positive on problem
drinking. The problem drinkers who participated in the intervention
study (N = 123) received a
computerized baseline assessment and were randomly allocated to a brief
psychosocial intervention given by a psychologist (the Dutch version of
W.R. Millers' Drinker's Check-Up)
(n = 61) or to ‘care as usual’
(n =
62) and were followed-up at 6 months. The outcome measures were
alcohol consumption and increased motivation to reduce alcohol
consumption. Most patients reduced their alcohol consumption
over time, but no differences were found between the intervention and
control groups. A slightly, but not significantly, larger proportion of
patients who received the intervention increased their motivation to
change. No conclusive evidence was found for the
effectiveness of adding a brief psychological intervention to the
physician's advice for problem drinking among outpatients in a hospital
setting.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
brief intervention, psychosocial treatment method, outpatient care,
problematic AOD use, follow-up study, treatment outcome, AOD
consumption, motivation, controlled study, human study
|
G. Rubio, G. Ponce, R. Rodriguez-Jiménez, M.A.
Jiménez-Arriero, J. Hoenicka, and T. Palomo. Clinical
predictors of response to naltrexone in alcoholic patients: Who
benefits most from treatment with naltrexone? Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(3):227-233, May/June 2005.
Summary:
The objective was to determine the clinically ascertained variables
that are related to
satisfactory response to naltrexone treatment of alcohol
dependence after detoxification. Intake and outcome
variables were measured in a randomized 3-month open-controlled trial
(N = 336
males) comparing the effects of naltrexone plus
psychotherapy treatment versus
psychotherapy treatment alone on the maintenance of abstinence in the
final 28 days. Predictors of a positive
response to naltrexone treatment were family history of alcoholism (p =
0.010), early age at onset of drinking problems (p = 0.014), and
comorbid use of other drugs of abuse (p
< 0.001). Among the subjects
not treated with naltrexone, a greater number of predictor
variables was associated with lower final 28 days abstinence rates (p = 0.00003), but this
was not the case in patients treated with naltrexone
(p = 0.844). Patients with
these features, suggesting biological vulnerability,
overall have poorer outcomes, but they can be improved with naltrexone
treatment. The type of alcoholism should be considered before deciding
on the pharmacological strategy.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
naltrexone, psychotherapy, drug therapy, combined modality therapy,
treatment outcome, AOD dependence, predictive factor, familial
alcoholism, early disease onset, comorbidity, multiple drug use,
controlled study, randomized controlled trial, clinical trial, AOD
abstinence, human study
|
Anthony P. Polednak. Recent
trends in incidence rates for selected alcohol-related cancers in the
United States. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(3):234-238, May/June 2005.
Summary:
Data from cancer registries were used to analyze recent incidence
trends for cancer types most
strongly associated with alcohol use. Age-standardized annual incidence
data for squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and pharynx,
esophagus,
and larynx diagnosed in the most recent 10-year period (1992–2001) were
examined for geographic areas included in the US National Cancer
Institute's Surveillance,
Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program
of high-quality cancer registries. For all geographic areas
combined, incidence levels for these cancers declined over time, with
no evidence of a recent plateau or upturn. This also held true for
younger adults (20–54 years old at diagnosis). For white males,
declines in incidence occurred in each of the 11 geographic areas and
were
statistically significant in 9. The declines in incidence were
consistent with temporal declines in apparent alcohol consumption by
state, although the prevalence of binge and heavy drinking in adults
increased in some states. Although there was no evidence of a recent
plateau in incidence, continued surveillance is needed in
view of recent increases in the prevalence of binge and heavy drinking
among US adults.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
incidence, cancer, time series analysis, trend, AODR disorder, AOD
consumption, prevalence, binge AOD use, heavy AOD use, squamous cell
carcinoma, mouth, oral disorder, pharynx, esophageal disorder, larynx,
epidemiology, epidemiological indicators, human study
|
Kerry S. O'Brien, Joshua M. Blackie, and John A. Hunter. Hazardous
drinking in elite New Zealand sportspeople. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(3):239-241, May/June 2005.
Summary:
The link between hazardous drinking and level of participation in
sports was examined in university students in New Zealand.
Sports science and general
university students (N = 427)
completed a sporting profile
questionnaire that included the Alcohol
Use Disorders Identification
Test (AUDIT). Elite athletes (both provincial and
international/country level) reported higher rates of hazardous
drinking than non-athletes and non-elite athletes. Similar
differences were observed in AUDIT subscale scores, with
international/country level athletes reporting greater symptoms of
alcohol dependence than other groups.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
sports, heavy AOD use, AODU by athlete, undergraduate student,
controlled study, New Zealand, survey, questionnaire, symptom, AOD
dependence, human study
|
Aafje Dotinga, Regina J.J.M. Van Den Eijnden, Willem Bosveld, and Henk
F. L. Garretsen. The effect
of data collection mode and ethnicity of interviewer on response rates
and self-reported alcohol use among Turks and Moroccans in The
Netherlands: An experimental study. Alcohol and Alcoholism 40(3):242-248, May/June 2005.
Summary:
This study tested the effects of data collection method and interviewer
ethnicity on response rates and self-reported alcohol use among
second-generation Turks and Moroccans in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Personal interviews were administered to 269 Turks and 271 Moroccans,
and 475 Turks and 482 Moroccans received a
mailed questionnaire. Half of the Turks and Moroccans randomly
allocated to the interview mode were ethnically matched to the
interviewer; the remainder were allocated to a Dutch interviewer.
Turks and Moroccans more often responded to a personal
interview than to a mailed questionnaire. Ethnicity of the
interviewer had no effect on response rates. Turks and Moroccans tended
to report higher alcohol use and reported significantly more frequent
excessive drinking in the mailed survey than in the personal
interview. Both groups reported a higher
prevalence of alcohol use during the previous 6 months when interviewed
by a Dutch interviewer compared with an ethnically matched interviewer.
Thus mail surveys
seem most suitable for measuring mean and excessive alcohol use among
second-generation Turks and Moroccans.
NIAAA Glossary Terms: AOD
use, AOD consumption, prevalence, self report, data collection, ethnic
group, ethnic differences,
Morocco, Turkey, Netherlands, interview, questionnaire, comparative
study, cultural sensitivity, human study |
Jan Van Den Bulck and Kathleen Beullens. Television
and music video exposure and adolescent alcohol use while going out.
Alcohol and
Alcoholism 40(3):249-253,
May/June 2005.
Summary:
This study examined whether television viewing and exposure to music
videos predict
alcohol consumption by high school students when they go out. Data were
collected in February 2003 (t1) and February 2004 (t2)
from a random
sample of first- and fourth-year secondary school children (N = 1,648) of
Flanders, Belgium. Self-reported general TV viewing and music video
exposure at t1 and the quantity of alcohol consumed while
going out
at t2 were measured. Controls were gender, age group,
smoking
behavior, and alcohol use (at t1)
and pubertal status (at t2).
Overall television viewing per day and music television
viewing at t1 significantly
predicted the amount of alcoholic
beverages adolescents consumed while going out at t2.
These results
remained significant after controlling for alcohol use at t1,
gender, smoking, and pubertal status. TV viewing habits
are a significant predictor of alcohol consumption while going out. TV
viewing might cause an increase in alcohol consumption or it might be
an
early symptom of developing alcohol habits.
NIAAA Glossary Terms:
high school student, adolescent, underage drinking, AOD consumption,
predictive factor, television, popular culture, Belgium, self report,
puberty, controlled study, human study
|
Home Page
Alcohol
and Alcoholism
Volume
40, Number 2, March/April 2005
(Updated
December 18, 2004)
Home Page
Steven
Rosenzweig Haugbøl, Bjarke Ebert, and Jakob
Ulrichsen. Upregulation of glutamate receptor
subtypes during alcohol withdrawal in rats. Alcohol & Alcoholism 40(2):89-95, March/April 2005.
Summary:
To investigate glutamate receptor subtypes during alcohol withdrawal,
rats were exposed to severe ethanol intoxication for 84 hours
(intragastric intubation of ethanol five times a day) then decapitated
at 0, 12 and 36 hours after the last dose (n = 7 rats per group). The
densities
of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and
2-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors
were studied in membranes from the forebrain by using the
(tritium-labeled) specific
ligands MK-801 and AMPA respectively.
Although no change was observed in the maximal density (Bmax)
of MK-801 binding sites at the time of
withdrawal, MK-801 binding was increased by 49% 12 hours
into the withdrawal reaction compared with the control group and was
still increased by 24% (not statistically significant) at 36 hours.
No
significant alteration in the Bmax of AMPA
binding was detected at
the time of withdrawal from chronic ethanol intoxication, but 12 hours
into withdrawal AMPA
binding was markedly increased by 94%. At 36 hours post alcohol AMPA
binding had returned to control levels. No significant alteration in
the dissociation constant (KD) of either MK-801 or AMPA
binding was observed at any time. It was concluded that NMDA and AMPA
receptors are involved in the cerebral hyperactivity of alcohol
withdrawal.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
glutamate receptors,
NMDA receptors, forebrain,
cerebrum, receptor ligand binding, tritium, ethanol, AOD intoxication,
AOD dependence, AOD withdrawal syndrome, controlled study, laboratory
rat, animal study |
Gennadiy Novitskiy, Rajani Ravi, James J. Potter, Lynda
Rennie-Tankersley, Lan Wang, and Esteban Mezey. Effects of acetaldehyde
and TNF-α[alpha] on the inhibitory kappa B-α[alpha] protein and nuclear
factor kappa B activation in hepatic stellate cells.
Alcohol &
Alcoholism 40(2):96-101,
March/April 2005.
Summary:
Transcription of type I collagen promoters and type I collagen
production are enhanced by acetaldehyde and inhibited by tumor necrosis
factor-alpha (TNFα).
Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB),
an inhibitor of type I
collagen promoters, is increased by both acetaldehyde and TNFα. This study assessed the
effects of acetaldehyde in comparison to the effects of TNFα on
inhibitory kappa B-α (IκB-α)
protein and NF-κB activation
in hepatic stellate cells. Activated rat hepatic stellate
cells in culture were exposed to acetaldehyde or TNFα for brief periods, after which
the cells were harvested for the determination of IκB-α
protein, IκB-α kinase activity and nuclear NF-κB. Acetaldehyde increased
IκB-α kinase activity and decreased IκB-α
after 10 minutes of exposure, with recovery towards control levels at
20
minutes. In contrast, TNFα
resulted in higher IκB-α kinase activity at 20 minutes
than at
10 minutes, and similar low IκB-α at both times. Both
acetaldehyde and TNFα enhanced
nuclear NF-κB (p65), but
acetaldehyde alone also increased NF-κB
(p50). Thus TNFα and
acetaldehyde independently activate NF-κB
by rapid enhancement of IκB-α kinase activity and degradation
of IkB-α protein. Increased TNFα is the principal mechanism for
the elevation of NF-κB in
severe alcoholic hepatitis. The elevation of NF-κB due to TNFα enhances liver injury, but
inhibits
fibrogenesis. In contrast, the effect of acetaldehyde in activating NF-κB is associated with increases in
both liver injury and fibrogenesis, indicating that the effects of
acetaldehyde on fibrogenesis are mediated by cytokines and by
trans-acting factors other than NF-κB.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms: acetaldehyde,
tumor necrosis factor-alpha, cytokines, collagen, hepatic stellate
cell, protein kinases, gene expression, alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic
liver disorder, fibrosis, cell culture study
|
Lars Retterstol, Knut Erik Berge, Øivind Braaten, Lars Eikvar,
Terje R. Pedersen, and Leiv Sandvik. A daily glass of red
wine: Does it affect markers of inflammation? Alcohol & Alcoholism 40(2):102-105, March/April 2005.
Summary:
Although epidemiological studies have shown that moderate alcohol
consumption is associated with a decreased risk of developing
cardiovascular
disease, the causal mechanisms are only partly understood. This study
tested the hypothesis that the protective effect of red wine
is partly mediated through a reduction in inflammation, an important
process in the progression of atherosclerosis, in a randomized
controlled crossover trial to study the effect
of red wine on the levels of the inflammatory markers serum C-reactive
protein (CRP) and plasma fibrinogen in healthy subjects (N = 87, mean age 50 years) who were
nonsmokers. The subjects were randomized to drink one glass of red
wine (150 ml, 15 g alcohol) every day or to undergo a
period of total abstention from alcohol. The time on each regimen was 3
weeks. Red wine did not
reduce CRP levels and only marginally reduced fibrinogen levels
compared with a similar period without alcohol.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms: red wine, moderate AOD use, AOD
abstinence, atherosclerosis, inflammation, biological markers,
fibrinogen, plasma, protective drug effect, protective factors,
clinical trial, controlled study, human study
|
Elzbieta Wrobel, Dominika Skrok-Wolska, Marcin Ziolkowski, Agnieszka
Korkosz, Boguslaw Habrat, Bohdan Woronowicz, Andrzej Kukwa, Wojciech
Kostowski, Przemyslaw Bienkowski, and Anna Scinska. Taste responses to
monosodium glutamate after alcohol exposure. Alcohol & Alcoholism 40(2):106-111, March/April 2005.
Summary:
The effects of acute and
chronic exposure to ethanol on taste responses to monosodium glutamate
(MSG) a prototypic umami
substance (umami is the Japanese term for a postulated fifth taste in
addition to sweet, sour, bitter, and salty), were evaluated in male
alcoholics (n = 36) and
control subjects (n = 25). The
participants rated intensity and
pleasantness of MSG taste (0.03–10.0%). The effects of acute exposure
of the oral mucosa
to ethanol rinse (0.5–4.0%) on MSG taste (0.3–3.0%) were examined in a
separate experiment with 10
social drinkers. The alcoholic and control groups did not
differ in their ratings of intensity and pleasantness of MSG taste.
Electrogustometric thresholds were significantly (p < 0.01) higher (i.e. worse) in
the alcoholics, and the difference remained significant
after controlling for differences between groups in cigarette smoking
and coffee drinking. In social drinkers, oral rinsing with ethanol did
not alter either
intensity or pleasantness of MSG taste. These findings suggest that
neither acute nor chronic alcohol
exposure alters taste responses to MSG, and that alcohol dependence may
be associated with deficient threshold taste reactivity as assessed
by electrogustometry.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms: taste perception, sodium glutamate,
self report, ethanol, AOD dependence, social AOD use, acute AODE,
chronic AODE, specific data collection instrument, subjective
variables, controlled study, human study
|
Marcus Richards, Rebecca Hardy, and Michael E. J. Wadsworth. Alcohol consumption and midlife
cognitive change in the British 1946 birth cohort study.
Alcohol &
Alcoholism 40(2):112-117,
March/April 2005.
Summary:
This study examined the
association between self-reported alcohol consumption and change in
memory, speed, and concentration in midlife participants of the 1946
British birth cohort (903 men and 861 women) enrolled
in the Medical Research Council's National
Survey of Health and Development. After controlling for
educational
attainment, occupational social class, and general cognitive ability,
an association was found between alcohol consumption and slower memory
decline from ages 43 to 53 years in men. In women, alcohol consumption
was associated with a more rapid decline in visual
search speed over the same age interval. These effects were not
explained by a further control for health status (body water weight,
smoking, exercise, cardiorespiratory disease, and affective state).
While the findings suggest that alcohol consumption is associated
with slower memory decline, the negative association between
alcohol and psychomotor function in women is a potential cause for
concern.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
middle-aged adult,
alcoholic beverage, AOD consumption, cognitive ability, memory, attention, cohort study, longitudinal study,
protective factor, gender differences, human study
|
Annika Jakobsson, Gunnel Hensing, and Fredrik Spak. Developing a willingness to change:
Treatment-seeking processes for people with alcohol problems.
Alcohol &
Alcoholism 40(2):118-123,
March/April 2005.
Summary:
Treatment-seeking processes, particularly promoting and hindering
factors, were studied in men and women with
alcohol problems. Open interviews were held with 12 individuals (5
women, 7 men) within a month
of their first voluntary treatment for alcohol problems. The interview
protocols were analyzed consecutively in accordance with grounded
theory methodology. The basic psychosocial process that led to
treatment-seeking was found to be developing willingness to change.
Sub-processes that
supported willingness to change were actuating inner forces,
dealing with conflicting feelings and thoughts, and hoping to
turn the situation around. These processes were continuously assisted
by demanding and caring support from partners, friends, or
professionals. In conclusion, the processes that preceded
treatment-seeking were highly complex, and both internal and external
factors promoted and hindered treatment entry. The most striking
hindering factors were the social significance
of alcohol and grief related to thoughts of abstaining. Such feelings
need to be considered
when motivating people to seek treatment for alcohol problems.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms: problematic AOD use, AOD dependence,
AOD abstinence,
social benefit of AOD, alcoholic beverage,
help-seeking behavior,
treatment readiness, treatment factors, social support,
patient psychological history,
interview, self report,
readiness to change, motivation, human study
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Matthias J. Müller, Armin Scheurich, Hermann Wetzel, Armin
Szegedi, and Martin Hautzinger. Sequentially
adjusted randomization to force balance in controlled trials with
unknown prevalence of covariates: Application to alcoholism research.
Alcohol &
Alcoholism 40(2):124-131,
March/April 2005.
Summary:
Adequate interpretation of treatment outcome studies with small to
medium sample sizes (N <
200) requires balancing groups
with regard to important factors that sometimes have low
prevalence. This study
tested a simple procedure for randomizing patients to
different treatments in clinical alcoholism research, taking into
account relevant background
variables. An easily applicable modification of Efron's biased
coin method for the randomization of treatments within strata of
unknown but low prevalence was compared with the original approach and
alternative methods by computer simulation (10,000 runs). The authors
provide an
application example for a clinical trial in alcoholism research. The
sequentially adjusted randomization procedure yielded results similar
to Efron's approach without the need to
monitor the assignment history throughout the trial. The new method
was slightly superior to Efron's approach in randomizing subjects in
strata with n ≤ 20, whereas
strata with n > 20
favored randomization with Efron's approach. Taking into account all
results from simulation, the new approach reached a proportion of
acceptable balanced randomization greater than 95% in all stratum
sizes.
The new method provides three major advantages in clinical trials: (1)
it can be
easily implemented in any trial without technical equipment; (2) it
works with high accuracy in trials with a priori unknown but low numbers of
subjects (4 ≤ n ≤ 20) in
prognostic relevant strata; and (3) a
deterministic assignment tendency is completely avoided, as a random
process takes place throughout the assignment procedure.
NIAAA
Glossary Terms:
randomized controlled trial, clinical trial, treatment research, AOD
dependence,
reliability (research methods),
research and evaluation method,
computer technology,
intermethod comparison,
validation study
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Norman Giesbrecht, Anca Ialomiteanu, and Lise Anglin. Drinking patterns and perspectives on
alcohol policy: Results from two Ontario surveys.
Alcohol &
Alcoholism 40(2):132-139,
March/April 2005.
Summary:
Studies
often have not examined whether attitudes on alcohol policies vary
according
to a respondent's drinking pattern. This study examined the
association between six drinking variables in survey respondents and
their views on six alcohol policy topics. Data were
available from two telephone interview surveys in Ontario in 2000 (n = 1,294) and 2002 (n = 1,206) of representative
samples of adults, aged 18 and older, selected by
random digit dialing. The six drinking variables were drinking status,
drinking
frequency, usual number of drinks, typical weekly volume, frequency of
5 or more drinks per occasion, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification
Test
(AUDIT) scores. The six alcohol policy items examined were alcohol
taxes, warning
labels, density of retail alcohol outlets, privatization of government
liquor stores, alcohol advertising, and consultation with health
experts
on alcohol policy decisions. Logistic regression analyses included
five demographic variables: gender, age, marital status, education, and
income. There w | | |