A team of researchers at the University of Georgia and Emory University will receive $1.9 million over the next five years from the National Institutes of Health to study the neurobiological mechanisms for how regular aerobic exercise may prevent drug abuse relapse.
"Drug abuse is closely linked to stress, and one of the most challenging aspects of treating addiction is preventing the relapse caused by stress," said Philip Holmes, professor of psychology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and a co-investigator on the project. "Despite many years of research, no universal treatment to prevent relapse exists."
Previous research in Holmes' lab has demonstrated that exercise exerts anti-stress effects. A chemical called galanin, which increases in the brain during exercise, appears to reduce cravings associated with stress.
"Stress turns on norepinephrine," said Holmes, "which turns on dopamine, which induces craving. Galanin decreases norepinephrine, so someone with high levels of galanin should experience reduced cravings."
For the project, Holmes will measure exercise-induced increases of the galanin gene activity in the rat brain. "These experiments will establish the relationship between exercise and galanin gene expression, and support the hypothesis that exercise-induced regulation of galanin protects against over-activation of the norepinephrine system, thereby preventing drug self-administration following stress."
"This research will provide new insight into how regular exercise may attenuate drug abuse in humans," said David Weinshenker, associate professor of human genetics in Emory University's School of Medicine, and a co-principal investigator on the project. "More importantly, it may reveal a neural mechanism through which exercise may prevent the relapse into drug-seeking behavior."
Dr. Gaylen Edwards, professor and head of the department of physiology and pharmacology, UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, and Mark Smith, associate professor of psychology, Davidson College, Davidson, N.C., also will assist in the investigation.
The research may also lead to the development of drugs that enhance galanin for the treatment of addiction.
"Of course, the better alternative would be to naturally increase one's galanin levels through exercise," said Holmes, "but either way may help recovering addicts in stressful environments."
Source:
Laurie Anderson
University of Georgia
вторник, 14 июня 2011 г.
понедельник, 13 июня 2011 г.
732 Lives Per Year Saved By Underage Drinking Laws
State laws that prohibit people under the age of 21 from purchasing or possessing alcohol, and from driving with any alcohol in their system save 732 lives a year in the United States, according to a study just released that has examined 23 years of research on the subject. The study further shows that if every state adopted 'use and lose' laws - suspending the license of anyone under 21 cited for possession, consumption or attempt to purchase alcohol - an additional 165 lives would be saved.
The study appears in the online version of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (ACER). It was funded by the Substance Abuse Policy Research Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Researchers analyzed data from 1982 through to 2004, using the Alcohol Policy Information System (1998-2005); the Digests of State Alcohol-Highway Safety Related Legislation (1983-2006); the Westlaw database; and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System data set (1982-2004). They looked at six key underage drinking laws and four general impaired-driving and traffic safety laws, and found the most significant impact came from four underage laws.
Three of the four more general laws that target all drivers also were effective in reducing drinking driver crash deaths for all ages, the study found. These included laws that make it illegal to drive with over .08 blood alcohol content (BAC); suspend a license for exceeding the .08 BAC while driving; and enable a police officer to pull over a driver who was not wearing a seatbelt. While the direct effects of laws targeting drivers of all ages on adult drinking drivers aged 26 and older were similar, the results were of a smaller magnitude compared to the findings for those aged 20 and younger.
"These results provide substantial support for the effectiveness of under age 21 drinking laws and point to the importance of key underage drinking and traffic safety laws in efforts to reduce underage drinking-driver crashes," says James C. Fell, M.S., of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) in Calverton, Maryland.
Another important finding from the study was that beer consumption per capita across all ages in states has a direct relationship with underage drinking and driving. The authors discovered that the higher the beer consumption per capita, the higher the youth crash rate.
"This could be because adult alcohol consumption is correlated with youth consumption," Fell says. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that if the adult binge drinking rate is high, it is also high for youth."
Two underage drinking laws - registering kegs and graduated licensing - were found to have almost no impact on fatality rates, according to the study.
"We didn't find that laws mandating that beer kegs be registered to the purchaser made any difference in reducing underage drinking and driving fatal crashes. In fact with this particular law, we saw 12 percent more drinking-related traffic fatalities amongst those under 21," says Fell.
He said possible reasons may be that the law was not well enforced, or that in states that adopted keg registration laws, to circumvent the issue of registering beer kegs, young people choose instead to bring their own beer or liquor to underage parties, and as a result become more intoxicated from consuming their own booze than if a beer keg was the only source of alcohol.
Forty-four states have laws that restrict young drivers with an intermediate license from driving late at night, but Fell says this had no demonstrable effect on preventing underage drinking-related fatalities. The authors did not account for the start times of the night restrictions, instead focusing on whether a state had this law.
"So it could be that restrictions that start at 9:00 p.m. may have an effect, but the ones starting at 1:00 a.m. are very unlikely to make an impact because they begin too late," says Fell.
Last year, Fell and colleagues found that laws making it illegal to possess or purchase alcohol by anyone under the age of 21 had led to an 11 percent drop in alcohol-related traffic deaths among youth; secondly, they found that states with strong laws against fake IDs reported 7 percent fewer alcohol-related fatalities among drivers under the age of 21.
"People who want to lower the minimum drinking age say that the positive effects of raising it to 21 only took place in the 1980s and has since lost its impact," Fell says. "But we looked at these numbers over a 23-year period. This study shows the impact is still strong, and is keeping the numbers of underage drinking and driving deaths down - more so than if the drinking age is lowered."
Notes:
The Substance Abuse Policy Research Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funds research into policies related to alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need - the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime.
Source:
Carol Lin Vieira
Burness Communications
Prabhu Ponkshe
Substance Abuse Policy Research Program
The study appears in the online version of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (ACER). It was funded by the Substance Abuse Policy Research Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Researchers analyzed data from 1982 through to 2004, using the Alcohol Policy Information System (1998-2005); the Digests of State Alcohol-Highway Safety Related Legislation (1983-2006); the Westlaw database; and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System data set (1982-2004). They looked at six key underage drinking laws and four general impaired-driving and traffic safety laws, and found the most significant impact came from four underage laws.
Three of the four more general laws that target all drivers also were effective in reducing drinking driver crash deaths for all ages, the study found. These included laws that make it illegal to drive with over .08 blood alcohol content (BAC); suspend a license for exceeding the .08 BAC while driving; and enable a police officer to pull over a driver who was not wearing a seatbelt. While the direct effects of laws targeting drivers of all ages on adult drinking drivers aged 26 and older were similar, the results were of a smaller magnitude compared to the findings for those aged 20 and younger.
"These results provide substantial support for the effectiveness of under age 21 drinking laws and point to the importance of key underage drinking and traffic safety laws in efforts to reduce underage drinking-driver crashes," says James C. Fell, M.S., of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) in Calverton, Maryland.
Another important finding from the study was that beer consumption per capita across all ages in states has a direct relationship with underage drinking and driving. The authors discovered that the higher the beer consumption per capita, the higher the youth crash rate.
"This could be because adult alcohol consumption is correlated with youth consumption," Fell says. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that if the adult binge drinking rate is high, it is also high for youth."
Two underage drinking laws - registering kegs and graduated licensing - were found to have almost no impact on fatality rates, according to the study.
"We didn't find that laws mandating that beer kegs be registered to the purchaser made any difference in reducing underage drinking and driving fatal crashes. In fact with this particular law, we saw 12 percent more drinking-related traffic fatalities amongst those under 21," says Fell.
He said possible reasons may be that the law was not well enforced, or that in states that adopted keg registration laws, to circumvent the issue of registering beer kegs, young people choose instead to bring their own beer or liquor to underage parties, and as a result become more intoxicated from consuming their own booze than if a beer keg was the only source of alcohol.
Forty-four states have laws that restrict young drivers with an intermediate license from driving late at night, but Fell says this had no demonstrable effect on preventing underage drinking-related fatalities. The authors did not account for the start times of the night restrictions, instead focusing on whether a state had this law.
"So it could be that restrictions that start at 9:00 p.m. may have an effect, but the ones starting at 1:00 a.m. are very unlikely to make an impact because they begin too late," says Fell.
Last year, Fell and colleagues found that laws making it illegal to possess or purchase alcohol by anyone under the age of 21 had led to an 11 percent drop in alcohol-related traffic deaths among youth; secondly, they found that states with strong laws against fake IDs reported 7 percent fewer alcohol-related fatalities among drivers under the age of 21.
"People who want to lower the minimum drinking age say that the positive effects of raising it to 21 only took place in the 1980s and has since lost its impact," Fell says. "But we looked at these numbers over a 23-year period. This study shows the impact is still strong, and is keeping the numbers of underage drinking and driving deaths down - more so than if the drinking age is lowered."
Notes:
The Substance Abuse Policy Research Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funds research into policies related to alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need - the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime.
Source:
Carol Lin Vieira
Burness Communications
Prabhu Ponkshe
Substance Abuse Policy Research Program
воскресенье, 12 июня 2011 г.
The Risk To Public Health From Injection Drug Use Among Prison Inmates
In this issue of CMAJ, two research groups report on the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in different inmate populations: people in provincial prisons in Quebec, and adult and young offenders admitted to remand facilities (jails, detention centres and youth centres) in Ontario. The Ontario study is highlighted below; the Quebec study appears in a separate release posted on EurekAlert today. In both studies, injection drug use was the most important risk factor, and the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was much higher than that of HIV infection. Given the high rates of recidivism and the short stays in remand facilities and provincial prisons, the results of these studies have important public health implications and point to the need for preventive measures.
In this Ontario study, Dr. Liviana Calzavara and colleagues assessed data from 1877 adult and young offenders admitted to 13 remand facilities between Feb. 1, 2003, and June 20, 2004. Among the adult offenders, the rate of HIV infection was 11 times higher and the rate of HCV infection 22 times higher than those in the general population. Rates were highest among inmates aged 30 or more and those who reported a history of injection drug use. A history of injection drug use was reported by 30.3% (477/1576) of the adults and 4.7% (14/299) of the young offenders. Two percent of the adults tested positive for HIV antibodies and 17.6% tested positive for HCV antibodies. None of the 299 young offenders tested positive for HIV antibodies, and 1 tested positive for HCV antibodies. Based on these results, the researcher estimated that 1079 HIV-positive adults and 9208 HCV-positive adults were admitted to Ontario remand facilities from Apr. 1, 2003, to Mar. 31, 2004. They recommend targeted education and prevention efforts.
In a related commentary, Richard Elliott, deputy director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, comments on the continued refusal by federal and provincial governments to implement evidence-based harm reduction measures to prevent HIV and HCV infections in prisons. He postulates that it may be time to put the evidence of this ongoing denial of human rights before the courts.
Source: Dr. Liviana Calzavara
Canadian Medical Association Journal
In this Ontario study, Dr. Liviana Calzavara and colleagues assessed data from 1877 adult and young offenders admitted to 13 remand facilities between Feb. 1, 2003, and June 20, 2004. Among the adult offenders, the rate of HIV infection was 11 times higher and the rate of HCV infection 22 times higher than those in the general population. Rates were highest among inmates aged 30 or more and those who reported a history of injection drug use. A history of injection drug use was reported by 30.3% (477/1576) of the adults and 4.7% (14/299) of the young offenders. Two percent of the adults tested positive for HIV antibodies and 17.6% tested positive for HCV antibodies. None of the 299 young offenders tested positive for HIV antibodies, and 1 tested positive for HCV antibodies. Based on these results, the researcher estimated that 1079 HIV-positive adults and 9208 HCV-positive adults were admitted to Ontario remand facilities from Apr. 1, 2003, to Mar. 31, 2004. They recommend targeted education and prevention efforts.
In a related commentary, Richard Elliott, deputy director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, comments on the continued refusal by federal and provincial governments to implement evidence-based harm reduction measures to prevent HIV and HCV infections in prisons. He postulates that it may be time to put the evidence of this ongoing denial of human rights before the courts.
Source: Dr. Liviana Calzavara
Canadian Medical Association Journal
суббота, 11 июня 2011 г.
Alcohol Related Hospital Admissions Doubled In Last 10 Years According To Latest Official Figures, UK
The latest compendium of figures issued recently by the independent provider of official health and social care statistics, the Information Centre (The IC) show how hospital admissions specifically related to alcohol consumption have more than doubled in the last 10 years. In 2005/06, there were 187,640 NHS hospital admissions among adults aged 16 and over with either a primary or secondary diagnosis specifically related to alcohol. This has increased from 89,280 in 1995/96.In its alcohol statistics bulletin, the most comprehensive and up to date compendium of facts and figures about alcohol consumption in England, the IC also found that:
-- Among children under 16 there were 5,280 NHS Hospital admissions in 2005/06 with either a primary or secondary diagnosis specifically related to alcohol. This represents an overall increase of just over a third from 3,870 in 1995/96.
-- In 2005, 6,570 people died from causes directly linked to alcohol consumption, of these just under two thirds (4,160) died from alcoholic liver disease. Two thirds (67 per cent) of those dying from alcoholic liver disease were men.
-- In England in 2005, 73 per cent of men and 58 per cent of women reported drinking an alcoholic drink on at least one day in the week prior to interview. Thirteen per cent of men and 8 per cent of women reported drinking on every day in the previous week.
-- Thirty-four per cent of men and 20 per cent of women had drunk more than the recommended number of units on at least one day in the week prior to interview. Eighteen per cent of men and 8 per cent of women had drunk more than twice the recommended daily intake.
-- Older people were more likely to drink regularly - 28 per cent of men and 18 per cent of women aged 45-64 drank on five or more days in the week prior to interview compared to 10 per cent of men and 5 per cent of women aged 16-24. Younger people were more likely to drink heavily, with 42 per cent of men and 36 per cent of women aged 16-24 drinking above the daily recommendations compared to 16 per cent of men and 4 per cent of women aged 65 and over.
-- Among men, 24 per cent reported drinking on average more than 21 units in a week. For women, 13 per cent reported drinking more than 14 units in an average week.
The bulletin also looked at awareness of the Government's alcohol warnings and found that whilst 69 per cent of people reported that they had heard of the government guidelines on alcohol consumption, of these people, more than a third said that they did not know what the recommendations were. Thirty two per cent of adults however had seen units of alcohol displayed on labels of alcoholic drinks, compared to 23 per cent in 2000.
In England in 2005, 45 per cent of pregnant women did not drink at all during pregnancy, while 39 per cent reported drinking on average less than 1 unit a week and only 8 per cent drank 1 to 2 units
Alcohol is more affordable than ever according to the figures. In 2006, alcohol was 65 per cent more affordable than it was in 1980. Household expenditure on alcohol has increased steadily since 1980 as has total household expenditure; however expenditure on alcohol as a proportion of total household expenditure has decreased steadily over the same period standing at 5.2 per cent in 2006 compared to 7.5 per cent in 1980.
In 2004, the Government estimated that alcohol misuse costs the health service between ??1.4 and ??1.7 billion per year.
Commenting on the figures, Professor Denise Lievesley, Chief Executive of The Information Centre, says: "These figures show some worrying trends about the effects on society of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. The doubling of alcohol related hospital admissions and increases in serious illness and death caused by alcohol gives cause for concern. We hope Government and other policy makers will use these figures to inform the development and implementation of policies to help reduce the harm that excessive alcohol consumption can cause."
You can find the full report on our website here
1. The Information Centre (The IC) is England's authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with more than 300 health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researcher, regulators and policymakers in their work. The IC also produces more than 120 statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. This statistical bulletin presents a range of information on alcohol use and misuse which are drawn together from a variety of sources. The bulletin aims to present a broad picture of health issues relating to alcohol in England and covers topics such as drinking habits and behaviours among adults and school children, drinking in pregnancy, European comparisons of alcohol use, drinking related ill health and mortality and alcohol related costs. Government plans and recommendations in this area are also summarised in the bulletin. For the first time the bulletin includes information on types of alcohol consumed, whether adults keep a check on the units they consume and trends in reported household consumption. For children, the bulletin now includes data on drinking and substance use and truancy and exclusion, as well as ethnicity and European comparisons.
ic.nhs
-- Among children under 16 there were 5,280 NHS Hospital admissions in 2005/06 with either a primary or secondary diagnosis specifically related to alcohol. This represents an overall increase of just over a third from 3,870 in 1995/96.
-- In 2005, 6,570 people died from causes directly linked to alcohol consumption, of these just under two thirds (4,160) died from alcoholic liver disease. Two thirds (67 per cent) of those dying from alcoholic liver disease were men.
-- In England in 2005, 73 per cent of men and 58 per cent of women reported drinking an alcoholic drink on at least one day in the week prior to interview. Thirteen per cent of men and 8 per cent of women reported drinking on every day in the previous week.
-- Thirty-four per cent of men and 20 per cent of women had drunk more than the recommended number of units on at least one day in the week prior to interview. Eighteen per cent of men and 8 per cent of women had drunk more than twice the recommended daily intake.
-- Older people were more likely to drink regularly - 28 per cent of men and 18 per cent of women aged 45-64 drank on five or more days in the week prior to interview compared to 10 per cent of men and 5 per cent of women aged 16-24. Younger people were more likely to drink heavily, with 42 per cent of men and 36 per cent of women aged 16-24 drinking above the daily recommendations compared to 16 per cent of men and 4 per cent of women aged 65 and over.
-- Among men, 24 per cent reported drinking on average more than 21 units in a week. For women, 13 per cent reported drinking more than 14 units in an average week.
The bulletin also looked at awareness of the Government's alcohol warnings and found that whilst 69 per cent of people reported that they had heard of the government guidelines on alcohol consumption, of these people, more than a third said that they did not know what the recommendations were. Thirty two per cent of adults however had seen units of alcohol displayed on labels of alcoholic drinks, compared to 23 per cent in 2000.
In England in 2005, 45 per cent of pregnant women did not drink at all during pregnancy, while 39 per cent reported drinking on average less than 1 unit a week and only 8 per cent drank 1 to 2 units
Alcohol is more affordable than ever according to the figures. In 2006, alcohol was 65 per cent more affordable than it was in 1980. Household expenditure on alcohol has increased steadily since 1980 as has total household expenditure; however expenditure on alcohol as a proportion of total household expenditure has decreased steadily over the same period standing at 5.2 per cent in 2006 compared to 7.5 per cent in 1980.
In 2004, the Government estimated that alcohol misuse costs the health service between ??1.4 and ??1.7 billion per year.
Commenting on the figures, Professor Denise Lievesley, Chief Executive of The Information Centre, says: "These figures show some worrying trends about the effects on society of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. The doubling of alcohol related hospital admissions and increases in serious illness and death caused by alcohol gives cause for concern. We hope Government and other policy makers will use these figures to inform the development and implementation of policies to help reduce the harm that excessive alcohol consumption can cause."
You can find the full report on our website here
1. The Information Centre (The IC) is England's authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with more than 300 health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researcher, regulators and policymakers in their work. The IC also produces more than 120 statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. This statistical bulletin presents a range of information on alcohol use and misuse which are drawn together from a variety of sources. The bulletin aims to present a broad picture of health issues relating to alcohol in England and covers topics such as drinking habits and behaviours among adults and school children, drinking in pregnancy, European comparisons of alcohol use, drinking related ill health and mortality and alcohol related costs. Government plans and recommendations in this area are also summarised in the bulletin. For the first time the bulletin includes information on types of alcohol consumed, whether adults keep a check on the units they consume and trends in reported household consumption. For children, the bulletin now includes data on drinking and substance use and truancy and exclusion, as well as ethnicity and European comparisons.
ic.nhs
пятница, 10 июня 2011 г.
Excessive Drinking, Not Alcoholism, May Lead To Most Alcohol-Related Problems
* Many people assume that most people who drink to excess are probably alcoholics.
* A recent survey of 4,761 New Mexico adults found that while 16.5 percent drank alcohol in excess of national guidelines, only 1.8 percent met criteria for alcohol dependence.
* This suggests that a majority of persons at risk for alcohol-related problems are not alcohol dependent.
Most people realize that too much alcohol can lead to multiple health problems, injuries and violence. Numerous statistics support the accuracy of this perception. Many people also assume that a substantial proportion of people who drink to excess are probably alcoholics. This may not be accurate. A recent study of the general population in New Mexico reveals that, in fact, most alcohol-related problems may be due to excessive drinking - especially binge drinking - among persons who are not alcoholics.
Results are published in the February issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
"In the period following prohibition, most researchers, policy makers, and the general public tended to define excessive drinking in terms of alcohol dependence or alcoholism," explained Jim Roeber, an alcohol epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health and corresponding author for the study. "This was likely related to cultural norms that sanctioned all but the most obviously problematic drinking such as alcoholism. More recently, researchers and policy makers have - extended the definition of excessive drinking to encompass other behaviors such as binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks at one time) and impaired driving, and to address other problems such as alcohol-related injuries and social harm."
"The reality," added Tim Naimi, a physician with the Alcohol Team at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, "is that drinking to the point of intoxication or drinking above national guidelines with respect to average consumption also carries significant risks, and is unfortunately quite common. Although there are many effective policy and clinical interventions to address excessive drinking, many of them have not been implemented or are underutilized."
For this study, researchers examined data from the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in New Mexico, an annual telephone survey that provides state-level estimates of the prevalence of various health-related risk behaviors and outcomes. Study authors assessed the prevalence of "excessive drinking," defined to include: binge drinking, heavy drinking, alcohol-impaired driving, and alcohol dependence.
"We found that in New Mexico, most excessive drinkers are not alcohol dependent," said Roeber, "and that binge drinking is the most prevalent form of excessive drinking." More specifically, 16.5 percent of 4,761 New Mexico adults were considered "excessive drinkers," but only 1.8 percent of them met criteria for alcohol dependence.
"The downside of the assumption that alcohol dependence is the predominant form of excessive drinking is that prevention resources have tended to be directed toward treatment of alcohol dependence," said Roeber, "rather than prevention of more prevalent forms that are responsible for a large proportion of alcohol-related problems." He added that, at least in New Mexico, "alcohol-related prevention efforts should be broadened to focus on other forms of excessive drinking in addition to alcohol dependence, especially binge drinking."
Naimi wholeheartedly concurs. "In order to prevent most alcohol-related problems, including alcoholism itself, we need to focus on excessive drinking, not just alcoholism," he said. "Focusing exclusively on alcoholism will identify only a small percentage of those at risk of causing or incurring alcohol-related harms, precludes the possibility of prevention, and is very costly, at least on a per-person basis."
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research (ACER) is the official journal of the Research Society on Alcoholism and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. Co-authors of the ACER paper, "The Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence among Excessive Drinkers in New Mexico," were Sandra Woerle of the National Institute of Justice; and Michael G. Landen of the New Mexico Department of Health.
Contact: Jim Roeber, M.S.P.H.
New Mexico Department of Health
Timothy Naimi, M.D., M.P.H.
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
* A recent survey of 4,761 New Mexico adults found that while 16.5 percent drank alcohol in excess of national guidelines, only 1.8 percent met criteria for alcohol dependence.
* This suggests that a majority of persons at risk for alcohol-related problems are not alcohol dependent.
Most people realize that too much alcohol can lead to multiple health problems, injuries and violence. Numerous statistics support the accuracy of this perception. Many people also assume that a substantial proportion of people who drink to excess are probably alcoholics. This may not be accurate. A recent study of the general population in New Mexico reveals that, in fact, most alcohol-related problems may be due to excessive drinking - especially binge drinking - among persons who are not alcoholics.
Results are published in the February issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
"In the period following prohibition, most researchers, policy makers, and the general public tended to define excessive drinking in terms of alcohol dependence or alcoholism," explained Jim Roeber, an alcohol epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health and corresponding author for the study. "This was likely related to cultural norms that sanctioned all but the most obviously problematic drinking such as alcoholism. More recently, researchers and policy makers have - extended the definition of excessive drinking to encompass other behaviors such as binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks at one time) and impaired driving, and to address other problems such as alcohol-related injuries and social harm."
"The reality," added Tim Naimi, a physician with the Alcohol Team at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, "is that drinking to the point of intoxication or drinking above national guidelines with respect to average consumption also carries significant risks, and is unfortunately quite common. Although there are many effective policy and clinical interventions to address excessive drinking, many of them have not been implemented or are underutilized."
For this study, researchers examined data from the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in New Mexico, an annual telephone survey that provides state-level estimates of the prevalence of various health-related risk behaviors and outcomes. Study authors assessed the prevalence of "excessive drinking," defined to include: binge drinking, heavy drinking, alcohol-impaired driving, and alcohol dependence.
"We found that in New Mexico, most excessive drinkers are not alcohol dependent," said Roeber, "and that binge drinking is the most prevalent form of excessive drinking." More specifically, 16.5 percent of 4,761 New Mexico adults were considered "excessive drinkers," but only 1.8 percent of them met criteria for alcohol dependence.
"The downside of the assumption that alcohol dependence is the predominant form of excessive drinking is that prevention resources have tended to be directed toward treatment of alcohol dependence," said Roeber, "rather than prevention of more prevalent forms that are responsible for a large proportion of alcohol-related problems." He added that, at least in New Mexico, "alcohol-related prevention efforts should be broadened to focus on other forms of excessive drinking in addition to alcohol dependence, especially binge drinking."
Naimi wholeheartedly concurs. "In order to prevent most alcohol-related problems, including alcoholism itself, we need to focus on excessive drinking, not just alcoholism," he said. "Focusing exclusively on alcoholism will identify only a small percentage of those at risk of causing or incurring alcohol-related harms, precludes the possibility of prevention, and is very costly, at least on a per-person basis."
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research (ACER) is the official journal of the Research Society on Alcoholism and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. Co-authors of the ACER paper, "The Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence among Excessive Drinkers in New Mexico," were Sandra Woerle of the National Institute of Justice; and Michael G. Landen of the New Mexico Department of Health.
Contact: Jim Roeber, M.S.P.H.
New Mexico Department of Health
Timothy Naimi, M.D., M.P.H.
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
четверг, 9 июня 2011 г.
Gene's Role In Severity Of Drinking Revealed: Findings Could Lead To More Personalized Alcohol Treatment Methods
New research from the University of Virginia Health System could help explain why some alcoholics are more severe drinkers than others. A UVA team has found strong evidence that the serotonin transporter gene, SLC6A4, plays a significant role in influencing drinking intensity among alcohol-dependent individuals.
The study, published in the February 2009 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, analyzed the associations between six different DNA sequence variations, or single nucleotide polymorphisms, of the serotonin transporter gene with the levels of drinking intensity among 275 alcohol-dependent individuals seeking treatment. Drinking intensity is measured by the amount a person consumes each day he or she drinks.
"Of the six variants examined in the study, we found that one variant at the 3' end of the gene showed a significant association with drinking intensity," says study co-author Ming D. Li, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences in the UVA School of Medicine. "Specifically, we found that individuals with the 'G' allele of this variant drink less than individuals with the 'T' allele."
Previous studies have shown that the neurochemical serotonin mediates the rewarding effects of alcohol and, therefore, may be a key contributor leading to alcohol abuse. Studies also show that the brain's serotonin system plays an important role in alcohol preference and consumption.
"Acute drinking increases serotonin release and signaling in brain regions involved in controlling consumption of alcohol," explains study co-author Professor Bankole Johnson, D.Sc., M.D., Ph.D., M.Phil., FRCPsych., chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences in the UVA School of Medicine. "But chronic drinking reduces serotonergic function, leading to a serotonin-deficient state. One hypothesis is that alcoholics drink to alleviate this serotonin-deficient state.
"But it's important to remember that alcoholics differ significantly in their drinking patterns, social backgrounds and disease etiology," says Johnson. "All of these factors may affect both treatment outcomes and medical complications resulting from heavy drinking."
One of the main goals of treatment, Johnson points out, is to reduce the intensity of drinking. "A known genetic marker could be used to sub-type alcoholics and better determine treatment methods that can target specific underlying molecular mechanisms. We hope to determine whether this particular genetic variant can be used as a marker to predict treatment outcomes for different serotonin agents," says Johnson.
Source: Sally H. Jones
University of Virginia Health System
The study, published in the February 2009 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, analyzed the associations between six different DNA sequence variations, or single nucleotide polymorphisms, of the serotonin transporter gene with the levels of drinking intensity among 275 alcohol-dependent individuals seeking treatment. Drinking intensity is measured by the amount a person consumes each day he or she drinks.
"Of the six variants examined in the study, we found that one variant at the 3' end of the gene showed a significant association with drinking intensity," says study co-author Ming D. Li, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences in the UVA School of Medicine. "Specifically, we found that individuals with the 'G' allele of this variant drink less than individuals with the 'T' allele."
Previous studies have shown that the neurochemical serotonin mediates the rewarding effects of alcohol and, therefore, may be a key contributor leading to alcohol abuse. Studies also show that the brain's serotonin system plays an important role in alcohol preference and consumption.
"Acute drinking increases serotonin release and signaling in brain regions involved in controlling consumption of alcohol," explains study co-author Professor Bankole Johnson, D.Sc., M.D., Ph.D., M.Phil., FRCPsych., chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences in the UVA School of Medicine. "But chronic drinking reduces serotonergic function, leading to a serotonin-deficient state. One hypothesis is that alcoholics drink to alleviate this serotonin-deficient state.
"But it's important to remember that alcoholics differ significantly in their drinking patterns, social backgrounds and disease etiology," says Johnson. "All of these factors may affect both treatment outcomes and medical complications resulting from heavy drinking."
One of the main goals of treatment, Johnson points out, is to reduce the intensity of drinking. "A known genetic marker could be used to sub-type alcoholics and better determine treatment methods that can target specific underlying molecular mechanisms. We hope to determine whether this particular genetic variant can be used as a marker to predict treatment outcomes for different serotonin agents," says Johnson.
Source: Sally H. Jones
University of Virginia Health System
среда, 8 июня 2011 г.
RCP Comments On BMA Report And Tesco, UK
Professor Ian Gilmore, President of the Royal College of Physicians and Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance responds to reports in the media that Tesco are willing to discuss legislation that would limit its ability to sell cut-price alcohol, and the new BMA report on alcohol misuse:
"We welcome this change of stance from Tesco that they now accept the importance of price in alcohol consumption on health related harm. We have been calling for a rise in the price of alcohol, which we know from research is a key factor in reducing alcohol consumption.
We also welcome the report today from the BMA regarding alcohol misuse, the recommendations from which are in line with what the Alcohol Health Alliance has been campaigning for, and would welcome the BMA to join our 24 strong body".
Royal College of Physicians
"We welcome this change of stance from Tesco that they now accept the importance of price in alcohol consumption on health related harm. We have been calling for a rise in the price of alcohol, which we know from research is a key factor in reducing alcohol consumption.
We also welcome the report today from the BMA regarding alcohol misuse, the recommendations from which are in line with what the Alcohol Health Alliance has been campaigning for, and would welcome the BMA to join our 24 strong body".
Royal College of Physicians
Подписаться на:
Сообщения (Atom)