Alcohol-dependent Group Research Articles

The Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment in Alcohol-Dependent Patients Through RBANS Combined With ERPs.

Background: Recently, the cognitive impairment of patients with alcohol dependence has attracted more and more attention. The combination of Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and event-related potentials (ERPs) for evaluating the degree of cognitive impairment in patients with alcohol dependence has not undergone enough in-depth investigation.Method: Sixty patients with alcohol dependence were selected as alcohol-dependence group, whereas 40 healthy volunteers served as a normal control group. The original scores of the RBANS sub-items, the incubation period, and volatility of ERPs between the two groups were compared, and the correlation among the above indicators in the alcohol-dependence group was further analyzed.Results: The RBANS test showed that the original scores of speech function, attention function, delayed memory, and immediate attention in the alcohol-dependence group were significantly lower than those in the normal control group. Compared with the normal control group, the latencies of P200 and P300 in the alcohol-dependence group were significantly prolonged, and the amplitude of P200 and P300 was significantly reduced. Correlation analysis between RBANS and ERPs in alcohol-dependence group showed that immediate attention score was positively correlated with P300 and P200 amplitude, visual breadth score was positively correlated with P200 latency, and attention function score was negatively correlated with P300 latency.Conclusion: As RBANS scale was highly correlated with the results of ERPs, the combined use of these two scales may serve as an objective basis for early diagnosis of cognitive impairment in patients with alcohol dependence.

A retrospective assessment of parental attitudes in alcohol dependent and non-dependent groups

Aim: The aim of the studies was to verify whether an alcohol-dependent group differs in terms of retrospectively assessed parental attitudes from a non-dependent group (study 1) as well as whether there are differences between individuals with alcohol dependence having or not having an addicted parent in terms of the retrospectively assessed parental attitudes (study 2). Materials and methods: 121 individuals with alcohol dependence and 121 people with no dependence took part in study 1 (in both groups there were 37 women and 84 men). 221 individuals with alcohol dependence (55 women and 166 men) participated in study 2. Mieczysław Plopa’s Questionnaire of Retrospective Assessment of Parental Attitudes (KPR-Roc) and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) were used in the studies. Results: The outcome of study 1 proved that the individuals with alcohol dependence score higher in comparison with those non-dependent in terms of variables Mother Protectiveness, Father Demanding and Father Inconsequence and score lower for variables Father Acceptance/Rejection and Father Autonomy. The results of study 2 show that alcohol-dependent women with a family history of alcohol addiction tended to score lower for variables Mother Acceptance/Rejection, Father Acceptance/Rejection, Father Autonomy and Father Protectiveness in comparison with the non-dependent women with no family history of alcohol addiction. Whereas men addicted to alcohol with a family history of alcohol addiction score higher for the variable Father Acceptance/Rejection and higher concerning variables Father Demanding and Father Inconsequence in comparison with the addicted male group with no family history of alcohol addiction. Conclusion: Alcohol-dependent individuals have a tendency to assess more adversely the father’s attitude in comparison with the non-dependent group. Having an alcohol-dependent parent among individuals with alcohol dependence differentiates mainly the retrospective assessment of the father.

Cognitive Control Deficits in Alcohol Dependence Are a Trait- and State-Dependent Biomarker: An ERP Study.

Alcohol dependence (AD) presents cognitive control deficits. Event-related potential (ERP) P300 reflects cognitive control-related processing. The aim of this study was to investigate whether cognitive control deficits are a trait biomarker or a state biomarker in AD. Participants included 30 AD patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs). All participants were measured with P300 evoked by a three-stimulus auditory oddball paradigm at a normal state (time 1, i.e., just after the last alcohol intake) and abstinence (time 2, i.e., just after a 4-week abstinence). The results showed that for P3a and P3b amplitude, the interaction effect for group × time point was significant, the simple effect for group at time 1 level and time 2 level was significant, and the simple effect for time point at AD group level was significant; however, the simple effect for time point at HC group level was not significant. Above results indicated that compared to HCs, AD patients present reductions of P3a/3b amplitude, and after 4-week alcohol abstinence, although P3a/3b amplitudes were improved, they were still lower than those of HCs. For P3a and P3b latencies, no significant differences were observed. These findings conclude that AD patients present cognitive control deficits that are reflected by P3a/3b and that cognitive control deficits in AD are trait- and state-dependent. The implication of these findings is helpful to understand the psychological and neural processes for AD, and these findings suggest that improving the cognitive control function may impact the treatment effect for AD.

Changes in the Expression of DNA Methylation Related Genes in Leukocytes of Persons with Alcohol and Drug Dependence

Abstract Background and objectives. Though numerous studies have shown that the dysregulation of the epigenetic control is involved in disease manifestation, limited data is available on the transcriptional activity of DNA methylation related genes in alcohol and drug addiction. With regard to this, in this study we analyzed the expression levels of genes involved in DNA methylation, including DNMT1, DNMT3a, MeCP2, MBD1, MBD2, MBD3 and MBD4, in blood samples of alcohol and drug dependent persons in comparison to healthy abstainers. Methods. The study included 51 participants: 16 persons with alcohol dependence, 17 persons with drug dependence and 18 clinically healthy controls. To detect the relative mRNA expression levels of the studied genes, Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis was applied. Results. Of the seven studied genes, four showed altered expression. MeCP2 and MBD1 were downregulated in the alcohol dependent group (FC = 0.805, p = 0.015 and FC = 0.846, p = 0.034, respectively), while DNMT1 and MBD4 were upregulated in the group with drug dependence (FC = 1.262, p = 0.001 and FC = 1.249, p = 0.005, respectively). No statistically significant changes in the relative mRNA expression were found for DNMT3a, MBD2 and MBD3 genes. Conclusions. Our results are indicative for a role of DNA methylation related genes in alcohol and drug addiction mediated through changes in their transcriptional activity. Studies in this direction will enable better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of addictions supporting the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.

Decreased FMR1 mRNA levels found in men with substance use disorders

FMR1 gene (fragile X mental retardation 1) represents a genetic and epigenetic factor in a number of human diseases. Though the role of FMR1 gene in substance use disorders (SUDs) is not well studied, a number of investigations indicate that SUDs and FMR1-accociated disorders may share common underlying mechanisms. We examined the relative FMR1 mRNA levels and their sex-distribution in leukocytes from patients with alcohol and drug dependence compared to healthy controls. The study included 44 participants, 16 with alcohol dependence (mean age 43, 10 males and 6 females), 17 with drug dependence (mean age 41, 12 males and 5 females) and 11 healthy controls (mean age 47, 5 males and 6 females). Participants donated 5–6 ml of blood and completed a specialized questionnaire. Total RNA was isolated and cDNA was synthesized and used as a template for qRT-PCR analysis. The studied persons with alcohol and drug dependence share common socio-demographic and substance-use related characteristics. Significant FMR1 down-regulation was observed in the alcohol dependent group (25 % decrease; p = 0.005). Sex-associated analysis revealed that FMR1 down-regulation was primarily in alcohol-dependent men (40% decrease; p = 0.001) and did not reach significance in women. A similar sex-dependent pattern was observed among drug-dependent individuals. Drug-dependent men had significantly lower FMR1 mRNA levels (24% decrease; p = 0.015) compared with controls, while no significant difference was observed in drug-dependent females. These data indicate FMR1 mRNA down-regulation in persons with alcohol- and drug-dependence, relative to controls, is sex-dependent. This implies a role for FMR1 in substance use disorders. These findings require confirmation by including protein measures and the recruitment of larger cohorts.

Validation of the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale in Lithuanian population

BackgroundPersonality traits are related with risk of hazardous alcohol use and alcohol dependence. The Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) measures personality traits associated with addictive substance abuse. We examined psychometric properties of the SURPS in Lithuanian population.Materials and methodsTwo hundred forty-seven participants (mean age 37.22 ± 0.78 years), were recruited from the local community and from an inpatient addiction treatment centre. Internal consistency, stability, factor structure, content validity, and external validity of the SURPS were examined. Hazardous alcohol use was evaluated by Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). Alcohol dependence diagnosis was established by International Classification of Diseases - 10 (ICD - 10). We also performed gender analyses for associations of personality traits with alcohol dependence and hazardous use of alcohol.ResultsThe SURPS scale demonstrated appropriate internal validity, good temporal stability, and adequate criterion validity and construct validity. The SURPS scores of hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity and impulsivity were higher in the alcohol dependence group than in the control group for both males and females. Impulsivity and sensation seeking were associated with hazardous alcohol use and these associations were more prevalent in females.ConclusionsLithuanian translation of the SURPS scale was appropriate. The SURPS demonstrated good sensitivity for discriminating on alcohol dependence and was more sensitive for discriminating on hazardous alcohol use for females.

Reduced Serum Levels of Cluster of Differentiation 200 in Alcohol-Dependent Patients.

Chronic alcohol consumption can activate and dysregulate the neuroimmune system which leads to neuroinflammation. Neuroimmune regulatory proteins (NIReg) (e.g. Cluster of Differentiation 200 (CD200)) are the regulators of innate immune response and are responsible for silencing the innate immunity and suppression of inflammation. In this study, we explored the changes of serum levels of CD200 in patients with alcohol dependence at baseline, after one-week alcohol withdrawal and after one-month of alcohol abstinence. Seventeen patients with alcohol dependence admitted for de-addiction treatment and 12 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected at baseline, after one-week, and after one-month, and CD200 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit and compared with the healthy controls. The serum level of the neuroimmune regulatory protein CD200 in alcohol dependent group (at baseline) was significantly lower compared to healthy controls (p=0.003), and increased after one-week, and one-month period. The present study indicates that decrease of CD200 serum levels in alcohol dependent patients and its rise during alcohol withdrawal and abstinence may provide a preliminary evidence of the role of neuroimmune regulatory proteins in neuroadaptation during alcohol withdrawal.

Sexual dysfunction in alcohol-dependent men and its correlation with marital satisfaction in spouses: A hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Background:Chronic use of alcohol affects almost every organ system of the body, including male sexual functions. There are only a few Indian studies, which have assessed sexual functions in alcohol-dependent (AD) men and many of them have limitations. This study was aimed to assess sexual functions and marital satisfaction among AD individuals compared to matched controls.Subjects and Methods:A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on 70 AD men (study group) and an equal number of matched controls and their spouses in the Department of psychiatry of Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, Ajmer. Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised, and Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) were used to assess withdrawal state and severity of alcohol dependence in the AD group. Marital Adjustment Test (MAT) and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) were used in both study and control groups to assess marital satisfaction and various aspects of sexual functioning.Results:More than half of the men (58.6%) with alcohol dependence were found to have sexual dysfunction compared to only one-fifth in the control group (18.5%). The most commonly affected sexual functions were the ability to get and keep erection (70%) and arousal (62.8%). There was a large negative correlation of MAT scores in the AD group with the SADQ, rho (ρ) = −0.68, and sexual dysfunction (ASEX), rho (ρ) = −0.57. However, the duration of alcohol use did not have any significant association with marital satisfaction.Conclusions:This study showed that participants with AD were more likely to have sexual dysfunction and lower level of marital satisfaction in their spouses. This effect was not because of acute intoxication of alcohol or withdrawal symptoms. We need further research to ascertain whether sexual dysfunction and marital dissatisfaction is a result of alcohol dependence or its reinforcer or both.

Relationship Between Alcohol Dependence and Neuropeptide Y (NPY) Gene Promoter Polymorphisms in A Turkish Sample

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a protein widely expressed in the central nervous system and involved in diverse physiological processes, such as emotional regulation, nutritional behavior, and stress. In some populations, studies on alcohol dependence (AD) and the NPY gene have found that NPY variations increase alcohol consumption and thus may potentially be associated with AD. In this study, we investigated the relationship between NPY gene promoter polymorphisms and phenotypes related to alcohol use. A total of 417 male participants comprising 252 individuals with AD and 165 healthy individuals were included in this study and phenotypic data were collected. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR/RFLP) and DNA sequencing METHODS were used for genotyping the rs16147 and rs17149106 polymorphisms in the promoter region of the NPY gene. The data of 384 participants were analysed to evaluate the possible relationship between genotypes and the diagnosis of AD, family history of AD, the severity of AD using the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), the age of onset of problematic alcohol use, the average amount of alcohol consumed per day for the last six months and the lifetime maximum alcohol consumption in one day. A significant difference was found between the AD and control groups concerning rs16147 polymorphism genotype distribution (p=0.025). No association with polymorphisms and alcohol-related phenotypes were demonstrated in the AD group. To our knowledge, this study shows for the first time in the literature that alcohol dependence is associated with NPY rs16147 polymorphism in the Turkish population.

Fear conditioning and extinction in alcohol dependence: Evidence for abnormal amygdala reactivity.

Fear conditioning and extinction (FCE) are vital processes in adaptive emotion regulation and disrupted in anxiety disorders. Despite substantial comorbidity between alcohol dependence (ALC) and anxiety disorders and reports of altered negative emotion processing in ALC, neural correlates of FCE in this clinical population remain unknown. Here, we used a 2-day fear learning paradigm in 43 healthy participants and 43 individuals with ALC at the National Institutes of Health. Main outcomes of this multimodal study included structural and functional brain magnetic resonance imaging, clinical measures, as well as skin conductance responses (SCRs) to confirm differential conditioning. Successful FCE was demonstrated across participants by differential SCRs in the conditioning phase and no difference in SCRs to the conditioned stimuli in the extinction phase. The ALC group showed significantly reduced blood oxygenation level-dependent responses in the right amygdala during conditioning (Cohen's d = .89, P(FWE) = .037) and in the left amygdala during fear renewal (Cohen's d = .68, P(FWE) = .039). Right amygdala activation during conditioning was significantly correlated with ALC severity (r = .39, P(Bonferroni) = .009), depressive symptoms (r = .37, P(Bonferroni) = .015), trait anxiety (r = .41, P(Bonferroni) = .006), and perceived stress (r = .45, P(Bonferroni) = .002). Our data suggest that individuals with ALC have dysregulated fear learning, in particular, dysregulated neural activation patterns, in the amygdala. Furthermore, amygdala activation during fear conditioning was associated with ALC-related clinical measures. The FCE paradigm may be a promising tool to investigate structures involved in negative affect regulation, which might inform the development of novel treatment approaches for ALC.

Positron Emission Tomography: Updates on Imaging of Addiction.

Positron Emission Tomography: Updates on Imaging of Addiction.

Salivary proteome characterization of alcohol and tobacco dependents

BackgroundAlcohol and substances found in tobacco may alter salivary flow and amount of saliva proteins. This study aimed to compare salivary proteins between alcohol dependent smokers and controls. MethodsThis is a case-control study with men older than 18 years of age, matched by age. The alcohol-dependent group was composed by heavy smokers and alcohol consumers. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from all subjects. Analysis of digested peptides was performed in mass spectrometer. Data were processed using ProteinLynx GlobalServer software. Results were obtained by searching theHomo sapiens database from the UniProt catalog. The search tool IBI-IMIM was used to identify candidate proteins for biomarkers. ResultsAlcohol-dependent and control groups were composed of nine participants each, with mean age of 36.89 ± 2.57 and 35.78 ± 1.64 years, respectively. 404 salivary proteins were found in both groups; 282 in the alcohol-dependent. Among the 96 proteins presented in both groups, 32 were up-regulated in the alcohol dependents (i.e. “Hemoglobin subunit beta” and “Forkhead box protein P2” were up-regulated at least 10-fold), 23 were down-regulated (i.e. “Statherin” and “RNA-binding protein 25” were down-regulated at least 10-fold), and 41 presented similar expression in both groups. 71 proteins were candidates for biomarkers of disorders 58 presented in alcohol dependents’ saliva. The most common disorders were neoplasms, genetic, cardiovascular, metabolic and glandular diseases. ConclusionsSalivary protein profile undergoes strong changes in alcohol and tobacco dependents. 34% of salivary proteins present in alcohol and tobacco dependents were present in controls; 14.5% of them were expressed in similar quantity.

A-17 Category Test performance in individuals with alcohol versus methamphetamine dependence

Abstract Objective The Category Test (CT) has consistently been found to be sensitive at detecting the effects of alcohol on the brain. However, this test has not been as widely used in examining the effects of methamphetamine. The current meta-analysis compared effect sizes of studies that have examined performance on the CT in alcohol versus methamphetamine dependent participants. Data selection Three researchers independently searched nine databases (e.g., PsycINFO, Pubmed, ProceedingsFirst), extracted required data, and calculated effect sizes. Inclusion criteria identified studies that had (a) compared alcohol or methamphetamine dependent groups to healthy controls and (b) matched groups on either age, education, or IQ (at least 2 out of 3). Studies were excluded if participants were reported to have Axis I diagnoses (other than alcohol or methamphetamine dependence) or comorbidities known to impact neuropsychological functioning. Sixteen articles were coded and analyzed for the current study. Data synthesis Alcohol studies showed a large effect size (g = 0.745, p < 0.001) while methamphetamine studies evidenced a moderate effect size (g = 0.406, p = 0.001); both without statistically significant heterogeneity (I2 = 0). Subgroup analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the effect sizes from alcohol versus methamphetamine studies (Q-between = 5.647, p = 0.017). Conclusions The CT is sensitive to the effects of both alcohol and methamphetamine and should be considered when examining dependent patients who might exhibit problem solving, concept formation, and set loss difficulties in everyday living.

Relations between cognitive and motor deficits and regional brain volumes in individuals with alcoholism

Despite the common co-occurrence of cognitive impairment and brain structural deficits in alcoholism, demonstration of relations between regional gray matter volumes and cognitive and motor processes have been relatively elusive. In pursuit of identifying brain structural substrates of impairment in alcoholism, we assessed executive functions (EF), episodic memory (MEM), and static postural balance (BAL) and measured regional brain gray matter volumes of cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar structures commonly affected in individuals with alcohol dependence (ALC) compared with healthy controls (CTRL). ALC scored lower than CTRL on all composite scores (EF, MEM, and BAL) and had smaller frontal, cingulate, insular, parietal, and hippocampal volumes. Within the ALC group, poorer EF scores correlated with smaller frontal and temporal volumes; MEM scores correlated with frontal volume; and BAL scores correlated with frontal, caudate, and pontine volumes. Exploratory analyses investigating relations between subregional frontal volumes and composite scores in ALC yielded different patterns of associations, suggesting that different neural substrates underlie these functional deficits. Of note, orbitofrontal volume was a significant predictor of memory scores, accounting for almost 15% of the variance; however, this relation was evident only in ALC with a history of a non-alcohol substance diagnosis and not in ALC without a non-alcohol substance diagnosis. The brain-behavior relations observed provide evidence that the cognitive and motor deficits in alcoholism are likely a result of different neural systems and support the hypothesis that a number of identifiable neural systems rather than a common or diffuse neural pathway underlies cognitive and motor deficits observed in chronic alcoholism.

Ventral Visual Pathway-Cerebellar Circuit Deficits in Alcohol Dependence: Long- and Short-Range Functional Connectivity Density Study.

Objective: To identify the underlying intrinsic functional connectome changes in patients with alcohol dependence.Methods: A functional connectivity density (FCD) analysis was used to report on the functional connectivity changes in 24 male patients with alcohol dependence (age, 47.83 ± 6.93 years) and 24 healthy male subjects (age, 47.67 ± 6.99 years). We defined the voxels with a correlated threshold of r > 0.25 inside their neighborhood (radius sphere ≤ 6 mm) as shortFCD, and radius sphere > 6 mm as longFCD. We repeated the network analysis using a range of correlation r thresholds (r = 0.30, 0.35, 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.6, and 0.75) to determine whether between-group differences were substantially affected by the selection of the different R-value thresholds used. A ROC curve was used to test the ability of the FCD in discriminating between the two groups. Pearson's correlation was used to evaluate the relationships between the FCD differences in brain areas and demographic characteristics.Results: The covered differences in brain areas in binarized shortFCD were larger than binarized longFCD in both groups. The intra-group FCD differences did not depend on the selection of different thresholds used. Patients with alcohol dependence were associated with the longFCD deficit in the cerebellum posterior lobe, and shortFCD deficit in the ventral system of the visual pathway and increased shortFCD in the left precentral gyrus, right salience network and right cingulate gyrus. A ROC curve demonstrated that these specific brain areas alone discriminated between the two groups with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. In the alcohol dependence group, the cerebellum posterior lobe, visual association cortex and the salience network displayed significant correlations with demographic characteristics.Conclusions: The shortFCD analysis was more sensitive than the longFCD analysis in finding differences in the brain areas. The ventral visual pathway-cerebellar circuit deficit appeared to be altered in patients with alcohol dependence.

Effects of Nitric Oxide Synthase-1 Exon 1f-VNTR Gene Polymorphism on the Clinical Symptoms of Alcohol Dependence, Impulsivity and Comorbid Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

We planned to compare individuals with alcohol dependence (AD) and healthy controls on the frequency of NOS1 exon 1f-VNTR gene polymorphism and to investigate the effects of this polymorphism on the clinical symptoms of alcohol dependence, impulsiveness and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. A total of 282 participants consisting of 153 patients and 129 age and gender matched healthy individuals were inluded in the study. All participants were evaluated with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis 1 disorders (SCID-I) and Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale, Adult Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Diagnosis Scale (ADHDS), Family History Research Diagnostic Criteria (FHDRC). The QF-PCR fragment protocols were used for genetic analyses. Allele fragments of ≤176 bp and >176 bp sizes were separated and 3 different genotypes were determined as the SS, SL and LL. Associations of these genotypes with symptoms of AD severity, impulsiveness and comorbid ADHD were investigated. The AD and control groups did not differ significantly on the basis of NOS1 exon 1f-VNTR gene polymorphism. Also, significant correlations between this polymorphism and symptoms of AD severity, impulsiveness and ADHD were not determined. Results of our study do not indicatea significant association between the NOS1 exon 1f-VNTR genotypes and AD, subgroups of AD, impulsiveness or comorbid ADHD semptoms.

HPA axis stress reactivity and hair cortisol concentrations in recently detoxified alcoholics and healthy controls with and without childhood maltreatment.

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a strong risk factor for alcohol dependence (AD) and is associated with a more severe course of the disease. Alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may play an important role in this relationship. The aim of the present study was to systematically investigate potential alterations in HPA functioning associated with AD diagnosis and CM. Four study groups were recruited: AD patients with (n=29; 10♀) and without (n=33; 8♀) CM and healthy controls with (n=30; 20♀) and without (n=38; 15♀) CM. Cumulative cortisol secretion was measured by hair cortisol concentration (HCC). To measure HPA axis response to the Trier social stress test (TSST), saliva and blood samples were analysed for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. In the AD groups, the period of hair growth covered acute alcohol consumption and withdrawal. The TSST was scheduled after completion of withdrawal. Irrespective of CM, higher HCCs and reduced ACTH and cortisol levels before and after TSST were observed in AD patients. The analyses did not reveal any differences between AD patients with and without CM. Healthy controls with CM had lower plasma cortisol levels compared with those without CM. The results suggest that AD is strongly related to HPA axis functioning, which may superimpose possible differences between AD patients with and without CM. Future studies should investigate whether biologically different subtypes of AD with and without CM can be identified in earlier stages or before the development of AD.

Comparison of Microbial Diversity and Composition in Jejunum and Colon of the Alcohol-dependent Rats

Alcohol dependence is a global public health problem, yet the mechanisms of alcohol dependence are incompletely understood. The traditional view has been that ethanol alters various neurotransmitters and their receptors in the brain and causes the addiction. However, an increasing amount of experimental evidence suggests that gut microbiota also influence brain functions via gut-to-brain interactions, and may therefore induce the development of alcohol use disorders. In this study, a rat model of alcohol dependence and withdrawal was employed, the gut microbiota composition was analyzed by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the metagenome function was predicted by PICRUSt software. The results suggested that chronic alcohol consumption did not significantly alter the diversity and richness of gut microbiota in the jejunum and colon, but rather markedly changed the microbiota composition structure in the colon. The phyla Bacteroidetes and eight genera including Bacteroidales S24-7, Ruminococcaceae, Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas, et al were drastically increased, however the genus Lactobacillus and gauvreauii in the colon were significantly decreased in the alcohol dependence group compared with the withdrawal and control groups. The microbial functional prediction analysis revealed that the proportions of amino acid metabolism, polyketide sugar unit biosynthesis and peroxisome were significantly increased in the AD group. This study demonstrated that chronic alcohol consumption has a dramatic effect on the microbiota composition structure in the colon but few effects on the jejunum. Inducement of colonic microbiota dysbiosis due to alcohol abuse seems to be a factor of alcohol dependence, which suggests that modulating colonic microbiota composition might be a potentially new target for treating alcohol addiction.

Increased Bone Mineral Density after Abstinence in Male Patients with Alcohol Dependence.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the bone mineral density of male patients with alcohol dependence with that in healthy controls and to assess changes in bone density after abstinence.MethodsForty-four inpatients with confirmed the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 42 controls were recruited. Bone density was determined with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in the lumbar spine as well as in the femoral neck, trochanter, and Ward’s triangle regions of the proximal right femur.ResultsThere were no significant differences in age and body mass index between patients with alcohol dependence and healthy controls. In the alcohol dependence group, osteopenia and osteoporosis were found in 54.5% and 34.1% of the patients, respectively, whereas in the control group, the corresponding values were 45.2% and 11.9% (p=0.001). Although the actual bone density in the femur and the corresponding T-scores were significantly lower in the alcohol dependence group, no significant differences were found in the lumbar spine. In both groups, body mass index showed a significant correlation with bone mineral density in all areas. After 3 to 4 years of abstinence, bone density significantly increased in the lumbar and femur.ConclusionWe conclude that bone mineral density in patients with alcohol dependence was significantly lower than that in healthy controls, and the rates of osteopenia and osteoporosis are higher. Importantly, abstinence from alcohol increases bone density.

Accelerated and Premature Aging Characterizing Regional Cortical Volume Loss in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: Contributions From Alcohol, Substance Use, and Hepatitis C Coinfection

BackgroundLife expectancy of successfully treated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected individuals is approaching normal longevity. The growing HIV population ≥50 years of age is now at risk of developing HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder, acquiring coinfection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and engaging in hazardous drinking or drug consumption that can adversely affect trajectories of the healthy aging of brain structures. MethodsThis cross-sectional/longitudinal study quantified regional brain volumes from 1101 magnetic resonance imaging scans collected over 14 years in 549 participants (25 to 75 years of age): 68 HIV-infected individuals without alcohol dependence, 60 HIV-infected individuals with alcohol dependence, 222 alcohol-dependent individuals, and 199 control subjects. We tested 1) whether localized brain regions in HIV-infected individuals exhibited accelerated aging, or alternatively, nonaccelerated premature aging deficits; and 2) the extent to which alcohol or substance dependence or HCV coinfection altered brain aging trajectories. ResultsThe HIV-infected cohort exhibited steeper declining volume trajectories than control subjects, consistently in the frontal cortex. Nonaccelerated volume deficits occurred in the temporal, parietal, insular, and cingulate regions of all three diagnostic groups. Alcohol and drug dependence comorbidities and HCV coinfection exacerbated HIV-related volume deficits. Accelerated age interactions in frontal and posterior parietal volumes endured in HIV-infected individuals free of alcohol or substance dependence and HCV infection comorbidities. Functionally, poorer HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder scores and Veterans Aging Cohort Study indices correlated with smaller regional brain volumes in the HIV-infected individuals without alcohol dependence and alcohol-dependent groups. ConclusionsHIV infection itself may confer a heightened risk of accelerated brain aging, potentially exacerbated by HCV coinfection and substance dependency. Confirmation would require a prospective study with a preinfection baseline.