Development Of Alcohol Dependence Research Articles

Rapid nongenomic estrogen signaling controls alcohol drinking behavior.

Ovarian-derived estrogen is a key modulator of numerous physiological processes via genomic and nongenomic mechanisms, including signaling non-canonically at membrane-associated estrogen receptors in the brain to rapidly regulate neuronal function. However, the mechanisms mediating estrogen regulation of behaviors such as alcohol consumption remain unclear. Early alcohol drinking confers greater risk for alcohol use disorder in women than men, and binge alcohol drinking is correlated with high circulating estrogen levels, but a causal role for estrogen signaling in driving alcohol drinking in gonadally-intact animals has not been established. We found that female mice displayed greater binge alcohol drinking and reduced avoidance behavior when circulating estrogen was high during the proestrus phase of the estrous cycle than when it was low, contributing to sex differences in these behaviors. The pro-drinking, but not anxiolytic, effect of high endogenous estrogen state occurred via rapid estrogen signaling at membrane-associated estrogen receptor alpha in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, which promoted synaptic excitation of corticotropin-releasing factor neurons and facilitated their activity during alcohol drinking behavior. This study is the first to demonstrate a rapid, nongenomic signaling mechanism for ovarian-derived estrogen signaling in the brain controlling behavior in gonadally intact females, and it establishes a causal role for estrogen in an intact hormonal context for driving alcohol consumption that contributes to known sex differences in this behavior.

Prevalence of Alcohol Consumption and Knowledge on its Consequences among Young Adult in Ward Number Five at Kachan Kawal Municipality, Nepal

The harmful use of alcohol causes many disease, social and economic burden in societies. The harmful use of alcohol ranks among the top risk factors for disease, disability and death through world. youth, who start drinking before age 15 years are six time more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after age 20 years. Aim of the study is to find out the prevalence of alcohol consumption and knowledge on its consequences among young adult (19-39 years) young adult in ward number 5 at Kachan Kawal Municipality, Jhapa. Descriptive cross sectional research design was used in this study. Non probability purposive sampling technique was used to select 50 young adult and semi -structured interview schedule was used to collect data. Data analysis was done on SPSS version 20.0. Descriptive statistics i.e. frequency, mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics i.e. chi square test was used to find the association between dependent and independent variable The finding of the present study revealed that out of 50 respondent 70% had current drinker, with male 44% outnumbering female 24%. Among those consumed alcohol 83.33% have used it before the age of 20 years. More than half of the respondents had been good knowledge on consequences of alcohol consumption i .e 56.0% and 44.0% had poor knowledge. It was concluded that alcohol consumption was high among male than female. There is association between level on knowledge on consequences and alcohol consumption and socio demographical variables.

Association of Functional Polymorphism in TPH2 Gene with Alcohol Dependence and Personality Traits: Study in Cloninger's Type I and Type II Alcohol-Dependent Inpatients.

Alcohol dependence (AD) is a complex disorder with a poorly understood etiology. In this study, we investigated the relationship between genetic variation in the TPH2 gene, which encodes the enzyme responsible for serotonin synthesis in the brain, and both AD and personality traits, with attention to Cloninger's types of AD. The study included 373 healthy control subjects, 206 inpatients with type I AD, and 110 inpatients with type II AD. All subjects were genotyped for the functional polymorphism rs4290270 in the TPH2 gene, and AD patients completed the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). The AA genotype and the A allele of the rs4290270 polymorphism were more frequent in both patient groups compared with the control group. In addition, a negative association was found between the number of A alleles and TPQ scores for harm avoidance in patients with type II, but not type I, AD. These results support the involvement of genetic variations of the serotonergic system in the pathogenesis of AD, especially type II AD. They also suggest that in a subset of patients, genetic variation of TPH2 could potentially influence the development of AD by affecting the personality trait of harm avoidance.

The role of melatonin in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence in rats that survived separation from their mother

Chronic alcohol consumption is the leading cause of chronic disease. Currently, both alcohol dependence and the consequences of chronic alcohol consumption are growing in the population. According to the liter-ature, one of the main causes of alcohol dependence is the stress effect on the body. Melatonin, as a hormone with a large number of biological effects, plays an essen-tial role in normalizing the post-stress state of the body. This is primarily due to its effect on neurotransmitter sys-tems and the impact on the synchronization of circadian rhythms. By acting simultaneously on the immune and neuroendocrine systems, melatonin optimizes homeo-stasis and increases resistance to stress.The aim of this study was to study the effect of me-latonin on the development of alcohol dependence in laboratory rats exposed to stress in the early postnatal period.The experiment reproduced early postnatal stress in newborn laboratory rats, which was a predictor of the development of alcohol dependence in experimental an-imals. The alcohol dependence that developed against the background of stress was pharmacologically correct-ed with the introduction of melatonin.Oral and intraventricular administration of me-latonin reduces voluntary alcohol consumption in a group of animals with more pronounced alcohol depen dence.Further study of the clinical effect of melatonin in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence seems promising. The question remains whether melatonin has a signifi-cant effect on the craving for alcohol and on its amount in the developed alcohol dependence.

INFLUENCE OF KETOSIS AND GLYCEMIA LEVELS ON CRAVING FOR ETHANOL IN ALCOHOLIZED RATS

Relevance. In case of developed alcoholic disease, under conditions of alcoholic hypoglycemia, ketone bodies act as an energy substrate for the brain. However, the role of ketone hunger for maintaining the craving for alcohol has not been established. The assumption of such a connection has a right to exist, since it is alcohol that stimulates the formation of ketone bodies. Therefore, with developed alcoholism, the desire to consume alcohol (and, in fact, "saturate" the brain with ketone bodies) can be considered as a consequence of hypoketonemia. Accordingly, the hunger of the alcoholic is the result of hypoketonemia, but not hypoglycemia. Therefore, it is relevant to conduct a study in which the given variables (controlled by us) were the level of glycemia and the level of ketonemia, and the amount of alcohol consumed voluntarily (under conditions of free choice) was a derivative and dependent value.
 Objective: to study the relationship between craving for alcohol, and levels of glycemia and ketonemia in alcoholized rats.
 Materials and methods. Male white rats (n = 40) were forcibly alcoholized with 10% ethanol in 16 weeks. After that, for 30 days, they had a free choice of three types of drinking: clean water, 5% glucose, and 10% ethanol. The volume of consumed liquids was recorded. The criterion for the developed alcohol dependence was the preference of ethanol. At this stage, the animals were divided into 4 groups. Rats were injected per os with 0.8-1.5 ml of: 1.4% unitiol (3.5 mg / kg) to suppress ketonemia – group 1 (n = 10); 40% starch (1.0 g / kg) to eliminate hypoglycemia – group 2 (n = 10); 2.8% unitiol and 80% starch to suppress ketonemia and eliminate hypoglycemia – group 3 (n = 10); 0.9% NaCl as a control – group 4 (n = 10). Blood glucose (from the tail vein) and urine ketone bodies were monitored. The glucose level was determined with a glucometer. Test strips were used to detect ketone bodies in urine. The results were processed with MedStat software. To measure the strength of the correlation between the indicators, Spearman and Pearson tests were used.
 Results. No ketone bodies were found in the urine of healthy animals; however, after the end of forced alcoholization, varying levels of ketonuria were recorded in all rats: from 0.5 to 10 mmol / L (Spearman's rank correlation test was 0.8). Glycemia in healthy rats was 7.0 ± 1.4 mmol / L. After alcoholization, it decreased (p <0.001) to 3.0 ± 0.7 mmol / l. Ethanol consumption during first 10 days of forced alcoholization was 3.2 ± 0.7 ml per 100 g of animal weight; by the end of the third week - 4.9 ± 1.1 ml; by the end of the sixth week - 6.4 ± 1.4 ml (this was a climax of consumption, since consumption did not increase up to the 16th week).
 After a 30-day correction, the level of glycemia (mmol / L) was as follows: animals of the 1st group (unitiol) - 4.0 ± 0.8; animals of the 2nd group (enhanced carbohydrate diet) - 7.1 ± 1.2; animals of the 3rd group (unitiol + enhanced carbohydrate diet) - 7.1 ± 1.1; animals of the 4th group (0.9% NaCl) - 3.5 ± 0.8.
 Alcohol consumption (ml per 100 g of animal weight) after 30-day correction was as follows: in group 1 (unitiol) - 5.1 ± 0.9; in group 2 (enhanced carbohydrate diet) - 2.7 ± 1; in group 3 (unitiol + enhanced carbohydrate diet) - 3.5 ± 1.5; in group 4 (0.9% NaCl) - 4.5 ± 1.2.
 A positive strong correlation was found between ethanol consumption and a decrease in glycemia (Pearson's test – 0.8).
 Conclusion. In alcoholized animals with severe hypoglycemia and ketosis, drug suppression of ketosis does not reduce the craving for ethanol. Metabolic correction, aimed at eliminating hypoglycemia, helps to reduce alcohol consumption and reduce the severity of ketosis. The reason for maintaining a stable craving for alcohol is the metabolic demand of the brain for ketone bodies, as alternative food sources in conditions of alcoholic hypoglycemia, and the synthesis of which is stimulated by alcohol intake.

Alcohol Addiction in War Veterans Treated in a In-patient Psychiatric Facility: Incidence, Comorbidity with PTSD Symptoms, Association with Combat Stressors.

The dearth of and inconsistency in the data on the prevalence, risks of occurrence, comorbidity, and causation of stress-related disorders and alcohol use disorders in Russian veterans of local wars constituted the background for this study. To study the psychopathological structure, clinical changes, and the reasons for the mental disorders suffered by Russian veterans of local wars; in particular, to study the prevalence, pathogenic factors, comorbidity of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, together with symptoms of stress disorders, in Russian veterans undergoing inpatient treatment. Our observational case-control study included 685 patients who were undergoing treatment in the psychiatric department of a military hospital: the Main group (veterans) consisted of 264 veterans of armed conflicts who had undergone inpatient treatment from 1992 to 2010; the Control group, 1, 296 patients, all servicemen and military pensioners who had undergone inpatient treatment during a calendar year and had never taken part in combat operations in the past; Control group 2, 125 military personnel (regular and reserve) who had not taken part in combat operations and corresponded to the patients of the main group in terms of the mean age and age distribution curve. We performed a clinical and psychopathological analysis of the symptoms identified in patients from the compared samples and, then, compared them with the ICD-10 criteria of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol-related disorders. This allowed us to establish the significance of the difference in their frequency and degree of association at the stage of the data analysis. We uncovered no difference in the prevalence of symptoms of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse among veterans and other servicemen and military pensioners who had not taken part in combat operations. However, there was a tendency to underdiagnose alcohol addiction in veterans in general and those with symptoms of PTSD, in particular. That is, alcohol addiction was not diagnosed in most cases when the veterans displayed symptoms of stress or other mental disorders, in addition to the signs of alcohol addiction. In most such cases, a stress-related mental disorder or another mental disorder with identified signs was diagnosed and alcohol abuse was described as a concomitant disorder or a complication. There was no significant association between any form of alcohol addiction or abuse and the presence of stress disorder symptoms in our sample of veterans; on the contrary, symptoms of re-experience of trauma were more often observed in veterans who were not prone to frequent drinking. The incidence of combat stressors traced in the medical history did not differ in veterans with any form of alcohol abuse and veterans who were not prone to frequent drinking. However, the main group subjects with alcohol addiction more often displayed cases of addictive behavior during combat operations. Therefore, alcohol abuse during combat operations requires additional research to better establish its prognostic significance. This Study found no difference in the incidence of alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse among veterans and other officers. In the sample of veterans, there was no significant association between alcoholism and the presence of PTSD symptoms or a history of combat stressors. It is possible that the same risk of alcohol addiction in different categories of military officers is due to a compact of social stressors that equally had a more significant adverse effect on the entire population of Russian military personnel in the 90s of the last century and the first years of this century, as well as the massive abuse of alcohol, which could also equalize the risks of developing alcohol dependence in all groups of militaries.

Loneliness and Increased Hazardous Alcohol Use: Data from a Nationwide Internet Survey with 1-Year Follow-Up.

We aimed to examine the association between loneliness and developing alcohol dependence or hazardous alcohol use. A cohort study was conducted utilizing data from a nationwide internet survey in 2021 and 2022 in Japan. A total of 15,854 follow-up participants (55% men, with a mean age of 52.8 years) were divided based on AUDIT scores: nondrinkers (AUDIT: 0), low-risk drinkers (AUDIT: 1–7), medium-risk drinkers (AUD: 8–14), high-risk drinkers (AUDIT: 15–19), and probable alcohol dependence (AUDIT: 20–40). The University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (Version 3), a short-form three-item scale, was used to assess loneliness (high loneliness score of ≥6). The prevalence of high loneliness was higher in nondrinkers than that in low- and medium-risk drinkers, i.e., 22%, 18%, and 17%, respectively, as well as in high-risk drinkers (32%) and those with probable alcohol dependence (43%) compared to non-high-risk drinkers (19%). After adjusting for various factors (sociodemographic, social isolation, psychological distress, and smoking), non-high-risk drinkers (AUDIT: 0–14) with high loneliness were more likely to become high-or-over-risk drinkers (AUDIT: 15–40) than those without high loneliness, with adjusted risk ratios of 1.45 (95% confidence interval: 1.08–1.96) through multivariable binary logistic regression. Among non-high-risk drinkers, people with high loneliness scores at baseline were associated with increased high-risk drinking patterns with probable alcohol dependence.

Promoter Specific Methylation of SSTR4 is Associated With Alcohol Dependence in Han Chinese Males.

Alcohol dependence (AD), a disease can be affected by environmental factors with epigenetic modification like DNA methylation changes, is one of the most serious and complex public health problems in China and worldwide. Previous findings from our laboratory using the Illumina Infinium Human Methylation450 BeadChip suggested that methylation at the promoter of SSTR4 was one of the major form of DNA modification in alcohol-dependent populations. To investigate whether DNA methylation levels of the SSTR4 promoter influence alcohol-dependent behaviors, genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood sample of 63 subjects with AD and 65 healthy controls, and pyrosequencing was used to verify the results of BeadChip array. Linear regression was used to analyze the correlation between the methylation levels of SSTR4 promoter and the scores of alcohol dependence scales. Gene expression of SSTR4 in brain tissue was obtained from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project and Human Brain Transcriptome database (HBT). We found the methylation levels of SSTR4 in AD group were significantly lower than healthy controls (two-tailed t-test, t = 14.723, p < 0.001). In addition, only weak to moderate correlations between the methylation levels of the SSTR4 promoter region and scale scores of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Life Events Scale (LES) and Wheatley Stress Profile (WSS) based on linear regression analyses (AUDIT: R 2 = 0.35, p < 0.001; LES: R 2 = 0.27, p < 0.001; WSS: R 2 = 0.49, p < 0.001). The hypomethylated status of SSTR4 may involve in the development of AD and increase the risk of AD persistence in Han Chinese males.

The Extent of Endorsement of Distal to Proximal Dysfunctional Cognitions in Individuals with Alcohol Dependence: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study in the Indian Context.

Background:Dysfunctional basic cognitions have been suggested as potential vulnerability markers for alcohol dependence (AD). Although there is a growing body of research on the role of distal cognitive vulnerability factors such as early maladaptive schema in the development of AD, little is known about the role of proximal cognitive factors such as cognitive distortions, dysfunctional attitude, and negative automatic thoughts.Methods:This comparative cross-sectional study aimed to examine dysfunctional cognitions in individuals with AD (n = 84) in comparison with healthy individuals (n = 60). The dysfunctional cognitions were assessed on the Young Schema Questionnaire third version of Short Form, Cognitive Distortion Scale, Dysfunctional Attitude Scale-Form A, and Automatic Thought Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to analyze the group differences in dysfunctional cognitions.Results:After controlling for the group difference in employment status, 12 of 18 schemas were more prevalent in individuals with AD than in healthy individuals. Individuals with AD also scored higher on seven of 10 cognitive distortions, as well as in terms of dysfunctional attitude and negative automatic thoughts.Conclusion:Dysfunctional cognition may play a significant role in developing AD. The findings may enhance our understanding of the nature and severity of dysfunctional cognitions in the development of AD. The information may further assist the clinicians in implementing adequate intervention strategies to manage dysfunctional cognitions in individuals with AD.

A study on alcohol dependence and it’s determinants among male patients attending a tertiary care hospital, Kolkata

Background: Alcohol intake is one of the major substance abuse and the problems of alcoholism is present throughout the world. There are some fundamental differences regarding socio-demographic profile, age of onset of drinking, and the nature of drinking etc. Aims and Objectives: This study was conducted to find out the association of several determinants like onset and duration of drinking, family history and role of biomarkers like Gamma-Glutamyl transferase (GGT), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) with severity of alcohol dependence. Materials and Methods: It was a hospital based cross-sectional and observational study. Screening and assessment of alcohol dependence was done by using scales like AUDIT and Alcohol dependence scale. Semi-structured questioner was used for assessing sociodemographic data for the total sample of 100 patients. 65 cases were selected finally after screening by AUDIT scale. GGT and MCV estimation was done for the finally selected cases along with healthy controls. Descriptive statistical analysis was done for obtaining results. Results: Findings suggest that early onset of drinking that is 17.14 years is associated with severe level of alcohol dependence. Study shows that family history of alcohol use is a predictor of developing alcohol dependence. Biomarkers like GGT, MCV had shown significant elevation for cases of severe dependence. Conclusion: The burden of alcohol use is growing alarmingly in India and before it turns out to be a giant monster encroaching upon youths, we need to focus our attention in curbing this problem by diagnosing and treating alcohol dependent patients and using preventive measures, to not allow development of dependence at all.

Associations of CB1 cannabinoid receptor (CNR1) gene polymorphisms with risk for alcohol dependence: Evidence from meta-analyses of genetic and genome-wide association studies.

Objectives:Reported associations of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with alcohol dependence (AD) have been inconsistent, prompting a meta-analysis to obtain more precise estimates.Methods:A Boolean search of 4 databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Mednar) sought articles that evaluated the association between CNR1 polymorphisms and risk of AD. We selected the articles with sufficient genotype frequency data to enable calculation of odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Using the Population Intervention Comparators Outcome elements, AD patients (P) were compared by genotype data between AD-participants (I) and non-AD-participants (C) in order to determine the risk of AD (O) attributed to the CNR1 SNPs. Analyzing 4 SNPs (rs1049353, rs1535255, rs2023239, and rs806379) using standard genetic models, we examined associations where multiple comparisons were Holm–Bonferroni corrected. The pooled ORs were assessed for aggregate statistical power and robustness (sensitivity analysis). Subgroups were Caucasians and African-Americans.Results:From 32 comparisons, 14 were significant indicating increased risk, from which 5 outcomes (P-value for association [Pa] = .003 to <.001) survived the Holm–Bonferroni-correction, which were deemed robust. In the rs1535255 outcomes, the codominant effect (OR = 1.43, 95% CIs = 1.24–1.65, Pa < .001) had greater statistical power than the dominant effect (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.08–1.57, Pa = .006). In contrast, the rs2023239 codominant outcome was underpowered. Significance of both rs806379 Caucasian outcomes (ORs = 1.20–1.43, 95% CIs = 1.07–1.57, Pa = .003) contrasted with the null effects in African-Americans (ORs = 0.98–1.08, 95% CIs = 0.70–1.53).Conclusions:Three CNR1 SNPs (rs1535255, rs2023239, and rs806379) were implicated in their associations with development of AD: based on aggregate statistical power, rs1535255 presented greater evidence for associations than rs2023239; rs806379 implicated the Caucasian subgroup. Multiple statistical and meta-analytical features (consistency, robustness, and high significance) underpinned the strengths of these outcomes. Our findings could render the CNR1 polymorphisms useful in the clinical genetics of AD.

Alcohol dependence running in a family.

Alcohol dependence running in a family.

Refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder complicated by alcohol withdrawal seizures in a female.

Refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder complicated by alcohol withdrawal seizures in a female.

Subjective executive function deficits in hazardous alcohol drinkers.

Background:Dependent alcohol drinkers exhibit differences in the structure and function of the brain, and impairments in cognitive function, including executive functions (EFs). Less is known about the impact of non-dependent but hazardous use (that which raises the risk of harm), and it is also unclear to what extent executive impairments in this cohort affect real-world function. The current study examines the relationship between alcohol use, EF and alcohol-related problems, in the general population.Methods:A between-groups cross-sectional design assessed EF across two levels of drinking; hazardous (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score of ⩾8) and non-hazardous. Alcohol drinkers (n = 666; 136 male; 524 female; six not disclosed; aged 28.02 ± 10.40 years) completed validated questionnaires online assessing subjective EF, alcohol use and alcohol-related problems.Results:Organisation, Strategic Planning, Impulse Control and overall function were significantly impaired in hazardous drinkers. Furthermore, the effect of alcohol on EF, partially mediated the relationship between alcohol use and alcohol-related problems.Conclusion:Hazardous drinking was associated with lower subjective EF, and this mediated the effect of alcohol on alcohol-related problems. This may be due to changes in prefrontal brain regions, which could indicate greater risk for the development of alcohol dependence (AD). Future research should use additional means to assess EF in hazardous drinkers, including recovery of function, development of AD and the relationship between cognition and alcohol-related daily problems.

Discontinued alcohol consumption elicits withdrawal symptoms in honeybees.

The honeybee continues to be developed as a model species in many research areas, including studies related to the effects of alcohol. Here, we investigate whether workers display one of the key features of alcoholism, namely withdrawal symptoms. We show that workers fed for a prolonged time on food spiked with ethanol, after discontinuation of access to such food, exhibited a marked increase in the consumption of ethanol and a slight increase in mortality. We additionally show that withdrawal symptoms do not include an increase in appetitiveness of ethanol diluted in water. Our results demonstrate that workers can develop alcohol dependence, which might be especially important in the natural setting of repeated exposure to ethanol in floral nectar and for their potential as a model of alcohol addiction.

Predictors of Alcohol Use Disorder: MAOA Gene VNTR Polymorphism, Impulsivity, and Personality Traits.

Risk factors for alcohol use disorder have been investigated for a long time. The MAOA gene presents several polymorphisms, including 30-bp variable number tandem repeat sequences (VNTR) in the promoter region. In this study, temperament characteristics, impulsivity, and frequency of MAOA-u VNTR polymorphism were investigated as risk factors for alcohol use disorder. Sociodemographic data form, Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11, Temperament, and Character Inventory were applied to 188 patients with alcohol use disorder and 101 healthy controls. High-activity alleles of MAOA-u VNTR were found more prevalent in the control group. Novelty seeking was found higher and harm avoidance was found lower in patients with alcohol use disorder. There was an indirect relationship between MAOA-u VNTR low-activity allele and alcohol use disorder. According to the logistic regression model, motor impulsivity and novelty seeking may be important determinants of alcohol use disorder. Some personality traits and impulsivity may be predictors of individuals' risk for developing alcohol dependence. The MAOA gene may play an indirect role in the etiology of alcohol use disorders, and this polymorphism may be a partial marker for impulsivity. Other mechanisms that regulate neurotransmitters may also be involved in compensating for modified MAOA activity. Further research on the effects of genes associated with other neurotransmitters is needed to demonstrate any potential role of MAOA polymorphism in the formation of temperament characteristics and impulsivity.

Association of the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism and Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer: Clinical relevance for alcohol dependence.

Background:Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) quantifies the extent to which a stimulus that has been associated with reward or punishment alters operant behaviour. In alcohol dependence (AD), the PIT effect serves as a paradigmatic model of cue-induced relapse. Preclinical studies have suggested a critical role of the opioid system in modulating Pavlovian–instrumental interactions. The A118G polymorphism of the OPRM1 gene affects opioid receptor availability and function. Furthermore, this polymorphism interacts with cue-induced approach behaviour and is a potential biomarker for pharmacological treatment response in AD. In this study, we tested whether the OPRM1 polymorphism is associated with the PIT effect and relapse in AD.Methods:Using a PIT task, we examined three independent samples: young healthy subjects (N = 161), detoxified alcohol-dependent patients (N = 186) and age-matched healthy controls (N = 105). We used data from a larger study designed to assess the role of learning mechanisms in the development and maintenance of AD. Subjects were genotyped for the A118G (rs1799971) polymorphism of the OPRM1 gene. Relapse was assessed after three months.Results:In all three samples, participants with the minor OPRM1 G-Allele (G+ carriers) showed increased expression of the PIT effect in the absence of learning differences. Relapse was not associated with the OPRM1 polymorphism. Instead, G+ carriers displaying increased PIT effects were particularly prone to relapse.Conclusion:These results support a role for the opioid system in incentive salience motivation. Furthermore, they inform a mechanistic model of aberrant salience processing and are in line with the pharmacological potential of opioid receptor targets in the treatment of AD.

A cross-sectional study about socio-demographic factors and clinical characteristics of male patients with alcohol dependence syndrome

Background: Alcohol abuse is one of the major causes of death and disability globally; and a key risk factor for health, social, and economic problems in the communities. Consumption of alcohol by Indians has increased drastically due to various factors and in an unrestricted manner; and the age of initiation of drinking is progressively coming down. Objective: To determine the socio-demographic and clinical profile of the patients coming for treatment of alcohol dependence syndrome in the psychiatry department. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 male outpatients of alcohol dependence syndrome attending the department of psychiatry at a tertiary care hospital. Sociodemographic data and clinical details were recorded with the help of a pre-designed questionnaire. Results: Nuclear family, family history of alcoholism, unmarried status, higher educational level, unemployment, and peer pressure are the factors significantly associated with early age at first drink and age of dependence on alcohol (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Adolescents having a family history of alcoholism are a high-risk group for developing alcohol dependence and should be targeted for intervention strategies. Community based-longitudinal studies are needed to understand multiple factors influencing alcohol use and recommend targeted preventive measures.&#x0D; Keywords: Alcohol, Alcohol dependence syndrome, Peer pressure, Intoxication, Socio-demographic factors

Biomarker Signatures to Monitor Alcohol Consumption and Induced Organ Damage

The difficulty to differentiate long duration alcoholic behaviours is a major obstacle in the diagnosis and its treatment. Biomarkers in alcoholism are indicative of recent alcohol consumption or alcohol-induced organ damage. They are broadly divided into two; state markers, which are tools indicative of acute or chronic alcohol consumption, and trait markers, which are markers indicative of a genetic predisposition responsible to develop alcohol dependence. This review aimed to sensitise the practitioners on different alcohol state markers available now-a-days. An electronic search in Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and PubMed was conducted by using following keywords: Alcohol biomarkers, State markers, Trait markers, Alcohol consumption test. Studies on alcohol biomarkers published in English language were included in this review. Reviews and studies with free access to only abstract have been excluded. The state markers mostly used to identify chronic alcohol exposure are the Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT), Aspartate and Alanine Aminotransferase (AST and ALT) which are routine serum liver function panels and Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) which is a haematological marker. The available non-conventional state biomarkers are Phosphatidylethanol (PEth), Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters (FAEE) and 5-Hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL). The novel state markers which have been developed in recent research context are still awaiting validation and possible introduction to commercial settings are Plasma Sialic Acid Index of Apolipoprotein J (SIJ), Total Serum Sialic Acid (TSA), Acetaldehyde, Acetaldehyde adducts, anti-adduct antibodies and β-Hexosaminidase. Conventional alcohol biomarkers are routinely used in clinical practice. Non-conventional biomarkers seem to be promising for its estimation. Novel biomarkers are at various stages of research and development.

The association of A-1438G and T102C polymorphisms in HTR2A and 120 bp duplication in DRD4 with alcoholic dependence in a northeastern Brazilian male population

BackgroundAround the world, 3.3 million deaths are related to alcohol abuse. In Brazil, there are more than 4 million people with this behavior. Alcohol Dependence (AD) is a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by excessive alcohol consumption influenced by genetic and environmental factors. HTR2A and DRD4 are genes related to the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems and alterations in their sequences are associated with the etiology of AD. Our work analyzed the association between A-1438G (rs6311) and T102C (rs6313) polymorphisms in HTR2A and 120 bp duplication in DRD4 with the susceptibility to AD in that group of people. MethodsBlood samples were collected from 300 men from Northeastern Brazil (150 alcohol-dependents and 150 controls). After DNA extraction, the determination of HTR2A and DRD4 genotypes was performed through PCR-RFLP method. The allele and genotype frequencies and association of polymorphisms with AD were determined using chi-square and Fisher's exact test, as well as, odds ratio (OR) with confidence interval of 95%. Value of p < 0.05 was considered significant. ResultsSignificantly, the low education, intake of doses per day, smoking and a positive family background of alcoholics were predominant in alcoholics patients than controls (p < 0.05). The results showed no differences were found between polymorphisms in the HTR2A and DRD4 genes herein investigated with AD. However, we observed a significant association between the GG (GG: OR = 6.68; 95% CI: 2.85 to 15.68; p < 0.0001), CC (CC: OR = 4.34; 95% CI: 1.68 to 11.1; p = 0.003), AG + GG (AG + GG: OR = 5.96; 95% CI: 2.68 to 13.2; p = 0.0001) and, TC + CC (TC + CC: OR = 4.38; 95% CI: 1.79 to 10.6; p = 0.001) genotypes in the HRT2A gene and family background with susceptibility to AD in our population. ConclusionTherefore, we suggest that the homozygous and heterozygous genotypes of the A-1438G and T102C polymorphism in the HTR2A gene, together with the positive family AD history, may be associated with the development of AD in the northeastern Brazilian male population displaying a dominant inheritance model. Further work is strongly encouraged to confirm the role of these polymorphisms in AD.