Drinking Age Research Articles

How does alcohol access affect transitional adults’ healthy dietary behaviors?

Despite the rich evidence of the negative effects of alcohol on health, educational, and labor market outcomes, less is known about whether or how lowering the cost of accessing alcohol affects youths’ healthy dietary behaviors. Our study addresses this gap by employing individual-level data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97). Exploiting the age cutoff in the US minimum legal drinking age law, we find that the transition to the age of 21 coincides with a discontinuous increase in the consumption of fruit and vegetables among the overall NLSY97 sample. One possible explanation for this seemingly counterintuitive result is that some youths re-optimized in response to an exogenous reduction in the cost of alcohol access. We separated the results by drinking status and gender, scrutinized the drinking subsample, and found suggestive evidence in support of this hypothesis. We also examined different sociodemographic subgroups to better understand the heterogeneous local average treatment effects of the universal MLDA policy.

Mixing Shots: Assessing Self-Reported Drunk Hunting and Target Shooting in a Young Adult Population

ABSTRACT Although the literature presents many studies generally relating gun ownership and the use of intoxicants to unfavorable outcomes, few studies have explored deviance in the form of negligent firearm use. This study explores firearm usage while under the influence of alcohol and/or marijuana utilizing self-report data from a random sample of 2,349 students. Findings indicate males, those closest to the minimum legal drinking age, individuals with substance-using peers, and those with a substance-related arrest were significantly more likely to utilize a firearm while impaired. Low self-control appears related to firearm operation after marijuana, but not alcohol, use.

Psychometric properties of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) in adolescents and young adults from Southern Mexico

Alcohol abuse is a worldwide health problem because of its association with high rates of morbidity, mortality, and interpersonal conflicts. In Mexico, young people are the group most severely affected by high levels of alcohol intake. This study attempts to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in the Mexican youth population, since validation studies do not currently exist. An opinion sampling method was used based on the inclusion criteria for the study and the accessibility of the sample. Participants' ages ranged from 14 to 30, and 44.2% (N=854) were male and 55.8% (N=1078) were female. The psychometric guarantees of AUDIT have been confirmed, highlighting the value of Alpha Cronbach (.804) of the scale, and the validity of its internal structure through a confirmatory factor analysis, which showed the validity of the model of the three factors (Risky use, Dependence symptoms, and Harmful alcohol use). The results confirm a pattern of non-daily use, and concentrated, excess use on a single occasion. The existence of significant differences has also been confirmed in terms of the legal drinking age in some of the indicators used, and the risk of alcohol consumption increases with age. The appropriate psychometric properties of AUDIT have been confirmed in the Mexican youth population. It shows a public health issue that requires the design of prevention programs that impact risk factors and promote protective factors.

The unique role of attachment dimensions and peer drinking in adolescent alcohol use

Adolescent alcohol use can result in adverse health and social outcomes, including elevated risk of future substance use disorders. Insecure attachment and heavy peer use are both linked to early problematic drinking, but the precise relationship between these variables is poorly understood. Further, mixed findings in prior literature highlight the importance of distinguishing between both dimensions of insecure attachment – anxiety and avoidance. This laboratory-based study investigated whether peer use moderates the association between attachment and laboratory alcohol consumption in a sample of 120 adolescents of legal drinking age (18–21 years). The relationship between attachment and self-reported alcohol use was also investigated. It was hypothesized that both dimensions of insecure attachment would predict greater self-report and laboratory alcohol use, and that the presence of a heavy drinking peer would strengthen this relationship. Results indicated that attachment anxiety, but not avoidance, predicted self-report and laboratory alcohol use. Peer drinking did not moderate this effect. Findings emphasize the importance of investigating both attachment anxiety and avoidance, and suggest that future research should focus on mediating mechanisms between attachment anxiety and alcohol use.

Legal access to alcohol and academic performance: Who is affected?

Previous research finds that legal access to alcohol hinders the academic performance of college students. However, the existing studies differ materially in magnitudes, suggesting a reduction in subsequent grades of either 0.03 or 0.10 standard deviations. One plausible explanation is that the change in alcohol consumption that occurs upon attaining the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) differs across student populations. We test this hypothesis by leveraging predictable variation in adherence to the MLDA across students within the same institution. We find that students with limited underage access to alcohol experience the largest declines in academics upon turning 21, while students with large social networks that likely enable underage consumption experience no effect.

Analysis of the alcohol drinking behavior and influencing factors among emerging adults and young adults: a cross-sectional study in Wuhan, China

BackgroundThe relationship between alcohol use in adolescents and young adults and outcomes has not been widely researched in China. The aim of the current study was to understand the current status of drinking behavior of Chinese youth transitioning into adulthood.MethodsThe cross-sectional study included 1634 participants between 18 and 34 years of age. The participants were randomly chosen from 13 administrative districts in Wuhan, and invited to complete a questionnaire. Univariate analysis was performed to describe the demographic distribution of alcohol consumption and the association with drinking status. Stepwise Logistic regression analysis was undertaken analyzing the factors influencing the drinking behaviors. The data were weighted to the population in Wuhan and analyzed using SAS version 9.3.ResultsFor our sample of emerging and young Chinese adults the prevalence of drinking alcohol was 45.84%. The non-drinkers predominated, accounting for 54.16% and light drinkers accounted for 42.94%, while moderate and heavy drinkers were in the minority (2.90%). The earlier the age of first alcohol drinking or the age of first being intoxicated, the greater the likelihood of being a moderate or heavy drinker. People with high emerging adulthood were more likely to have moderate or heavy drinking behaviors. The logistic regression analysis indicated that heavy drinkers were more likely to not be married and to be classified as high emerging adulthood.ConclusionsOur findings suggested that the drinking pattern should be further evaluated over time to explore the ways in which social and cultural factors shape the drinking route of this age group. Effective drinking behavior prevention and interventions and appropriate guidance should be formulated to establish an appropriate attitude towards drinking alcohol and develop a drinking behavior which is conducive to physical and mental health between this particular demographic.

Religious and spiritual struggles, religiousness, and alcohol problems among undergraduates

Theoretically, religion/spirituality may protect against alcohol problems or facilitate recovery. However, challenges can arise in religious/spiritual life that may contribute to or complicate alcohol problems. Emerging adults often experience difficult transitions from family environments to independent membership in academic communities straddling the legal drinking age boundary. Among underage undergraduates, we hypothesized that religious/spiritual struggles predict more alcohol problems independently of distress and religiousness, and religiousness independently predicts fewer alcohol problems. Our survey of two U.S. universities (total N = 2525) supported these hypotheses. Structural equation models revealed positive correlations between alcohol problems and all six religious/spiritual struggles (divine, demonic, interpersonal, moral, ultimate meaning, doubt), but only moral struggle predicted alcohol problems moderately and independently of religiousness, distress, gender, and non/white ethnicity. Evidence also emerged for negative correlations between religious/spiritual struggles and drinking as it varies independently of alcohol problems. We recommend that alcoholism counselors address clients’ religious/spiritual struggles.

Nation-scale primary prevention to reduce newly incident adolescent drug use: the issue of lag time.

BackgroundThere is limited evidence about the effects of United States (US) nation-level policy changes on the incidence of alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking. To investigate the potential primary prevention effects on precocious drug use and to clarify lag-time issues, we estimated incidence rates for specified intervals anticipating and lagging after drug policy enactment. Our hypotheses are (a) reductions in underage drinking or smoking onset and (b) increases of incidence at the legal age (i.e., 21 for drinking and 18 for smoking).MethodsThe study population is 12–23-year-old non-institutionalized US civilian residents. Estimates are from 30 community samples drawn to be nationally representative for the US National Surveys on Drug Use and Health 1979–2015. Estimates were year-by-year annual incidence rates for alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking by 12–23-year-olds, age by age. Meta-regressions estimate age-specific incidence over time.ResultsIncidence of underage alcohol drinking declined and followed a trend line that started before 1984 enactment of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, but increased drinking incidence for 21 year olds was observed approximately 10 years after policy enactment. Eight years after the Synar amendment enactment, evidence of reduced smoking incidence started to emerge. Among 18 year olds, a slight increase in tobacco smoking incidence occurred about 10 years after the Synar amendment.ConclusionOnce nation-level policies affecting drug sales to minors are enacted, one might have to wait almost a decade before seeing tangible policy effects on drug use incidence rates.

Falls from a balcony while intoxicated: a new injury trend among young adults?

BackgroundUnintentional falls from heights, including balconies, result in life threatening traumatic injury. Alcohol, when combined with environmental factors and poor judgement, can potentially lead to fatal outcomes. One trauma center’s registry identified a group of young adults falling from balconies and we investigated the role of alcohol.MethodsHospital trauma service admissions from 2010 through 2017 were reviewed for unintentional falls from heights. Suicide attempts and unintentional falls off ladders or roofs were excluded. Data were obtained from trauma registry and medical record review, as well as social work service interviews.ResultsFalls from heights comprised 4.8% of injuries treated at our trauma center during the eight-year study period with 98.5% admitted. Of patients admitted because of falls, 10.3% (55/532) were from a balcony. The majority of this group of patients was male and 19–29 years old (67%). Of patients with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) determination, 62% had a positive BAC upon hospital admission with an average of 0.20 g/dL among those 34 patients. No gender differences were evident for alcohol use. Seven of the eight patients under the legal drinking age of 21 years were a subgroup with high alcohol use as compared with patients 21 years and older (p = 0.099). Ninety-four percent of falls occurred at residential locations such as dormitories or apartment complexes, often during a social event. Backward falls off railings and attempts to jump to adjoining balconies were common. Head, thorax/abdomen, and extremity fractures were common, with an average injury severity score (ISS) of 16. Average length of hospital stay was 8 days. Most patients (67%) were discharged home after hospital stay, but 21% were transferred to inpatient rehabilitation or skilled nursing facilities. There were two deaths.ConclusionsFalls from balconies among young adults occur in our area yet the true frequency of these events remain unknown. Occurrence was most common among underage drinkers. Generalization is difficult with this small sample, yet high risk behaviors and environmental factors were evident. It is imperative that educational programs focus on this population with collaborative prevention efforts focused on the dangers of, and increased risk of injury associated with the balcony environment.

Assessing the impacts of minimum legal drinking age laws on police-reported violent victimization in Canada from 2009 to 2013

Background/aim: Given that alcohol-related victimization is highly prevalent among young adults, the current study aimed to assess the potential impacts of Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) laws on police-reported violent victimization events among young people.Design: A regression-discontinuity (RD) approach was applied to victimization data from the Canadian Uniform Crime Reporting 2 (UCR2) Incident-based survey from 2009-2013.Participants/cases: All police-reported violent victimization events (females: n = 178,566; males: n = 156,803) among youth aged 14–22 years in Canada.Measurements: Violent victimization events, primarily consisting of homicide, physical assault, sexual assault, and robbery.Results: In comparison to youth slightly younger than the drinking age, both males and females slightly older than MLDA had significant and immediate increases in police-reported violent victimization events (females: 13.5%, 95% CI: 7.5%–19.5%, p < 0.001; males: 11.6%, 95% CI: 6.6%–16.7%, p < 0.001). Victimizations occurring in the evening rose sharply immediately after the MLDA by 22.8% (95% CI: 9.9%–35.7%, p = 0.001) for females and 19.3% (95% CI: 11.5%–27.2%, p < 0.001) for males. Increases in violent victimization immediately after MLDA were most prominent in bar/restaurant/open-air settings, with victimizations rising sharply by 44.9% (95% CI: 29.5%–60.2%, p < 0.001) among females and 18.3% (95% CI: 7.7%–29.0%, p = 0.001) among males.Conclusions: Young people gaining minimum legal drinking age incur immediate increases in police-reported violent victimizations, especially those occurring in the evening and at bar/restaurant/open-air settings. Evidence suggests that increasing the MLDA may attenuate patterns of violent victimization in newly restricted age groups.

The effectiveness and effects of alcohol regulation: evidence from India

We provide quasi-experimental evidence on the effects of alcohol regulation on alcohol consumption and associated public health outcomes using detailed individual level and aggregate data from India, where state-level laws regulating the minimum legal drinking age generate substantial variation in the availability of commercially produced alcohol across people of different ages. We find that despite significant law evasion, men who are legally allowed to drink are substantially more likely to consume alcohol. Further, men who are legally allowed to drink are significantly more likely to commit violence against their partners, suggesting a causal channel between alcohol consumption and domestic violence. These results are robust to the exclusion of states with prohibition, implying that they are driven by differences in MLDA. We also examine the effects of alcohol regulation on other public health outcomes. Consistent with the existing literature, we find evidence that smoking and drinking are complements. Finally, we provide suggestive evidence that stricter alcohol control is associated with lower rates of motor vehicle accidents and crimes against women, but not other forms of crime.

Associations of Early Age of First Intoxication with Past Year Drinking Contexts and Problems

Background: Mechanisms underlying associations between early drinking and problems are largely unknown. Objectives: We investigated (a) associations between early age of first intoxication (≤15 years) and past year drinking in different contexts and (b) whether early age of first intoxication is differentially associated with problems in these contexts. Methods: We used survey data collected in 2013–2014 from 405 past-year adolescent drinkers in 24 midsized California cities. Data included demographics; drinking behaviors; age of first intoxication; frequency of being at and drinking at restaurants, bars/nightclubs, outdoor places, and home; and problems. We used multilevel logistic and negative binomial models to account for the clustering of adolescents within cities. Probabilities were corrected to maintain family-wise error rates. Results: Early age of first intoxication was associated with a 120% increase in the odds of drinking at outdoor settings (OR = 2.20, pc < .05). Early age of first intoxication was associated with increased numbers of problems related to drinking in restaurants (IRR = 5.72, pc < .001), outdoor settings (IRR = 3.40, pc < .001), and homes (IRR = 2.84, pc < .001). Later intoxication (≥16 years) was not significantly associated with increased drinking or problems in any of these contexts. Conclusions: Results suggest that underage drinkers who report early intoxication are more likely to drink at outdoor settings, but not other contexts. However, they may differentially experience drinking problems across contexts. To target youths who have experienced intoxication at an early age and to reduce problems, prevention interventions should focus on outdoor settings.

Shifting Age of Peak Binge Drinking Prevalence: Historical Changes in Normative Trajectories Among Young Adults Aged 18 to 30.

This study examined the extent to which the developmental pattern of prevalence of binge drinking in the past 2weeks from ages 18 through 30 has changed across 29 cohorts of U.S. young adults, and whether the changes differed by gender. Analyses used national longitudinal data from 58,019 12th-grade students (from graduating high school classes 1976 to 2004) participating in the Monitoring the Future study followed through modal age 30 (with age 29/30 data collected from 1987 to 2016). Weighted time-varying effect modeling was used to model cohort group differences in age-related patterns of binge drinking. The age of peak binge drinking prevalence increased across cohorts (from age 20 in 1976 to 1985 to 22 in 1996 to 2004 for women, and from 21 in 1976 to 1985 to 23 in 1996 to 2004 for men). Historical change in the developmental pattern of binge drinking across all ages of young adulthood differed for men and women. Even after controlling for key covariates, women in the more recent cohort group reported significantly higher binge drinking prevalence than women in earlier cohorts from ages 21 through 30. Men in the more recent cohort group reported higher binge drinking prevalence at ages 25 to 26, but prevalence levels then converged to those seen in earlier cohort groups by age 30. An older age of peak binge drinking and a decreased rate of decline in the prevalence of binge drinking in later young adulthood among more recent cohorts have resulted in an extension of individual and societal risks associated with binge drinking, particularly for women, across young adulthood. High-risk alcohol use prevention efforts are needed throughout at least the third decade of life.

Effectiveness of lowering the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for driving from 0.10 to 0.08 grams per deciliter in the United States

Objective: The current study evaluates of the effects of lowering the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit from 0.10 to 0.08 g/dL across all 50 states in the United States. Our objectives were to (1) estimate the effects of the 0.08 g/dL BAC limit on drinking driver fatal crash rates; (2) compare the effects from early-adopting states to the effects of late-adopting states; (3) determine the effects on drivers with low BACs (0.01–0.07 g/dL) and high BACs (0.08+ g/dL); and (4) estimate the lives saved since 1983 due to the adoption of 0.08 g/dL BAC laws.Methods: Our study examined annual data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for each jurisdiction from 1982 through 2014. Our basic outcome measure was the ratio of drinking drivers (BAC ≥0.01 g/dL) to nondrinking drivers (BAC = 0.00 g/dL). Covariates included 0.10 BAC laws, administrative license revocation (ALR) laws, seat belt laws, minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws, and unemployment rates. We utilized autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models for each state, where the implementation date of the law was modeled as a zero-order transfer function in the series, in addition to any extant trends that may have been occurring simultaneously. Before determining the specific impact of the implementation of 0.08 g/dL BAC laws, we conducted a time series analysis for each state. We tested for between-state mediating factors relating to our covariates.Results: A total of 38 of the 51 jurisdictions showed that lowering the BAC limit was associated with reduced drinking driver fatal crash ratios, with 20 of those reductions being significant. The total effects showed a 10.4% reduction in annual drinking driver fatal crash rates, which is estimated to have saved an average of 1,736 lives each year between 1983 and 2014 and 24,868 lives in total. Implementing a BAC limit of 0.08 g/dL had significant impacts on both high- and low-BAC fatal crash ratios. Though early-adopting jurisdictions (1983–1999) demonstrated a larger decrease in fatal drinking driver crash ratios than did late-adopting jurisdictions (2000–2005), the results were not statistically significant (P > .05).Conclusions: Our study of the effects of lowering the BAC from 0.10 to 0.08 g/dL in the United States from 1982 to 2014 showed an overall effect of 10.4% on annual drinking driver fatal crash rates, in line with other multistate studies. This research provides strong evidence of the relationship between lowering the BAC limit for driving and the general deterrent effect on impaired-driving fatal crash rates.

Prevalence of High-Intensity Drinking from Adolescence through Young Adulthood: National Data from 2016-2017.

High-intensity drinking (HID; ie, having 10+ drinks in a row) is a recognized public health concern due to the individual and public risks (eg, alcohol-related injuries, alcohol poisoning, memory loss, sexual risk) associated with consumption of a large quantity of alcohol over a relatively short time period. Using nationally representative samples of US 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students, and follow-up of subsamples of 12th graders, we present overall and sex-specific prevalence estimates of past 2-week HID from 29 966 individuals at the modal ages of 14 to 30 in 2016-2017. Similar data for the more commonly studied measure of binge drinking (having 5+ drinks in a row) is provided for comparison. HID prevalence ranged from 1% to 11.5% and was significantly higher for males than females at all ages other than modal age 14 (8th grade). Binge drinking prevalence ranged from 3.5% to 32.5%; males reported a higher prevalence than females at approximately half of the ages examined. Peak binge drinking and HID age for males was earlier (modal age 21/22) than that for females (modal age 21-24 for binge drinking and 25/26 for HID). The observed rapid increase in HID from adolescence through the early to mid-20s highlights the importance of prevention and intervention efforts targeted to these ages.

The Effects of Stepwise Minimum Legal Drinking Age Legislation on Mortality: Evidence from Germany

This study investigates the short-term mortality effects of two age-based restrictions on legal access to alcohol in Germany. We exploit sharp differences in legal access to alcohol at 16 and 18 years by implementing a regression discontinuity design. We find discontinuous increases in deaths at both age cutoffs, which are mainly driven by a novice driver effect, whereas legal access to alcohol plays a marginal role at most. Overall, our results indicate that a stepwise introduction to alcohol has, at most, a minor impact on drunk driving and mortality at age 16 and 18 years. This study thus provides fresh impetus to the ongoing debate on the optimal MLDA legislation.

Extracurricular Physical Activity and Alcohol Consumption among Adolescents

This article is focused on the connection between extracurricular sports and alcohol consumption among students in vocational schools (VS). Data collected in 2014 contains information on engagement in individual and team sports and frequency of alcohol consumption by students from vocational schools in St.-Petersburg (29 schools, 2935 students, 77% of them being boys with an average age of 17). Analysis with logistic regressions demonstrates that the effect of extra-curricular sports on drinking is rather low. The main conclusions are: (1) patterns of alcohol consumption are different for boys and girls; (2) team sports are positively related to frequency of drinking; (3) there are no gender differences in the relations between team sports and drinking; and (4) reaching the legal drinking age (18 years old) is more strongly associated with drinking than engaging in team sports. Future studies of adolescent risk behavior are necessary to understand whether these results are unique for extracurricular sports activities or common for all extracurricular activities which involve teams.

Heavy Alcohol Use and Age Effects on HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Function.

There is growing concern about the health impact of heavy alcohol use in people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV+). Mixed findings of past studies regarding the cognitive impact of alcohol use in HIV+ adults have been mixed, with inconsistent evidence that alcohol consumption exacerbates HIV-associated brain dysfunction. This study examined contributions of current heavy drinking, lifetime alcohol use disorder (AUD), and age to cognitive deficits in HIV+ adults, and relative to other HIV-associated clinical factors. Cognitive performance of HIV+ adults (n=104) was assessed, and comparisons were made between heavy current to nonheavy drinkers (NIAAA criteria), lifetime AUD versus no-AUD, and older (>50years) versus younger participants. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between cognitive performance and current heavy drinking, lifetime AUD, and older age, while also correcting for HIV clinical factors and history of other substance use. Individuals reporting current heavy drinking and meeting criteria for lifetime AUD demonstrated the greatest degree of deficits across multiple cognitive domains. Deficits were greatest among HIV+ adults with lifetime AUD, and older age was also associated with weaker cognitive performance. Lifetime AUD and older age independently exhibited stronger associations with cognitive performance than HIV clinical factors (e.g., viral load, current CD4, and nadir CD4) or past opiate and cocaine use. Current heavy drinking and lifetime AUD adversely affect cognitive function in HIV+ adults. Greatest deficits existed when there was a history of AUD and continued current heavy drinking, indicating that past AUD continues to have an adverse impact and should not be ignored. That alcohol use was more strongly associated with cognitive performance than HIV clinical factors underscore clinical importance of targeting reduction in heavy alcohol consumption in HIV+ adults.

Binge Drinking among Residential Program Youth in Israel: Toward an Understanding of Predictors for Policy and Prevention

Alcohol use is attributed to about 25% of the total deaths among youth and young adults. Harmful alcohol use among youth has been overshadowed by the preoccupation with widespread use of other substances including cannabis and prescription drugs. A crosssectional cohort of 1,327 residential program and high school youth were compared regarding binge drinking habits and risk factors. Data was collected from 2004 to 2016. Residential program youth binge drinking predictors were substance abuse within the last month, alcohol availability, causing harm to others (e.g., fighting, stealing and possessing a weapon), unstructured day activity, and being a passenger in a car where the driver had been drinking. Binge drinking predictors among high school were smoking within the last month and alcohol availability. Effective risk behavior prevention involves a wide range of factors including the need to control alcohol access among those under the legal drinking age. An eco-systems approach involving youth and people they are in contact with is a viable prevention approach. However, conflicting personal and economic factors regarding alcohol use, among others, are a daunting barrier to overcome.

MGlu5 Receptor Blockade Within the Nucleus Accumbens Shell Reduces Behavioral Indices of Alcohol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety in Mice.

Withdrawal from binge-drinking increases negative affect, coinciding with increased expression of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) within the shell of the nucleus accumbens (AcbSh). Supporting a causal-effect relationship, systemic treatment with the mGlu5 receptor antagonist MTEP [3-((2-Methyl-4-thiazolyl)ethynyl)pyridine] is anxiolytic in binge-drinking adult and adolescent mice. Here, we employed neuropharmacological approaches to examine the functional relevance of AcbSh mGlu5 for behavioral indices of alcohol withdrawal-induced hyper-anxiety. Adult (PND 56) and adolescent (PND 28) male C57BL/6J mice consumed alcohol under modified Drinking-in-the-Dark procedures (10, 20, and 40% alcohol v/v) for 14 days. At an alcohol withdrawal time-point when mice manifest robust behavioral signs of hyper-anxiety (1 and 28 days withdrawal for adults and adolescents, respectively), mice were infused intra-AcbSh with 0, 1 or 10 μg MTEP and then affect was assayed in the light-dark shuttle box, marble-burying and forced swim tests. Brain tissue was collected to evaluate changes in Egr1 (early growth response protein 1) induction to index AcbSh neuronal activity. As expected, alcohol-experienced mice exhibited behavioral signs of hyper-emotionality. The anxiolytic effects of intra-AchSh MTEP were modest, but dose-dependent, and varied with age of drinking-onset. In adult-onset mice, only the 1 μg MTEP dose reduced withdrawal-induced hyper-anxiety, whereas only the higher dose was effective in adolescent-onset animals. MTEP reduced Egr1 expression within the AcbSh, irrespective of alcohol drinking history or age of drinking-onset. However, only the high MTEP dose reduced Egr1 expression in adolescent-onset binging mice. These results implicate AcbSh mGlu5 in modulating alcohol withdrawal-induced negative affect and suggest age differences in the neurobiological effects of alcohol withdrawal and behavioral responsiveness to mGlu5 blockade within the AcbSh.