Patterns Of Drinking Behavior Research Articles

Cluster analysis of patients with alcohol use disorder featuring alexithymia, depression, and diverse drinking behavior.

This study aimed to identify subgroups of alcohol use disorder (AUD) based on a multidimensional combination of alexithymia, depression, and diverse drinking behavior. We recruited 176 patients with AUD, which were initially divided into non-alexithymic (n = 130) and alexithymic (n = 46) groups using a cutoff score of 61 on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Subsequently, the profiles of the two groups were compared. Thereafter, a two-stage cluster analysis using hierarchical and K-means methods was performed with the Z-scores from the TAS-20, the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report Japanese Version, the 12-item questionnaire for quantitative assessment of depressive mixed state, and the 20-item questionnaire for drinking behavior pattern. In the first analysis, Alexithymic patients with AUD showed greater depressive symptoms and more pathological drinking behavior patterns than those without alexithymia. Cluster analysis featuring alexithymia, depression, and drinking behavior identified three subtypes: Cluster 1 (core AUD type) manifesting pathological drinking behavior highlighting automaticity; Cluster 2 (late-onset type) showing relatively late-onset alcohol use and fewer depressive symptoms or pathological drinking behavior; and Cluster 3 (alexithymic type) characterized by alexithymia, depression, and pathological drinking behavior featuring greater coping with negative affect. The multidimensional model with alexithymia, depression, and diverse drinking behavior provided possible practical classification of AUD. The alexithymic subtype may require more caution, and additional support for negative affect may be necessary due to accompanying mood problems and various maladaptive drinking behaviors.

Drinking behavior patterns may be associated with persistent depressive symptoms after alcohol abstinence in alcohol use disorder.

This study examined the association between drinking behavior patterns and depressive symptoms after alcohol abstinence in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). We recruited 102 AUD inpatients with baseline depressive symptoms, indicated by scores ≥6 on the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report Japanese Version (QIDS-SR-J) pre-detoxification. Post-4-week abstinence, remission was defined as QIDS-SR-J scores <6. Patients were classified into remitted (n = 51) and persistent (n = 51) groups. Comparative analyses were conducted using patient profiles and the Drinking Behavior Pattern 20-item Questionnaire (DBP-20). Logistic regression identified factors related to post-abstinence persistent depression. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined DBP-20 cutoff scores differentiating between persistent and remitted depression. The persistent group exhibited higher scores in the DBP-20 "coping with negative affect" subscale. Logistic regression showed low education, unemployment, and using alcohol for coping as significant factors for persistent depression. Conversely, an automatic drinking pattern indicated natural remission post-abstinence. A subscale score of ≥8 in alcohol use for coping, especially among unemployed patients, predicted persistent depression (sensitivity 86.8%, positive predictive value 73.3%). Unemployed patients with AUD using alcohol to cope with negative affect may experience residual depression even after detoxification. In contrast, patients with AUD with predominantly automatic drinking behavior may exhibit natural remission post-abstinence.

Associations between relapse and drinking behaviors in patients with alcohol use disorders: A 6-month prospective study.

Habitual behaviors, rather than goal-oriented behaviors, mainly characterize drinking patterns in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, few studies have focused on the influence of drinking behavior on AUD relapse. This prospective study examined associations between drinking behavior patterns and alcohol-use relapse using the 20-item questionnaire for drinking behavior patterns (DBP-20). We enrolled patients with AUD and compared the cohort's demographic data and 6-month outcomes based on the DBP-20 and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test between two groups (alcohol use relapse vs. abstinence). We also assessed the results for significant factors related to relapse. We included 105 patients with AUD. More patients in the relapse group (n = 63) were active smokers and lived alone, while fewer took medication with cyanamide or disulfiram than those in the abstinence group (n = 42). The DBP-20 automaticity subscale score was higher in the relapse group than that in the abstinence group. Current smoker, living alone, and automatic drinking habits were significantly associated with AUD relapse. Automaticity may be a risky drinking behavior that leads to future relapse in patients with AUD, justifying behavioral strategies to combat automatic drinking for relapse prevention.

GABAergic signaling in alcohol use disorder and withdrawal: pathological involvement and therapeutic potential.

Alcohol is one of the most widely used substances. Alcohol use accounts for 5.1% of the global disease burden, contributes substantially to societal and economic costs, and leads to approximately 3 million global deaths yearly. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) includes various drinking behavior patterns that lead to short-term or long-lasting effects on health. Ethanol, the main psychoactive molecule acting in alcoholic beverages, directly impacts the GABAergic system, contributing to GABAergic dysregulations that vary depending on the intensity and duration of alcohol consumption. A small number of interventions have been developed that target the GABAergic system, but there are promising future therapeutic avenues to explore. This review provides an overview of the impact of alcohol on the GABAergic system, the current interventions available for AUD that target the GABAergic system, and the novel interventions being explored that in the future could be included among first-line therapies for the treatment of AUD.

Development of a 20-item questionnaire for drinking behavior pattern (DBP-20) toward personalized behavioral approaches for alcohol use disorder

Although screening tools are available for alcohol use disorders (AUD), such as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), these tools do not directly characterize individual drinking behavior for patients with AUD. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a new self-report questionnaire to identify the characteristics of drinking behavior patterns in patients with AUD.The study team developed a self-administered 20-item questionnaire for drinking behavior pattern (DBP-20) based on semi-structured interviews of patients with AUD. The DBP-20 and AUDIT were administered to 232 patients with AUD and 222 normal drinkers (1 ≤ AUDIT <20) as controls. Exploratory factor analysis of the DBP-20 was conducted for patients with AUD, followed by comparisons of its item and subscale scores between patients with AUD and controls. Correlations of AUDIT with total and subscale scores of the DBP-20 were also analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses for the DBP-20 and its subscales were performed to distinguish patients with AUD from controls.Exploratory factor analysis revealed a multidimensional 4-factor model of the DBP-20: coping with negative affect, automaticity, enhancement, and social use. Significant differences in DBP-20 total and subscale scores were observed for patients with AUD versus controls for all factors, except the social use subscale. Both the coping with negative affect and automaticity subscale scores as well as total DBP-20 scores were highly correlated with AUDIT scores. Total DBP-20 scores showed the greatest sensitivity, negative predictive value, and area under the ROC curve to distinguish patients with AUD from normal drinkers.Drinking as a means of coping with negative affect and automaticity may be specific for patients with AUD. DBP-20 may help patients with AUD to be aware of their own targeted problematic drinking behaviors and to seek their personalized behavioral approaches in a collaborative relationship with therapists.

Association between changes in facial flushing and hypertension across drinking behavior patterns in South Korean adults.

Heavy alcohol drinking has been reported to be associated with hypertension. Moreover, when drinking alcohol, individuals may experience symptoms such as facial flushing. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between changes in facial flushing and hypertension across different drinking behavior patterns in South Korean adults.Data from the Korea Community Health Survey conducted in 2019 were used, and 118 129 (51 047 men and 67 082 women) participants were included. The participants were divided into five groups based on the change in facial flushing (non‐drinking, non‐flushing to non‐flushing, flushing to flushing, non‐flushing to flushing, flushing to non‐flushing). The risk of hypertension in each facial flushing group was analyzed by multiple logistic regression.Men in the non‐flushing to flushing group had a significantly higher association with hypertension than other groups (men: odds ratio (OR) 1.42, confidence interval (CI) 1.14–1.76). According to the level of alcohol use disorder, the non‐flushing to flushing group showed a significantly increased odds of hypertension compared to all levels of drinking (men: mild drinking: OR 1.95, CI 1.40–2.71; moderate drinking: OR 2.02, CI 1.41–2.90; women: moderate drinking: OR 1.71, CI 1.16–2.52; heavy drinking: OR 1.90, CI 1.19–3.04).This study found a significant association between changes in facial flushing and hypertension among adults in South Korea. In particular, individuals who changed from non‐flushing to flushing reactions had an increased association with hypertension than the other groups. Compared to people at the same drinking level, people with non‐flushing to flushing reactions were highly associated with hypertension at moderate drinking level.

Applying machine learning techniques on feeding behavior data for early estrus detection in dairy heifers

The recent advances in sensor technology have allowed accurate predictions of estrus events using animal behavior information. Behavioral variables generated by electronic feed and water bins have not been explored as potential predictors for estrus detection. The objectives of this study were: (i) to evaluate the effect of estrus expression on feed intake and animal behavior (feeding and drinking) and (ii) to develop and evaluate predictive approaches to detect estrus expression using electronic feed and water bins data. Feed intake, animal behavior, and estrus events were measured in 57 Holstein × Gyr heifers (374 ± 21.2 kg and 22.6 ± 0.60 months). Previous to each estrus event, the following covariates were computed: total feed intake (FI, as-fed basis), number of visits at the feed bins (VF) and water bins (VW), time spent eating (TE), and time spent drinking water (TD). Three predictive approaches were evaluated: Generalized Linear Models (GLM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and Random Forest (RF). Twelve covariate sets were established to investigate: (ii.a) the prediction quality for estrus detection when long (−174 to 0 h) or short (−24 to 0 h) time series were used as predictors (6 h of time window, with estrus event at 0 h); (ii.b) the ability of machine learning algorithms to predict estrus 6 and 12 h in advance; and (ii.c) the predictive quality for estrus detection when only feeding and drinking behavior data (without intake variables) were included as predictors. The predictive approaches were evaluated through Leave-One-Out Cross-validation. Estrus events altered feeding and drinking behavior patterns, and feed intake. ANN, RF, and GLM presented similar accuracies within covariate sets. There was no benefit of using longer time series for estrus detection. Earlier detection of estrus event (6 and 12 h in advance) reduced model accuracy compared to predictions performed at 0 h. However, ANN and RF showed accuracy values ranging between 75.7% and 96.5%, which indicates a great potential for early estrus detection. The exclusion of feed intake data of the covariate sets did not reduce the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the models for estrus detection. These findings suggest that behavioral data can early predict estrus events, which could be incorporated in sensor technologies capable of generating behavioral information, such as electronic bins, wearable sensors, and computer vision systems.

A qualitative examination of drinking patterns among community college students

Objective: The purpose of this study was to gain insight about patterns of alcohol use and related consequences among heavy drinking community college students. Participants: About 26 community college students (Mean age 22.3 years, 46% men, 69% White) participated in this study between January and April 2013. Methods: Five qualitative focus group discussions were conducted during formative research preceding a text message intervention; participants were asked about common drinking behavior patterns among community college students, as well as how age and gender affect drinking. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Participants also completed a brief quantitative survey about their drinking behavior and its consequences. Results: Qualitative data identified several themes: (1) reasons for drinking, (2) drinking occasions, (3) age- and experience-related differences in drinking, including patterns specific to community college students and women. Conclusion: Research is needed to develop innovative strategies to reduce alcohol harm in this understudied population.

Personality and disinhibitory psychopathology in alcohol consumption: A study from the biological-factorial personality models of Eysenck, Gray and Zuckerman

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different personality traits on risk alcohol consumption, self-perceived problems and drinking behavior patterns, in the line of the “big three” personality model proposed by Sher (2005). We used the Zuckerman, Gray and Eysenck personality measures. The participants were 312 men and 356 women healthy between 18 and 30 years old. Our results showed that the Impulsive-disinhibited personality factor were strongly related with alcohol consumption, drinking problems and drinking patterns, while Anxiety and Sociability factors were not related with alcohol variables using a structural equation models (SEM). Impulsive/disinhibited personality variables had a stronger and direct effect on drinking problems, alcohol consumption, and pattern of drinking behaviour. Personality variables contributed between the 7% and 22% to explain the different drinking variables. These findings show that impulsive/disinhibited personality factors in alcohol consumers raises the risk for alcohol dependence.

Patterns of Drinking Behaviors and Predictors of Class Membership among Adolescents in the Republic of Korea: A Latent Class Analysis

Despite the high drinking rates and the complexity of drinking behaviors in adolescents, insufficient attention has been paid to their drinking patterns. Therefore, we aimed to identify patterns of adolescent drinking behaviors and factors predicting the distinct subgroups of adolescent drinking behaviors. We analyzed nationally representative secondary data obtained in 2017. Our final sample included 24,417 Korean adolescents who had consumed at least one glass of alcohol in their lifetime. To investigate patterns of drinking behaviors, we conducted a latent class analysis using nine alcohol-related characteristics, including alcohol consumption levels, solitary drinking, timing of drinking initiation, and negative consequences of drinking. Furthermore, we investigated differences in demographics, mental health status, and characteristics of substance use across the latent classes identified in our study. To do so, we used the PROC LCA with COVARIATES statement in the SAS software. We identified three latent classes of drinking behaviors: current non-drinkers (CND), binge drinkers (BD), and problem drinkers (PD). Compared to the CND class, both BD and PD classes were strongly associated with higher academic year, lower academic performance, higher levels of stress, suicidal ideation, lifetime conventional or electronic cigarette use, and lifetime use of other drugs. Health professionals should develop and implement intervention strategies targeting individual subgroups of drinking behaviors to obtain better outcomes. In particular, health professionals should consider different characteristics across subgroups of adolescent drinking behaviors when developing the interventions, such as poor mental health status and other substance use among binge and problem drinkers.

Angiotensins in the central mechanisms of drinking instrumental activity of rats with different manifestations of risk behavior

Aim. To carry out a comparative analysis of characteristics of drinking instrumental activity in rats with different manifestation of risk behavior before and after intracerebral introduction of equally productive dipsogenic doses of angiotensins.&#x0D; Materials and Мethods. The work was conducted on 19 Wistar male rats of 250300 g mass. All manipulations with animals were performed in accordance with the international ethic recommendations on biomedical research with use of animals. All rats were preliminarily scalped under ether anesthesia with removal of soft tissues and periosteum. The cannulae were introduced into rat’s brain through the trephine opening in the lateral ventricle. The length of each cannula was 8 mm, the internal diameter – 0.8 mm. All cannulae had a special restrictor at the distance of about 3.5 mm from the implantable end. Each animal was implanted one cannula into the lateral ventricle of the brain on the right or left side according to the coordinates of stereotaxic atlas for rats (L.D. Pellegrino at al., 1979) (AP = +1.0; L= 2; H= 2.5). Microinjections of substances were made into the brain of nonnarcotized animals using a microsyringe of 5 μL volume («Hamilton», the USA). For intraventricular microinjections, angiotensinII, angiotensinIII and [des – Asp1]angiotensinI («Sigma», the USA) were used.&#x0D; Results. In the article the mechanisms of realization of drinking instrumental activity in rats with different manifestations of risk behavior are described. In view of P.K. Anokhin’s general theory of functional systems, the effects of application of «equally productive» doses of angiotensins on initiation of specific patterns of drinking behavior in rats are discussed. Risk is considered as an independent component of systemic organization of purposive behavior of an individual. It is shown that the «integral pattern of individual behavior» of rats is selectively modulated by angiotensinII and angiotensinIII. This selectivity has a narrow focus and individual manifestations, depending on the background activity of the animals.&#x0D; Conclusion. Depending on the initial level of the intensity of instrumental activity of the animals (with different manifestations of risk behavior), angiotensin II and angiotensin III are involved into initiation of fullscale «integral pattern of individual drinking behavior» or participate in the directed modulation of complex purposive behavior manifested by enhancement of dipsogenic effect. At the same time, [des – Asp1]angiotensinI does not participate in the mechanisms of reproduction of the acquired drinking instrumental habits but induces only mechanisms of initiation of congenital individual forms of drinking behavior.

Angiotensins in the central mechanisms of drinking instrumental activity of rats with different manifestations of risk behavior

Aim. To carry out a comparative analysis of characteristics of drinking instrumental activity in rats with different manifestation of risk behavior before and after intracerebral introduction of equally productive dipsogenic doses of angiotensins.&#x0D; Materials and Мethods. The work was conducted on 19 Wistar male rats of 250300 g mass. All manipulations with animals were performed in accordance with the international ethic recommendations on biomedical research with use of animals. All rats were preliminarily scalped under ether anesthesia with removal of soft tissues and periosteum. The cannulae were introduced into rat’s brain through the trephine opening in the lateral ventricle. The length of each cannula was 8 mm, the internal diameter – 0.8 mm. All cannulae had a special restrictor at the distance of about 3.5 mm from the implantable end. Each animal was implanted one cannula into the lateral ventricle of the brain on the right or left side according to the coordinates of stereotaxic atlas for rats (L.D. Pellegrino at al., 1979) (AP = +1.0; L= 2; H= 2.5). Microinjections of substances were made into the brain of nonnarcotized animals using a microsyringe of 5 μL volume («Hamilton», the USA). For intraventricular microinjections, angiotensinII, angiotensinIII and [des – Asp1]angiotensinI («Sigma», the USA) were used.&#x0D; Results. In the article the mechanisms of realization of drinking instrumental activity in rats with different manifestations of risk behavior are described. In view of P.K. Anokhin’s general theory of functional systems, the effects of application of «equally productive» doses of angiotensins on initiation of specific patterns of drinking behavior in rats are discussed. Risk is considered as an independent component of systemic organization of purposive behavior of an individual. It is shown that the «integral pattern of individual behavior» of rats is selectively modulated by angiotensinII and angiotensinIII. This selectivity has a narrow focus and individual manifestations, depending on the background activity of the animals.&#x0D; Conclusion. Depending on the initial level of the intensity of instrumental activity of the animals (with different manifestations of risk behavior), angiotensin II and angiotensin III are involved into initiation of fullscale «integral pattern of individual drinking behavior» or participate in the directed modulation of complex purposive behavior manifested by enhancement of dipsogenic effect. At the same time, [des – Asp1]angiotensinI does not participate in the mechanisms of reproduction of the acquired drinking instrumental habits but induces only mechanisms of initiation of congenital individual forms of drinking behavior.

Drinking Behavior and Mental Illness Among Evacuees in Fukushima Following the Great East Japan Earthquake: The Fukushima Health Management Survey.

BackgroundRecent evidence from alcohol and trauma studies suggests that disasters are associated with increases in the consumption of alcohol. The Great East Japan Earthquake and the associated nuclear disaster have continued to affect the mental health of evacuees from Fukushima. This study aimed to extend these findings by examining the relationship between drinking behaviors and the risk of mental illness after the compound disaster.MethodsWe conducted the Mental Health and Lifestyle Survey with 56,543 evacuees. Kessler's K6 was used to assess the risk of mental illness, and logistic regression models were applied to analyze how drinking behavior patterns influence the risk of serious mental illness after adjustment for confounding variables.ResultsLogistic regression analysis evidenced that beginning heavy and light drinkers had the highest and a higher risk of serious mental illness, respectively. Individuals who were nondrinkers pre‐ and postdisaster had the lowest proportional risk of mental illness. Abstainers also had some risk to their mental health after the compound disaster.ConclusionsThe results of this study highlight that beginning drinkers have a high risk of serious mental illness. Thus, mental health professionals should pay attention to the drinking behaviors of evacuees, which might predict increased risk of serious mental illness and consequently indicate a need for psychological intervention.

Multiple-Group Latent Transition Model for the Analysis of Sequential Patterns of Early-Onset Drinking Behaviors among U.S. Adolescents

We investigate the latent stage-sequential patterns of drinking behaviors of U.S. adolescents who have started to drink by age 14 years (seven years before the legal drinking age). A multiple-group latent transition analysis(LTA) with logistic regression is employed to identify the subsequent patterns of drinking behaviors among early-onset drinkers. A sample of 1407 early-onset adolescents from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth(NLSY97) is analyzed using maximum-likelihood estimation. The analysis demonstrates that early-onset adolescents' drinking behaviors can be represented by four latent classes and their prevalence and transition are influenced by demographic factors of gender, age, and race.

Overexpression of 5-HT 1B mRNA in nucleus accumbens shell projection neurons differentially affects microarchitecture of initiation and maintenance of ethanol consumption

Serotonin 1B (5-HT 1B) heteroreceptors on nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) projection neurons have been shown to enhance the voluntary consumption of alcohol by rats, presumably by modulating the activity of the mesolimbic reward pathway. The present study examined whether increasing 5-HT 1B receptors expressed on NAcSh projection neurons by means of virus-mediated gene transfer enhances ethanol consumption during the initiation or maintenance phase of drinking and alters the temporal pattern of drinking behavior. Animals received stereotaxic injections of viral vectors expressing either 5-HT 1B receptor and green fluorescent protein (GFP) or GFP alone. Home cages equipped with a three-bottle (water and 6 and 12% ethanol) lickometer system recorded animals’ drinking behaviors continuously, capturing either initiation or maintenance of drinking behavior patterns. Overexpression of 5-HT 1B receptors during initiation increased consumption of 12% ethanol during both forced-access and free-choice consumption. There was a shift in drinking pattern for 6% ethanol with an increase in number of drinking bouts per day, although the total number of drinking bouts for 12% ethanol was not different. Finally, increased 5-HT 1B expression induced more bouts with very high–frequency licking from the ethanol bottle sippers. During the maintenance phase of drinking, there were no differences between groups in total volume of ethanol consumed; however, there was a shift toward drinking bouts of longer duration, especially for 12% ethanol. This suggests that during maintenance drinking, increased 5-HT 1B receptors facilitate longer drinking bouts of more modest volumes. Taken together, these results indicate that 5-HT 1B receptors expressed on NAcSh projection neurons facilitate ethanol drinking, with different effects during initiation and maintenance of ethanol-drinking behavior.

Dual Diagnosis and Drinking Behaviors in an Outpatient Treatment Seeking Sample of Adolescents with Alcohol Use Disorders

ABSTRACT Objectives: Co-occurring psychiatric disorders are common in adolescents with substance abuse. While many studies have explored the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in adolescent substance using samples, few have explored the relationship between comorbid psychiatric disorders and drinking behaviors. This study examined this relationship to investigate whether certain psychiatric disorders impact severity of drinking behaviors in adolescents with alcohol use disorders. Methods: We examined 34 outpatient adolescents with alcohol use disorders for comorbid psychiatric disorders using the K-SADS. Their drinking behavior patterns were examined using the Time-Line Follow-Back. The alcohol drinking parameters were (1) drinks per drinking day (DDD), (2) percent heavy drinking days (PHD), (3) percent heavy drinking days when drinking (PHDD), and (4) percent days abstinent (PDA). Results: The diagnoses that afforded sufficient power to examine the effect of that diagnosis on drinking behavior were any mood or anxiety disorder vs. neither; oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) vs. no ODD; and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) vs. no ADHD. Results revealed no significant effect of either ODD or any mood/anxiety disorder on drinking indices, both p values > .10; MANOVA revealed a significant effect of ADHD diagnosis, p = .04. Univariate analysis showed that for all four drinking indices, the group with ADHD had more severe alcohol use, all p values < .05. Conclusions: Our results suggest that adolescents with ADHD who meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorders have greater drinking severity than those without ADHD.

The Differential Effects of the Minimum Drinking Age Law*

This research is based on a comparison of the effects of a 21‐minimum‐age drinking law. Using two self‐report samples of college students, one from a state where the minimum drinking age is 21 (N= 249) and another from a state where the minimum drinking age is 18 (N= 330), drinking behavior patterns are compared in terms of frequency, quantity, and location of consumption. The data suggest that the 21‐minimum‐age drinking law deters drinking in controlled locations while having no significant deterring effect in uncontrolled locations. Implications of the findings are provided.

Activity patterns of diurnal drinking behavior in male mice (author's transl)

Activity patterns of diurnal drinking behavior in male mice aged 12 to 20 weeks of IVCS, C3H/He and C57BL/6 strain were investigated in 14 : 10 light-dark alternation, thus showing regular 24-hr rhythms. The activity pattern of drinking behavior differed considerably among three strains. The highest activity of drinking behavior in IVCS mice was recorded around the time for lighting on and off, while in C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice it tended to be shown in the dark phase.