Risk For Alcohol Use Disorder Research Articles

Review of Changes in the Reinforcing Effects of Alcohol in Weight Loss Surgery Patients.

The reinforcing effects of alcohol are well documented, and they have been shown to play a role in the development of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Also well established is the fact that post-weight loss surgery (WLS) patients are at an increased risk for AUDs. In the current manuscript, we review the notion that the reinforcing effects of alcohol may change from before to after WLS and discuss a number of determinants of alcohol reinforcement change in WLS patients. It has been increasingly well understood that WLS patients are at an increased risk for AUD, but empirical support for the mechanisms that may cause this phenomenon have been lacking. Recently, a model was proposed that offered a number of different potentially causal variables as mechanisms that result in increased risk for AUD in these surgical patients. Change in the extent to which alcohol is reinforcing to WLS patients may be key in determining the likelihood of AUDs in this group. We review a host of biological, psychological, and social variables that ultimately impact how reinforcing alcohol is to WLS patients.

Exploration of alcohol use disorder-associated brain miRNA\u2013mRNA regulatory networks

Transcriptomic changes in specific brain regions can influence the risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD), but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. We investigated AUD-associated miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks in multiple brain regions by analyzing transcriptomic changes in two sets of postmortem brain tissue samples and ethanol-exposed human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived cortical interneurons. miRNA and mRNA transcriptomes were profiled in 192 tissue samples (Set 1) from eight brain regions (amygdala, caudate nucleus, cerebellum, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, putamen, and ventral tegmental area) of 12 AUD and 12 control European Australians. Nineteen differentially expressed miRNAs (fold-change>2.0 & P < 0.05) and 97 differentially expressed mRNAs (fold-change>2.0 & P < 0.001) were identified in one or multiple brain regions of AUD subjects. AUD-associated miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks in each brain region were constructed using differentially expressed and negatively correlated miRNA–mRNA pairs. AUD-relevant pathways (including CREB Signaling, IL-8 Signaling, and Axonal Guidance Signaling) were potentially regulated by AUD-associated brain miRNA–mRNA pairs. Moreover, miRNA and mRNA transcriptomes were mapped in additional 96 tissue samples (Set 2) from six of the above eight brain regions of eight AUD and eight control European Australians. Some of the AUD-associated miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks were confirmed. In addition, miRNA and mRNA transcriptomes were analyzed in hESC-derived cortical interneurons with or without ethanol exposure, and ethanol-influenced miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks were constructed. This study provided evidence that alcohol could induce concerted miRNA and mRNA expression changes in reward-related or alcohol-responsive brain regions. We concluded that altered brain miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks might contribute to AUD development.

Hypermethylation of the OPRM1 and ALDH2 promoter regions in Chinese Han males with alcohol use disorder in Yunnan Province

ABSTRACT Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the most serious public health problems worldwide. The OPRM1 and ALDH2 genes are important factors in the reward and alcohol metabolism pathways, and their DNA methylation patterns are closely related to AUD and are population-specific. Chinese Han people are the most populous ethnic group in the world, and this group experiences severe AUD. No epigenetic study on OPRM1 and ALDH2 has been performed in Chinese Han patients with AUD. Objectives To investigate whether methylation patterns of OPRM1 and ALDH2 are associated with susceptibility to AUD in Chinese Han males. Methods DNA methylation of the OPRM1 and ALDH2 promoters was studied in Chinese Han males with AUD in Yunnan Province (N = 50 controls, N = 90 individuals with AUD) using the bisulfite pyrosequencing method. Results In the AUD group, compared with the control group, OPRM1 was hypermethylated(p < .01) but there was no significant difference in the methylation level of ALDH2 (p > .05). 9 CpG sites of OPRM1 (p < .05) and 2 CpG sites of ALDH2 (p > .01) were hypermethylated. Smoking promoted AUD-mediated hypermethylation of OPRM1, in which 3 CpG sites showed significant hypermethylation (p < .01). Age had no significant effect on the DNA methylation levels of these two genes. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that DNA hypermethylation of the OPRM1 and ALDH2 promoter regions is associated with an increased risk of AUD, which may help to explain the pathogenesis and progression of AUD.

Time Devoted to Individual, Collective, and Two-Person Sports: Its Association with Risk of Exercise Addiction and Alcohol Use Disorder

Introduction: Although sport activities have beneficial effects on health, excessive practice can lead to exercise addiction (EA), which can be associated with other addictive behaviors. However, results regarding the comorbidities between EA and alcohol use disorder (AUD) remain heterogeneous. This study aims to investigate the relationship between a proxy of AUD and different sport practices, more specifically focusing on EA. Methods: One thousand nine hundred eighty-five (N = 1,985) participants were recruited online and selected to represent the French adult population. Participants were asked to answer questions regarding sport activity, with the EA inventory questionnaire investigating EA, and alcohol consumption, with the CAGE questionnaire investigating a proxy of AUD (score ≥2). Results: AUD was associated with a higher risk of EA and with more time devoted to collective sports (such as football) and two-person sports (such as tennis). The risk of EA was higher for individual sports (such as running), and the risk of AUD seems to increase with the level of physical activity for collective sport but to decrease for individual sports. The type of sports partly but significantly mediated the relationship between AUD and EA. Conclusions: Results support the hypothesis that different types of sport have different risks for EA (individual sports being more concerned) and AUD (collective sports being more concerned). Results suggest that the type of sports may be a crucial variable to understand how physical activity can be a risk factor for alcohol disorders. The social dimension of collective sports should be further investigated to facilitate preventive approaches.

Occupational position and alcohol use disorders in Poland.

The following analysis covers the role of the occupational structure in the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The authors investigated whether the occupational position affected the prevalence of AUDs among men and women, and how this relationship varied in lifetime and past year periods. Data were taken from the General Population Survey on Mental Health in Poland (EZOP) utilizing the Composite International Diagnostic Interview questionnaire (N = 2806). Binary and multiple regression models were employed to assess the risk of AUDs adjusted for the occupational structure and socio-demographic variables. The occupational position affects the prevalence of AUDs in men, while it has no impact on AUDs in women. Skilled and non-skilled workers suffer from AUDs to a greater extent than those in higher occupational positions. However, the risk of alcohol harm in women seems to be equally distributed across the occupational structure. The uneven pattern of alcohol harm in men and women can be possibly explained by shifting working conditions and work environments, as well as traditional gender roles affecting alcohol behaviors. The findings of the study support further development of the occupational position concept in alcohol research. The problem of harmful alcohol drinking in women across the occupational structure warrants a more in-depth inquiry. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(5):591-602.

Effects of the Fyn kinase inhibitor saracatinib on ventral striatal activity during performance of an fMRI monetary incentive delay task in individuals family history positive or negative for alcohol use disorder. A pilot randomised trial.

Altered striatal regulation of the GluN2B subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors by the Fyn/Src family of protein tyrosine kinases has been implicated in animal alcohol consumption. Previously, we have described differences between individuals positive (FHP) and negative (FHN) for familial alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the ventral striatal (VS) activation associated with monetary incentive delay task (MIDT) performance during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Here, we used AZD0530 (saracatinib), a centrally active Fyn/Src inhibitor to probe the role of Fyn/Src regulation of NMDA receptors (NMDAR) in VS activation differences between FHP and FHN individuals during fMRI MIDT performance. We studied 21 FHN and 22 FHP individuals, all without AUD. In two sessions, spaced 1 week apart, we administered 125 mg of saracatinib or placebo in a double-blind manner, prior to measuring VS signal during fMRI MIDT performance. MIDT comprises reward prospect, anticipation, and outcome phases. During the initial (prospect of reward) task phase, there was a significant group-by-condition interaction such that, relative to placebo, saracatinib reduced VS BOLD signal in FHP and increased it in FHN individuals. This study provides the first human evidence that elevated signaling in striatal protein kinase A-dependent pathways may contribute to familial AUD risk via amplifying the neural response to the prospect of reward. As Fyn kinase is responsible for NMDAR upregulation, these data are consistent with previous evidence for upregulated NMDAR function within reward circuitry in AUD risk. These findings also suggest a possible therapeutic role for Src/Fyn kinase inhibitors in AUD risk.

Voluntary Adolescent-Onset Alcohol Drinking Fails to Influence Alcohol Consumption or Anxiety-Like Behaviour in Adulthood in Female Alcohol-Preferring Rats.

AimsAlcohol exposure during adolescence is associated with both increased risk for alcohol use disorders and anxiety in adulthood. Our present experiments examined this association using alcohol-preferring AA (Alko Alcohol) rats selected for high voluntary alcohol drinking.MethodsTwo groups of female AA rats acquired alcohol drinking at different ages. We gave the adolescent-onset group free choice to 10% alcohol and water for seven weeks, starting on post-natal day 42 (PND 42), whereas the adult-onset group started drinking alcohol on PND 112. After the 7-week drinking, we withdrew the adolescent group from alcohol for two weeks, followed by another voluntary 7-week drinking period, started at the same age as the adult-onset group. We assessed anxiety-like behaviour repeatedly during alcohol drinking with open field and elevated plus maze tests. At the end of alcohol drinking, we also tested the rats using the light/dark box, stress-induced body temperature test and social dominance test.ResultsDuring the first 7-week alcohol drinking, adolescent rats exhibited significantly slower acquisition of alcohol drinking and lower alcohol preference than the adult-onset group. However, when tested at the same age as the adult-onset rats, they displayed identical alcohol intake and preference. We found no alcohol-induced effects on anxiety- or stress-related behaviour in the experimental groups at any time points.ConclusionsThese data show that the genetically determined phenotype of high alcohol drinking of the female alcohol-preferring AA rats is not associated with a predisposition to develop anxiety-like behaviour following voluntary alcohol exposure, even when initiated during adolescence.

Multi-omics integration analysis identifies novel genes for alcoholism with potential overlap with neurodegenerative diseases

Identification of causal variants and genes underlying genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci is essential to understand the biology of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and drinks per week (DPW). Multi-omics integration approaches have shown potential for fine mapping complex loci to obtain biological insights to disease mechanisms. In this study, we use multi-omics approaches, to fine-map AUD and DPW associations at single SNP resolution to demonstrate that rs56030824 on chromosome 11 significantly reduces SPI1 mRNA expression in myeloid cells and lowers risk for AUD and DPW. Our analysis also identifies MAPT as a candidate causal gene specifically associated with DPW. Genes prioritized in this study show overlap with causal genes associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Multi-omics integration analyses highlight, genetic similarities and differences between alcohol intake and disordered drinking, suggesting molecular heterogeneity that might inform future targeted functional and cross-species studies.

Does receiving an eating disorder diagnosis increase the risk of a subsequent alcohol use disorder? A Danish nationwide register-based cohort study.

No large-scale, longitudinal clinical study has examined whether patients with different types of eating disorders (ED) have an increased risk of a subsequent alcohol use disorder (AUD). This study aimed to assess the ongoing risk of receiving a diagnosis of AUD following a first-time diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), or unspecified ED (USED). Retrospective cohort study. Danish nationwide registries, January 1994 to December 2018. A total of 20 759 ED patients and 83 036 controls were followed from the date of first ED diagnosis (index date) until the date of first AUD diagnosis, death, emigration, or the end of the study. Controls were selected in a 1:4 ratio and matched on month and year of birth, gender and ethnicity. We obtained data on ED (AN, BN, USED; exposure) and AUD (abuse/dependence; outcome) diagnoses as well as sociodemographics and other psychiatric diagnoses. Time to AUD was generated from the index date. Risk of AUD after the index date was assessed among those without a prior AUD diagnosis while adjusting for sociodemographics and prior psychiatric diagnoses. Compared with controls, an increased relative risk of AUD after the index date was observed in AN patients throughout the study lasting 15+years (adjusted hazard ratios [HRs] ranging from 2.49 [99% CI = 1.46, 4.25] to 6.83 [2.84, 16.41]), in BN patients during the first year of follow-up and from 2years onward (2.72 [1.66, 4.44] to 17.44 [6.01, 50.63]), and in USED patients during the first year and 2-15years of follow-up (2.52 [1.54, 4.14] to 14.17 [5.86, 34.27]). In all three groups, estimates were highest during the first year, particularly among BN patients. Patients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or unspecified eating disorders appear to have an increased ongoing risk of receiving a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder following their first eating disorder diagnosis compared with controls.

Relationship between BMI and alcohol consumption levels in decision making

BackgroundDecision-making deficits in obesity and alcohol use disorder (AUD) may contribute to the choice of immediate rewards despite their long-term deleterious consequences.MethodsGambling task functional MRI in Human connectome project (HCP) dataset was used to investigate neural activation differences associated with reward or punishment (a key component of decision-making behavior) in 418 individuals with obesity (high BMI) and without obesity (lean BMI) and either at high (HR) or low (LR) risk of AUD based on their alcohol drinking levels.ResultsInteraction between BMI and alcohol drinking was seen in regions of the default mode network (DMN) and those implicated in self-related processing, memory, and salience attribution. ObesityHR relative to obesityLR also recruited DMN along with primary motor and regions implicated in inattention, negative perception, and uncertain choices, which might facilitate impulsive choices in obesityHR. Furthermore, obesityHR compared to leanHR/leanLR also demonstrated heightened activation in DMN and regions implicated in uncertain decisions.ConclusionsThese results suggest that BMI is an independent variable from that of alcohol drinking levels in neural processing of gambling tasks. Moreover, leanLR relative to leanHR, showed increased activation in motor regions [precentral and superior frontal gyrus] suggestive of worse executive function from excessive alcohol use. Delayed discounting measures failed to distinguish between obesity and high alcohol drinking levels, which as for gambling task results suggests independent negative effects of obesity and chronic alcohol drinking on decision-making. These findings highlight distinct associations of obesity and high-risk alcohol drinking with two key constituents of decision-making behavior.

Dual use of alcohol and cannabis among college students: A reinforcer pathologies approach.

The reinforcer pathologies model proposes 2 behavioral economic constructs interact in addiction: operant demand and delay discounting. These constructs manifest as behavioral markers of addiction in the form of excessive reinforcer value and strong preference for immediate access and consumption of this reinforcer despite suboptimal long-term outcomes. The first aim of this investigation was to identify the degree to which delay discounting (of money and alcohol) and demand for alcohol differ between college student drinkers (N = 185) who do and do not co-use cannabis. As a second aim, we sought to replicate the 2-factor solution for alcohol and cannabis demand within a college sample. Results suggest dual users have significantly stronger Persistence and Amplitude for alcohol, demonstrate steeper delay discounting of alcoholic drinks, and are at greater risk for alcohol use disorder than individuals who drink yet do not use cannabis. These results provide further support for the reinforcer pathologies model and contribute to the literature on dual-substance use in the college population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Disentangling the association between PTSD symptom heterogeneity and alcohol use disorder: Results from the 2019–2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

Veterans are at increased risk of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) relative to civilians. Few studies have explored the association between distinct PTSD symptoms and AUD in veterans, and existing findings are highly discrepant. This study aimed to address this gap and equivocal association by evaluating which PTSD symptom clusters are most associated with AUD in a veteran sample using the 7-factor ‘hybrid’ model of PTSD. Data were analyzed from the 2019–2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), a nationally representative survey of 4069 U.S. veterans. Veterans completed self-report measures to assess current PTSD symptoms and AUD. Multivariable logistic regression and relative importance analyses were conducted to examine associations between the 7-factor model of PTSD symptoms and AUD. Adjusting for sociodemographic, military, trauma factors, and depressive symptoms, scores on the dysphoric arousal (20.7% relative variance explained [RVE]) and externalizing behaviors (19.0% RVE) symptom clusters were most strongly associated with AUD in the full sample, while externalizing behaviors (47.7% RVE), anxious arousal (23.9% RVE), and dysphoric arousal (12.4%) accounted for the majority of explained variance in veterans who screened positive for PTSD. Results of this nationally representative study of U.S. veterans highlight the importance of externalizing behaviors and arousal symptoms of PTSD as potential drivers of AUD in this population. The 7-factor hybrid model of PTSD provides a more nuanced understanding of PTSD-AUD associations, and may help inform risk assessment and more personalized treatment approaches for veterans with and at-risk for AUD.

Exploration of the Impact of Combining Risk Phenotypes on the Likelihood of Alcohol Problems in Young Adults.

We tested the hypothesis that high novelty seeking (NS-an externalizing trait), sweet-liking (SL-a phenotype that may reflect processing of hedonic stimuli) and initial insensitivity to the impairing effects of alcohol (SRE-A) act independently and synergistically to increase the likelihood of having alcohol-related problems in young adults. A sample of 145 young adults, ages 18-26, balanced for gender and alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) scores <8 or ≥8 were selected from a prior sample. NS, SL and SRE-A were assessed along with AUDIT score and family history of alcoholism (FH). The effect of phenotypes and their interaction on the likelihood of alcohol problems was assessed. All three phenotypes contribute to the total AUDIT score. The best-fitting model explaining 35.8% of AUDIT variance includes all three phenotypes and an interaction between NS and SL/sweet-disliking (SDL) status. The addition of FH to the model explains an additional 4% of variance in both models. Classification and regression tree analysis showed that the main phenotype influencing AUDIT score is NS. The SL/SDL phenotype is a strong modifying factor for high NS. SRE-A was shown to be a weak modifier for individuals with low NS. The evidence supports the hypothesis that the presence of multiple alcohol use disorders (AUD) risk phenotypes with different underlying neurobiological mechanisms within an individual (SL, NS and SRE-A) represents a higher likelihood for developing alcohol-related problems and may allow for a graded assessment of risk for AUD and offer the possibility for early intervention strategies.

Childhood Adversity and the Association Between Stress Sensitivity and Problematic Alcohol Use in Adults.

Early life adversity (ELA) increases the risk of problematic alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, it is unclear why some but not all ELA-exposed individuals develop problematic alcohol use. Research is needed to determine how this environmental risk factor interacts with underlying neurobehavioral vulnerabilities to problem alcohol use. Hypersensitivity to uncertain threats (U-threat) has been posited as an endophenotype for AUD that might aid in the refinement of mechanistic models of problematic alcohol use. Therefore, U-threat hypersensitivity requires examination as a possible individual difference factor that facilitates problematic alcohol use among ELA-exposed individuals. We examined the unique and interactive effects of ELA and U-threat reactivity on problem drinking and depressive and anxiety symptom severity. Participants (N = 131) completed a well-validated threat-of-shock task, and startle eyeblink potentiation was recorded to index aversive responding. Individuals also completed self-report measures of alcohol use, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Results demonstrated a positive association between ELA and higher levels of problematic alcohol use at high levels of U-threat reactivity, β = .75, t = 3.93, p < .001. Conversely, at low levels of U-threat reactivity, ELA exposure was negatively associated with problematic alcohol use, β = -.49, t = -2.30, p = .023. There was no significant ELA x U-Threat reactivity interaction on anxiety or depression. U-threat response strongly interacts with ELA exposure, affecting the direction of the association between ELA and problem drinking. U-threat reactivity may be a promising target for the prevention and treatment of problematic drinking among ELA-exposed individuals.

Alcohol use disorder and non-fatal suicide attempt: findings from a Swedish National Cohort Study.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with increased risk of non-fatal suicide attempt. We aimed to measure the strength and mechanistic nature of the association between AUD and increased suicide attempt and determine any causal pathways and/or shared risk factors. We used Cox proportional hazards models in population-level and co-relative analyses to evaluate the risk of first non-fatal suicide attempt as a function of previous AUD. We used continuously updated longitudinal nationwide Swedish registry data on native Swedes born from 1950 to 1970 (n=2 229 619) and followed from age 15 until 2012. AUD and suicide attempt were identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-8, ICD-9, and ICD-10 codes. AUD was also identified using pharmacy and criminal records. Genetic and family environmental risks were derived based on relatedness via the Multi-Generation Register and shared residency via the Population and Housing Census and the Total Population Register. AUD was robustly associated with suicide attempt in crude models (hazard ratio [HR]=15.24 [95% CI: 14.92, 15.56]). In models adjusted for sociodemographic factors and psychiatric comorbidity, the association was attenuated: for women, HRs declined gradually across time, ranging from 5.55 (3.72, 8.29) during the observation period that ranged from age 15 to 19years to 1.77 (1.65, 1.90) at age 40 or older. For men, the corresponding figures were 6.12 (4.07, 9.19) and 1.83 (1.72, 1.94); in contrast to women, risk of suicide attempt among men increased from age 15 to 29 before declining. In co-relative models, a residual association remained, consistent with a causal path from AUD to suicide attempt. In Sweden, alcohol use disorder appears to be an important predictor of suicide attempt even in the context of other psychiatric disorders. The observed association is likely the result of features that jointly impact risk of alcohol use disorder and suicide attempts (genetic liability, psychiatric illness, and childhood stressors) and a potentially causal pathway, acting independently or in conjunction with one another.

College Mental Health Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results From a Nationwide Survey.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic could affect college students’ mental health. We examined screening rates for psychological disorders before and during the pandemic.MethodsUndergraduates were surveyed before (n = 3643) or during the pandemic (n = 4970). Logistic regression adjusting for participant demographics was conducted.ResultsFrequencies of depression [OR 1.32, 95% CI (1.17, 1.48)], alcohol use disorder [OR 1.70, 95% CI (1.50, 1.93)], bulimia nervosa/binge-eating disorder [OR 1.54, 95% CI (1.28, 1.85)], and comorbidity [OR 1.19, 95% CI (1.04, 1.35)] were greater during (vs. before) the pandemic. Frequencies of posttraumatic stress disorder were lower during the pandemic [OR 0.86, 95% CI (0.75, 0.98)]. The upward trend in alcohol use disorder was stronger among women than men [OR 1.47, 95% CI (1.18, 1.83)]. The upward trend in depression was stronger among Black students than White students [OR 1.72, 95% CI (1.19, 2.49)]. Anxiety disorders, insomnia, anorexia nervosa, and suicidality showed no significant trends.ConclusionsDepression, alcohol use disorder, bulimia nervosa/binge-eating disorder, and comorbidity were higher, whereas posttraumatic stress disorder was lower during the pandemic. Women and Black students could face especially heightened risk for alcohol use disorder and depression, respectively, during the pandemic.

Prevalence, risk and protective factors of alcohol use disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic in U.S. military veterans

BackgroundThere have been reports of increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic in the general population. However, little is known about the impact of the pandemic on the prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD), especially in high-risk samples such as U.S. military veterans. MethodsData were analyzed from the 2019–2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative, prospective cohort of 3078 U.S. veterans. Pre-pandemic and 1-year peri-pandemic risk and protective factors associated with incident and chronic probable AUD were examined. ResultsA total of 6.9 % (n = 183) of veterans were classified as chronic probable AUD, 3.2 % (n = 85) as remitted from AUD, and 2.7 % (n = 71) as incident probable AUD during the pandemic; the prevalence of probable AUD in the full sample remained stable —10.1 % pre-pandemic and 9.6 % peri-pandemic. Younger age, greater pre-pandemic alcohol use severity, and COVID-related stressors were associated with incident AUD during the pandemic, whereas higher pre-pandemic household income was associated with lower risk of this outcome. Younger age, combat experience, lifetime substance use disorder, greater drug use severity, lower dispositional optimism, and more COVID-related worries and social restriction stress were associated with higher risk of chronic AUD. ConclusionsNearly 1-in-10 US veterans screened positive for AUD 1-year into the pandemic; however, the pre- and 1-year peri-pandemic prevalence of probable AUD remained stable. Veterans who are younger, have served in combat roles, endorse more COVID-related stressors, and have fewer socioeconomic resources may be at higher risk for AUD during the pandemic.

Neural activation to loss and reward among alcohol naive adolescents who later initiate alcohol use

Adolescent alcohol use is associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes, including an increased risk of alcohol use disorder in adulthood. It is therefore important to identify risk factors of alcohol initiation in adolescence. Research to date has shown that altered neural activation to reward is associated with alcohol use in adolescence; however, few studies have focused on neural activation to loss and alcohol use. The current study examined neural activation to loss and reward among 64 alcohol naive 12−14 year olds that did (n = 20) and did not initiate alcohol use by a three year follow-up period. Results showed that compared to adolescents that did not initiate alcohol use, adolescents that did initiate alcohol use by the three year follow-up period had increased activation to loss in the left striatum (i.e., putamen), right precuneus, and the brainstem/pons when they were alcohol naive at baseline. By contrast, alcohol initiation was not associated with neural activation to winning a reward. These results suggest that increased activation in brain regions implicated in salience, error detection/self-referential processing, and sensorimotor function, especially to negative outcomes, may represent an initial vulnerability factor for alcohol use in adolescence.

Alcohol use disorder and its association with personal well-being and life satisfaction

AimsThis study aims to find out how alcohol use disorder (AUD) correlates to personal well-being and life satisfaction.BackgroundAUD is prevalent and leads to significant physical, physiological, and social-occupational impairment. Mental well-being involves the overall positive psychological state of a person – being well adjusted, socially engaged, and emotionally healthy. Despite the paradigm shift from purely treating mental illness to promoting positive mental health, there is limited literature describing the relationship between alcohol use disorder and mental well-being.MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted in a general hospital in Singapore. Patients admitted across a span of two years were screened for possible alcohol use disorder. Patients were included if they were male, aged 21 years and above, and had the mental capacity to give consent. They were excluded if they had illicit drug use, acute mental illness, inability or refusal to give consent, or if they were already receiving intervention for addiction issues. Participants were administered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Those who scored 8 or above were classified as being at risk for AUD, while those who scored 7 or less were classified as at low risk. They were also administered the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) and the “Satisfaction with Life as a Whole” question. The PWI measures individuals’ subjective well-being across seven domains. The “Satisfaction with Life as a Whole” question measures, on an eleven-point Likert scale, how satisfied the respondent feels with life in general. Demographic data were also collected and STATA v. 12.1 was used for statistical analysis.ResultAmong a total of 134 participants, 25 of them scored ≥8 on the AUDIT and 109 scored 7 or less. On the PWI, the group at risk scored significantly lower at 71.3 (95% CI: 66.0–76.7) compared to the group not at risk at 77.9 (95% CI: 75.8–79.9), p &lt; 0.01. The results were similar on the “Satisfaction with Life as a Whole” item. The group at risk had a mean of 6.72 (95% CI: 6.03–7.41) while the group not at risk had a mean of 7.67 (95% CI: 7.41–7.93), both p &lt; 0.01. The differences between the high risk and low risk groups remained statistically significant even after adjusting for differences in age, race, education level, and employment status.ConclusionThis study demonstrated a statistically significant association between AUD and personal well-being as well as satisfaction with life among males.

Where, When, and How Alcohol Use Occurs During Air Force Technical Training.

Alcohol use is prevalent among military personnel, with many engaging in binge drinking behaviors. Military trainees are unique, in that they experience an enforced alcohol ban for 8 weeks while in Basic Military Training. However, they are also typically young adults, who consume alcohol at higher rates than any other age group. The current study aimed to describe alcohol consumption among trainees, determine when, where, and with whom Airmen drank for the first time during Technical Training, and if these patterns were significantly different based on descriptive norms (i.e., beliefs about how many other individuals engage in a certain behavior) related to alcohol use, given that most military members consume alcohol. Last, we aimed to determine if alcohol consumption or potential alcohol use disorders were significantly different based on descriptive norms. Airmen (n = 599) were recruited at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston during their last week of Technical Training to complete a survey. Study procedures were approved by the 59th Medical Wing Institutional Review Board. Participants were asked about their beliefs related to how many other Airmen drink alcohol (i.e., less than 50%, 50%, or greater), their own experiences with alcohol (e.g., how much they drink compared with consumption before military service, blackouts after drinking during Technical Training), and when, where, and with whom they consumed alcohol for the first time after beginning military training. Over half of the Airmen reported not engaging in drinking behaviors during Technical Training. Among those who reported drinking one or more drinks during Technical Training, most reported drinking the same amount or less than they did prior to Basic Military Training. The majority of Airmen reported that they had "maybe" experienced blackouts from drinking since Technical Training. Most Airmen drank for the first time with another someone who was not an Airman, at a restaurant, home, or other place off base, and while they were on leave. Results indicated no significant differences between groups related to beliefs about how many Airmen drink during Technical Training and where, when, and with whom Airmen drank for the first time since joining the Air Force. There were also no differences in Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores or drinks per week between these normative belief groups. Almost half of Airmen resume drinking after alcohol restrictions are lifted during Technical Training but maintain low numbers of drinks consumed per week and low risk for alcohol use disorders, which may indicate that this is an opportune time for intervention to prevent alcohol consumption from escalating over time. Airmen reported drinking for the first time with another Airman off base during leave. Focusing on how Airmen navigate alcohol-related decision-making while their responsibilities are reduced, or how other Airmen influence their decisions to engage in risky drinking, may help prevent alcohol use rates from increasing post-enforced ban.