Researchers Reveal Key Brain Differences to Explain Why Ritalin Helps Improve Focus in Some More Than Others
College studentsâ attitudes about their own drinking predict how much they will drink, how many alcohol-related consequences they will experience, and their odds of experiencing blackouts. A study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that when students considered drinking heavily to be positive, they tended to drink considerably more. However, when they felt limiting their drinking to a moderate number of drinks would be enjoyable and beneficial, they experienced fewer blackouts and other harmful consequences. The study authors suggest that new strategies that address studentsâ attitudes about moderate versus heavy drinking could be effective in preventing students from harm related to alcohol use.
Black sexual minority men and transgender women (sexual and gender minorities; SGM) consume more alcohol on average than people in the general population.
Men with alcohol dependence who also have a history of mental health issues or hazardous drug use were significantly more likely to have attempted suicide, according to a study just published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research. The large Japanese study found that one in five men being treated for alcohol dependence had a history of mental health issues, and fifteen percent had attempted suicide. The study highlights opportunities for earlier and multifaceted interventions, including suicide prevention, to address the needs of people with alcohol dependence and mental health issues.
The developmental risk linked to mild-to-moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can be identified in infants, according to a study that tested a screening tool with 130 newborns. In alcohol-exposed babies, the tool picked up subtle differences in attention and regulation that are associated with lower cognitive and motor functioning in early childhood. This finding points to a critical opportunity for early intervention and the potential for improving long-term outcomes. People exposed to alcohol in utero can face lifelong impacts on their physical growth, learning, and behavior, a constellation of symptoms known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In the US, up to 1 in 20 school-age children may be affected by FASD. FASD is typically not identified until children are in school, and misdiagnoses are common. The effects of mild-to-moderate PAE, the most common range of exposure, have been especially challenging to characterize. For the study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental
Young adults in pain start using cannabis earlier and are more likely to mix it with alcohol, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Most research focuses on helping individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and promoting abstinence, neglecting their support systems. New research uncovers the essence of the role of family caregivers of individuals with AUD. They often feel isolated and distressed due to a lack of support and resources. This emotional strain can lead to guilt and maladaptive coping strategies. Despite challenges, caregivers remain committed but often struggle with limited knowledge and rely on trial and error in their caregiving.
Colorectal cancer incidence rates continue to rise in those under age 50 -- a trend that underscores the need for increased awareness and early detection. During this Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, experts from Hackensack Meridian Health are available to discuss this trend, along with a patient diagnosed with CRC at age 37 while pregnant.
People seeking online support for addiction recovery may encounter cynical marketing by the addiction treatment industry that sometimes prioritizes financial gain over clientsâ health and well-being, according to a study of public discourse around substance use recovery on Twitter.
Alcohol use leads to earlier brain aging and impaired behavioral flexibility, with those effects detectable even among adults in their 20s and 30s, according to an innovative study. Hazardous drinking is known to be linked to cognitive-behavioral impairments, including difficulty adapting to changing circumstances. This helps explain, for example, why people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) continue to drink despite negative consequences. Evidence is growing that heavy alcohol use accelerates brain aging. It is not known, however, whether this aging effect explains the link between alcohol use and certain cognitive deficits typical of older brains. For the study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research, investigators explored whether hazardous drinking predicted brain aging as measured by a machine learning tool and whether brain aging explained the association between alcohol use and behavioral inflexibility.
Adverse experiences in childhood and heavy alcohol use may alter the bodyâs immune system. A study of adults with alcohol use disorder published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that those who had experienced trauma as children and those who drank heavily had differences in the levels of certain antibodies responsible for warding off disease.
Messages warning about the association between alcohol use and breast cancer may be effective in alerting women to the risk and spurring them to reduce their drinking. A study of women in their twenties, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that specifically designed warnings were effective in influencing womenâs reactions, attitudes and beliefs, and intentions to change behavior. The findings indicate that using effective health messaging on warning labels may help increase public awareness of the increased risk of developing breast cancer associated with alcohol.
A study finds a troubling rise in 'deaths of despair' in the U.S. from 1999 to 2021, using the International Classification of Diseases. These deaths, defined by 19 underlying causes such as chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, suicide, drug overdoses, and alcohol-related conditions, increased two-and-a-half-fold over two decades. By 2021, deaths of despair would have become the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., surpassing 176,000 fatalities, and ranking just behind heart disease, cancer, COVID-19 and accidents.
New research has revealed that alcohol can impair the ability of eyewitnesses to accurately recall a suspect's facial features, particularly key details such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
While fear-based messaging around alcohol aimed towards teens is common practice, new research suggests a key to curbing adolescentsâ risky drinking behaviour is through authentic and open communication that acknowledges some of the positive aspects while warning of the negative consequences of drinking.
Randomized, placebo-controlled trial finds that low-dose semaglutide reduces amount of alcohol consumption, alcohol cravings, and heavy drinking days. Reductions in cigarettes per day were also seen.
How much alcohol a person drinks is strongly linked to how much their peers drinkâand not just among teens and young adults. A new study of mature adults, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, has found that adultsâ social connections influence a personâs drinking, both contemporaneously and over time. And, an individualâs social network is more influential in changing their drinking behavior over time than other factors, such as their occupation or smoking. The study highlights the importance of understanding social connections in order to design interventions for mature adults who drink heavily.
RSS
Medicine keyboard_arrow_right
Sciencekeyboard_arrow_right
Life keyboard_arrow_right
Business keyboard_arrow_right
Journal News keyboard_arrow_right
By Location keyboard_arrow_right
Meetings, Grants, and Events keyboard_arrow_right