Newswise Feature Channel: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Farming under the influence?

University of Georgia — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 08:05:14 EST

A new University of Georgia study reveals that one in five U.S. farmers report binge drinking when they experience high levels of stress. The paper underlines the link between farmers using alcohol to cope with stress. Farming is a uniquely stressful vocation. Farmers work long hours performing labor-intensive, repetitive and often dangerous tasks.

New Study Finds 40-Percent of Cancer Cases and Almost Half of all Deaths in the U.S. Linked to Modifiable Risk Factors

American Cancer Society (ACS) — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 10:00:00 EST

A new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society finds four in 10 cancer cases and about one-half of all cancer deaths in adults 30 years old and older in the United States could be attributed to modifiable risk factors, including cigarette smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diet, and infections.

Innovative Program May Reduce Substance Use Among Formerly Incarcerated Men

School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 16:05:45 EST

A new study at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work has shown significant reductions in alcohol and substance use among formerly incarcerated men through a unique combination of critical dialogue and capacity-building projects.

UNC Health Researchers Present Preliminary Data on Weight Loss Drugs on Alcohol Addiction

University of North Carolina School of Medicine — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 13:05:25 EST

Christian Hendershot, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Clinical and Translational Addiction Research Program at the UNC School of Medicine, presented early findings from the first completed randomized controlled trial of semaglutide for reducing alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers.

New research identifies biomarkers that link alcohol use disorder and Alzheimer disease

Research Society on Alcoholism — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 09:00:00 EST

Researchers agree that alcohol use can produce global and regional tissue volume changes in the brain, and that excessive alcohol use is associated with dementia and cognitive decline. A new study has examined the relationship between Alzheimer disease - the most common type of dementia - and alcohol use disorder (AUD), discovering biomarkers that link the two.

Using smartwatch sensors to detect, measure, intervene, and prevent alcohol use in the moment

Research Society on Alcoholism — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 08:00:00 EST

Prevention, intervention, and treatment measures have historically been used to address alcohol use and abuse. New research has explored the use of a smartwatch application to bridge the gap between prevention and intervention, tracking a person's drinking habits and providing real-time personalized prompts while they are drinking to potentially help them moderate their consumption. These results will be shared at the 47th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A genetic predisposition to alcohol use is not the same as a genetic destiny for alcohol misuse

Research Society on Alcoholism — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 08:00:00 EST

There is a clear relationship between alcohol and neurodegeneration; for example, an alcohol use disorder correlates with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease. It is unclear, however, whether individual differences in brain structure and connectivity are risk factors for, or consequences of, alcohol use. New research exploring this relationship will be shared on Wednesday, 26 June 2024 at the 47th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

People with Severe Alcohol Use Disorder May Form and Recall Social Memories Differently

Research Society on Alcoholism — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 10:00:00 EST

People with severe alcohol use disorder tended to have greater difficulty forming new social memories. And, while they had better immediate recall of positive than negative social cues, for longer-term memories, they tended to remember more negative experiences than positive ones.

Certain Early Drinking Experiences in Teens and Young Adults May Predict More Rapid Development of Alcohol Use Disorder

Research Society on Alcoholism — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 10:00:00 EST

Teens and young adults who experience social problems related to alcohol may be at risk of relatively rapid development of alcohol use disorder (AUD), a new study suggests. Other behaviors that meet certain diagnostic criteria may also warn of the potential for an accelerated transition from a first drink to the disorder.

Alcohol-related blackouts during youth are markers of future neurocognitive risk

Research Society on Alcoholism — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 09:00:00 EST

Alcohol-related blackouts (ARBs) are fairly common among younger, social drinkers - even considered a rite of passage by some. Yet new research has found that blacking out predicts unique, underlying brain changes involved with learning, memory, and the processing of visual information.

'Fit2Drive' Transforms Assessing Older Drivers with Cognitive Decline

Florida Atlantic University — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:30:56 EST

With the help of an evidence-based calculator called "Fit2Drive," researchers have made it easy to administer and evaluate an in-office test to predict an older individual's probability of passing an on-road driving test. Based upon brief, easily administered cognitive tests, Fit2Drive provides an objective estimation of the ability to drive for those with cognitive concerns. Results show that the Fit2Drive algorithm demonstrated a strong 91.5% predictive accuracy.

Allowing children to sip and taste alcohol leads to increased drinking during late adolescence and young adulthood

Research Society on Alcoholism — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:00:00 EST

Despite evidence that allowing children to try alcohol with parental supervision can increase risk for later drinking, many parents continue to do so in the belief that their children are more likely to develop responsible drinking habits.

Exploring the underlying emotions that lead to alcohol and cannabis use

Research Society on Alcoholism — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:00:00 EST

Theoretical models of alcohol and cannabis use disorders often focus on the idea that people consume alcohol and cannabis use to regulate their negative emotions - in other words, to make themselves feel better. New research does not support this idea, finding instead that people mostly consume alcohol and cannabis in their daily life when they are experiencing positive emotions.

Young Adults' Varying Reasons Not to Drink Point to Potential for More Effective AUD Prevention and Treatment Interventions

Research Society on Alcoholism — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 10:00:00 EST

Young adults (aged 18-25) who use alcohol have varying personal reasons for not drinking on some days--reasons that could be harnessed to improve the effectiveness of programs preventing and treating alcohol use disorder (AUD), a new study suggests.

Multiracial individuals face unique challenges that may lead to high rates of alcohol and other drug use

Research Society on Alcoholism — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 09:00:00 EST

Multiracial or mixed-race individuals - having parents or ancestors of different races - currently comprise more than 10 percent of the U.S. population. There is very little research on Multiracial individuals even though young adults in this group report high rates of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use: binge drinking, illicit drug use other than cannabis, and drug use disorders. New research explores what factors may contribute to high rates of substance use among this population. Results will be shared at the 47th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Data analysis of electronic medical records can predict adverse outcomes and suggest medications

Research Society on Alcoholism — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 08:00:00 EST

Electronic medical records (EMRs) are digital versions of the paper charts typically found in clinician offices, clinics, and hospitals and are mostly used by healthcare providers for diagnosis and treatment. New research has leveraged EMR data analysis to predict the risk of developing adverse outcomes in the near future based on an individual's medical history, and also pinpoint which medications may have beneficial effects.

Gut Microbiome Linked to Brain Structure and Symptom Severity in People Who Drink Heavily

Research Society on Alcoholism — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 10:00:00 EST

Gut bacteria may be associated with differences in brain structure and clinical symptom severity in people with alcohol use disorder.

Experts call for more clinical trials on alcohol use, liver disease

UT Southwestern Medical Center — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 14:05:39 EST

More clinical research is needed to investigate how reducing alcohol consumption in patients with alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) may slow disease progression and improve outcomes, according to an international task force of experts from more than two dozen institutions including UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Firearms and mental health: 8 top facts to know

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 09:05:33 EST

A video and story with insights from three mental health professionals with expertise in firearm injury prevention

Will There Ever Be a Cure for Alzheimer's Disease?

Hackensack Meridian Health — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 14:05:41 EST