Alcoholism Archives

Disabilities due to alcohol consumption

Indian government is cognizant of the fact that consumption of alcohol in excessive amounts can lead to social economic and health related problems. – The Indian government is cognizant of the fact that consumption of alcohol in excessive amounts can lead to social economic and health related problems. A study conducted by NIMHANS for WHO published in the year 2006 shows that nearly 30% of adult men and less than 5% of women consume alcohol giving a male to female ratio of 6:1.

Possible treatment target for alcohol dependence identified

A brain circuit that underlies feelings of stress and anxiety shows promise as a new therapeutic target for alcoholism. – A brain circuit that underlies feelings of stress and anxiety shows promise as a new therapeutic target for alcoholism, according to new studies by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Tougher action needed on alcohol misuse

British Medical Association lobbied for higher taxes on alcohol, an end to happy hours. – A new hard-hitting report ‘Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic’ launched by the British Medical Association (BMA) calls on governments to show leadership and implement a full range of effective control policies that will reduce the burden of alcohol misuse.

Majority of troops avoid couch talk

Mental health in the military: Majority of troops avoid couch talk; First Canadian study to examine mental health among armed forces and barriers to help. – Mental disorders ranging from depression to alcoholism need to be de-stigmatized among military personnel to encourage troops to seek support when needed, according to a national investigation published in the February edition of the research journal, Medical Care.

Chronic drinking can lead to pneumonia after surgery

Consistent alcohol consumption can impair immunity functions following surgery. Study authors recommend that patients considering surgery control their drinking habits, and also be very honest with their doctors about their drinking habits, prior to surgery. – People who drink often have immune-function problems following surgery. For example, patients who consume alcohol long-term have a two- to five-fold greater chance of post-operation infection complications. A new rodent study has found that chronic consumption ? in this case, the equivalent of prolonged moderate drinking ? can result in a more severe form of pneumonia following surgery.

Middle class women earning more, drinking more

Middle class women are earning more and drinking more, and because of larger wine glasses. The gap between men and women is reducing. – Middle-class women are drinking more alcohol than they realise because of larger wine glasses, and the more you earn, the more you drink – with those in higher income groups consuming 30 per cent more alcohol than the working classes.

Men drink twice as much alcohol as women

Men in Britain drink twice as much alcohol as women, according to official figures. Office for National Statistics data says men get through an average 18.7 units per week compared to women at nine units. – Men are drinking twice as much alcohol as women according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics – 18.7 units a week, on average, compared with 9.0 units.

Brain imaging and genetic studies link thinking patterns to addiction

Scientists have for the first time identified brain sites that fire up more when people make impulsive decisions. In a study comparing brain activity of sober alcoholics and non-addicted people making financial decisions, the group of sober alcoholics showed significantly more “impulsive” neural activity. – Alcoholics are more impulsive than non-addicted people making financial decisions, revealed by researcher Charlotte Boettiger at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Gene identified that influences alcohol consumption

Researchers applied a variety of genetic and analytic techniques to identify a chromosomal region, and ultimately a gene, associated with alcohol preference.
– A variant of a gene involved in communication among brain cells has a direct influence on alcohol consumption in mice, according to a new study by scientists supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Army.

Colon cancer screenings could pose harm to some

R. Scott Braithwaite, M.D., and his colleagues developed a new method of evaluating medical screening tests like colonoscopy, called the “payoff time,” which is the minimum amount of time it takes for the benefits from a test to exceed its harms (i.e., its complications and side effects).
– Even though current guidelines advocate colorectal cancer screenings for those with severe illnesses, they may bring little benefit and may actually pose harm, according to a recent study by Yale School of Medicine researchers published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Folic acid reduces alcohol-related damage in alcoholics

A new study with groundbreaking public health implications for treating alcoholism and preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has shown that a byproduct of methanol, a contaminant found in many alcoholic beverages, causes neurotoxicity that can be mitigated by folic acid.
– Folic acid found helpful for treating alcoholism and preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, revealed by researchers in a recent study.