Alcohol Use Disorder News and Research

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Female reproductive hormones may be protective against COVID-19

In an article recently published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, Graziano Pinna from the University of Illinois in Chicago outlines some of the evidence suggesting that female reproductive hormones may play a role in the sex bias that has been observed in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

29 Nov 2020

Sexual minorities who misuse alcohol or tobacco also have a co-occurring psychiatric disorder

More than half of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals who misuse alcohol or tobacco also have a co-occurring psychiatric disorder, compared to one-third of heterosexuals, a new University of Michigan study finds.

20 Nov 2020

Blood pressure drug eases recovery for alcoholics with withdrawal symptoms

A drug once used to treat high blood pressure can help alcoholics with withdrawal symptoms reduce or eliminate their drinking, Yale University researchers report Nov. 19 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

19 Nov 2020

Researchers use optogenetics to mitigate addiction-related behaviors

In the United States alone, over 14 million adults suffer from alcohol use disorder. For those that seek treatment, 90% will experience at least one relapse within the first four years.

19 Nov 2020

Researchers identify anti-inflammatory mechanisms that drive alcohol addiction

Deep within the brain, a small almond-shaped region called the amygdala plays a vital role in how we exhibit emotion, behavior, and motivation.

17 Nov 2020

Start-up receives NIH grant to accelerate development of contrast agent to detect liver fibrosis

Inlighta Biosciences, LLC, a start-up company led by Jenny Yang, Regents' Professor of Chemistry at Georgia State University, has been awarded a National Institute of Health grant to accelerate development of a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent to detect liver fibrosis, formation of scar tissue in the liver caused by alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

15 Oct 2020

Low-level developmental lead exposure increases risk of relapse to alcohol seeking in mice

A new IU study examining effects of low-level developmental lead exposure in mice could explain why some people dependent on alcohol return to using.

13 Oct 2020

A new approach for treating alcohol use disorder

"One day at a time" is a mantra for recovering alcoholics, for whom each day without a drink builds the strength to go on to the next.

28 Aug 2020

Family history of alcoholism increases risk of developing alcohol use disorder

The statistics are sobering. More than 14 million American adults suffer from some form of alcohol use disorder (AUD), a chronic inability to stop or control alcohol use despite the negative consequences.

21 Aug 2020

GIRK channel activator can provide potential treatments for brain disorders

Potassium channels play an important role in controlling the electrical activity of neurons in the brain.

1 Jul 2020

Drinking surged during the pandemic. Do you know the signs of addiction?

Despite the lack of dine-in customers for nearly 2½ long months during the coronavirus shutdown, Darrell Loo of Waldo Thai stayed busy.

24 Jun 2020

New Finnish study explores the economic burden of alcohol use disorders

Alcohol use disorders are associated with high social welfare and health care costs - but what causes them? A new Finnish study looks at the magnitude and reasons behind the economic burden alcohol use disorders have on society.

9 Jun 2020

UIC Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics receives $8.2 million NIH grant

The University of Illinois at Chicago received $8.2 million from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to continue the Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics and its research on how alcohol affects genes through epigenetics -- chemical changes to DNA, RNA or proteins that alter the expression of genes without directly modifying them.

4 Jun 2020

Study: High estrogen levels may influence alcohol use disorder

A new study from researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago shows that high estrogen levels may make alcohol more rewarding to female mice.

2 Jun 2020

Early exposure to anesthetics may cause alcohol use disorder in adolescents

Early exposure to anesthetics may make adolescents more susceptible to developing alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

28 May 2020

Fluctuating estrogen levels could make alcohol more rewarding to women

Fluctuating estrogen levels may make alcohol more rewarding to female mice, according to new research in JNeurosci. Untangling the involved signaling pathways could unveil sex-based treatments for alcohol use disorders.

28 May 2020

Researchers identify 29 genetic variants linked to problematic drinking

A genome-wide analysis of more than 435,000 people has identified 29 genetic variants linked to problematic drinking, researchers at Yale University School of Medicine, and colleagues report May 25 in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

26 May 2020

Repurposed drug normalizes body weight, reverses metabolic damage in obese mice

An off-label experiment in mice using disulfiram, which has been used to treat alcohol use disorder for more than 50 years, consistently normalized body weight and reversed metabolic damage in obese middle-aged mice of both sexes.

14 May 2020

Study: Multidimensional approach works best for tackling nonmedical drug use

Health practitioners are constantly developing new ways to help those with drug and alcohol addictions wean themselves from their substance of choice.

25 Apr 2020

Study: Workplace strategies can promote employment for drug addicts

After a yearlong study of people with opioid dependence, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that adding $8 an hour to their paychecks may help those in recovery stay drug free longer, as well as encourage them to get and hold regular jobs.

20 Apr 2020