Alcohol News and Research

RSS

Russia launches five-year, $2.9 billion plan to combat diseases

The Russian government has approved a five-year, $2.9 billion draft program to combat diseases, including HIV/AIDS, in an effort to improve the country's life expectancy, a spokesperson announced on Thursday, the AP/Guardian reports (AP/Guardian, 2/23).

27 Feb 2007

Simple eye movement test spots fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Canadian researchers have found that simple eye movement tests can effectively diagnose fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in children.

26 Feb 2007

Gambian President claims to cure HIV/AIDS

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh since January has claimed that he can cure HIV/AIDS with an herbal remedy, prompting concern among some public health workers in Africa who already are "struggling against faith healers dispensing herbal remedies," the AP/Monterey County Herald reports.

25 Feb 2007

Reduced brain growth in alcoholics with family drinking history

The brains of alcohol-dependent individuals are affected not only by their own heavy drinking, but also by genetic or environmental factors associated with their parents- drinking, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

21 Feb 2007

Health care professionals should focus on women's lifetime heart disease risk

The 2007 Guidelines for Preventing Cardiovascular Disease in Women -- published today in a special women's health issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association -- also include new directions for using aspirin, hormone therapy and vitamin and mineral supplements in heart disease and stroke prevention in women.

20 Feb 2007

Family history of alcoholism and the stability of personality in young adulthood

A long-term research project at the University of Missouri-Columbia is producing valuable information about alcoholism and individuals who are affected by a family history of the disease.

20 Feb 2007

Genetic tendency toward suicide linked to genome on chromosome 2

A Johns Hopkins-led study has found evidence that a genetic tendency toward suicide has been linked to a particular area of the genome on chromosome 2 that has been implicated in two additional recent studies of attempted suicide.

20 Feb 2007

Women are more likely than men to show elevated diabetes risk factors

The 'diabetes clock' may start ticking in women years in advance of a medical diagnosis of the disease, new research has shown.

20 Feb 2007

Updated guidelines provide definitive answers on HRT, aspirin, supplements

Health care professionals should focus on women's lifetime heart disease risk, not just short-term risk, according to updated American Heart Association guidelines.

20 Feb 2007

Breath test to detect lung cancer

A new breath test has been reported to detect lung cancer in its early stage. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and doctors believe that early detection could offer sufferers their best chance for early survival.

18 Feb 2007

Sugar substitute Xylitol reduces risk of cavities

The sugar substitute xylitol affects the bacterial composition of the oral cavity even in low doses. On the other hand, a relatively high intake is needed to counteract the production of acid between the teeth, according to Pernilla Lif Holgerson in the dissertation she will defend at Umea University in Sweden on February 23.

15 Feb 2007

Marital conflict and conduct problems in children

Children's conduct problems--skipping school, sneaking out of the house, lying to parents, shoplifting, or bullying other children--are a major source of concern for parents and teachers.

7 Feb 2007

Stressed out Brits hit the bottle

According to a new report millions of people in Britain are so stressed out that they are turning to alcohol to ease the pressure.

1 Feb 2007

Women and alcoholism recovery

PhD candidate Ms Janice Withnall, from the University of Western Sydney (UWS) School of Education, is carrying out the project in a bid to better understand the experiences of women who have successfully stopped drinking.

29 Jan 2007

Nicotine addiction depends on a healthy insula

Smokers with a damaged insula - a region in the brain linked to emotion and feelings - quit smoking easily and immediately, according to a study in the Jan. 26 issue of the journal Science.

29 Jan 2007

Homeless youth can be easy to engage and easy to treat

One of the few studies examining methods to help homeless youth found that a comprehensive intervention program can indeed dramatically improve their life situation.

28 Jan 2007

Folic acid appears to reduce risk of cleft lip and palate

A new study finds that women who take folic acid supplements early in their pregnancy can substantially reduce their baby's chances of being born with a facial cleft.

28 Jan 2007

Health inequalities in Britain

Tackling health inequalities in Britain needs closer co-ordination between all major policy areas including health, education, housing, employment and taxation, according to the authors of a new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) publication.

23 Jan 2007

Gambling addiction and its treatment within the NHS

In its hard-hitting report, Gambling addiction and its treatment within the NHS, the BMA is calling for gambling to be a recognised addiction that requires treatment on the NHS.

16 Jan 2007

UK backpackers drinking their way across Australia

The perception that UK backpackers do a lot of drinking while they are travelling across Australia has been supported by new research. Forty per cent reported drinking five or more times a week when in Australia, compared to only just over 20% when they were at home.

16 Jan 2007