Alcohol News and Research

RSS

WSU study to improve diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are one of the most common causes of birth defects worldwide and are particularly prevalent in some South African communities where heavy drinking during pregnancy is a major public health issue, particularly in the wine-growing areas of the Western Cape.

6 Dec 2011

Child abuse can affect brain functions later life: Study

According to a new research from Yale University, teenagers who were abused as young children show changes in their brains that put them at risk for behavioral problems in adulthood.

6 Dec 2011

New research suggests that teenage texting of nude photos not so popular

Only 1 percent of kids aged 10 to 17 have shared images of themselves or others that involve explicit nudity, a nationally representative study found. Roughly the same number said they'd shared suggestive but less graphic photos; while 7 percent said they'd received either type of picture.

6 Dec 2011

Alcohol related liver problems on the rise among the young

According to the NHS figures there has been a huge increase in the number of young adults treated in hospital for serious liver problems brought on by drinking too much.

5 Dec 2011

NIAAA awards Rutgers $10M grant to explore genetic links to alcoholism

Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR) has received a $10 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to provide DNA extraction, basic genetic testing, and repository services for more than 46,000 saliva samples, in support of national research efforts to determine the genetic and environmental factors that lead to alcoholism.

3 Dec 2011

Baby boomers more likely to develop HCV

Experts at Montefiore Medical Center urge the general public to be tested for the Hepatitis C virus, especially baby boomers, adults born between 1946-1964, who could be most at risk for this disease. Baby boomers are more likely to have been exposed to dangerous risk factors decades ago, such as sharing a drug needle, being tattooed or pierced with unsterilized tools or receiving a tainted blood transfusion.

2 Dec 2011

Only 21% of medical students could identify correct hand hygiene indications

Only 21 percent of surveyed medical students could identify five true and two false indications of when and when not to wash their hands in the clinical setting, according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of APIC - the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

2 Dec 2011

Drinking increases nearly 27% between Thanksgiving and January 2nd

Newly released data that looks at the drinking patterns of more than 200,000 criminal offenders monitored 24/7 for alcohol consumption shows that even when Big Brother is watching, drinking increases nearly 27% between Thanksgiving and January 2nd.

2 Dec 2011

Two studies uncover limitations in screening for hepatocellular carcinoma

Two studies available in the December issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, have uncovered limitations in screening for primary liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular carcinoma.

2 Dec 2011

Increased screening for mental health, substance abuse may help identify women at risk of suicide

Increased screening of pregnant women and new mothers for major depression and conflicts with intimate partners may help identify women at risk for suicide, a University of Michigan Health System-led analysis of federal data concludes.

1 Dec 2011

Taking sleep medication or drinking alcohol does not benefit people with insomnia

Reaching for that sleeping pill or drinking alcohol may not be the most effective way for people with insomnia to get better sleep at night in the long run, suggests a new study by Ryerson University experts.

1 Dec 2011

Repeated soccer headers could lead to brain damage: Study

A new study suggests that frequent “heading” of soccer balls by avid amateur players may cause brain damage leading to subtle but serious declines in thinking and coordination skills.

30 Nov 2011

Legalization of medical marijuana reduces traffic fatalities, alcohol consumption

A groundbreaking new study shows that laws legalizing medical marijuana have resulted in a nearly nine percent drop in traffic deaths and a five percent reduction in beer sales.

30 Nov 2011

Serotonin instructs scar forming cells to switch off regeneration in chronic liver disease

In liver disease, extent of tissue damage depends on the balance between the generation of scar tissue and the regeneration of new liver cells. In a significant minority of people who get injury to their organs instead of repairing them, they form scars.

29 Nov 2011

Treatment for acute urinary retention due to BPH varies among countries

Men who experience a sudden inability to pass urine because of a non-cancerous enlarged prostate are hospitalised and treated differently depending on where they live, according to an international study published online by the urology journal BJUI.

28 Nov 2011

Transcept receives FDA approval for Intermezzo to treat insomnia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Intermezzo (zolpidem tartrate sublingual tablets) for use as needed to treat insomnia characterized by middle-of-the-night waking followed by difficulty returning to sleep.

23 Nov 2011

Former President questions whether legal regulation and control of drugs would better protect children

"Would legal regulation and control of drugs better protect children?" is a question posed by former President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso in an editorial to be published in the January issue of Elsevier's International Journal of Drug Policy (IJDP).

23 Nov 2011

J-shaped relationship between wine intake and reduced cardiovascular risk

Research published in the European Journal of Epidemiology by Costanzo S, Di Castelnuovo de Gaetano G et al has sought to separate the effects of wine, beer or spirit drinking in relation to fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events. The Italian authors carried out an updated meta-analysis on the relationship between wine, beer or spirit consumption and cardiovascular outcomes, using state-of-the-art statistical techniques.

23 Nov 2011

New report: Sharp rise in number of energy drink-related ED visits from 2005-2009

A new nationwide report indicates that from 2005 to 2009, there has been a sharp increase in the number of emergency departments visits associated with the use of non-alcohol energy drinks - from 1,128 visits in 2005 to 13,114 visits in 2009.

23 Nov 2011

Dendritic cells play a novel protective role in pancreas

NYU Langone Medical Center researchers have discovered the novel protective role dendritic cells play in the pancreas. The new study, published in the November issue of journal Gastroenterology, shows dendritic cells can safeguard the pancreas against acute pancreatitis, a sudden dangerous swelling and inflammation of the pancreas gland.

23 Nov 2011