Intoxication News and Research

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Alcohol and energy drinks may create a dangerous mix

Energy drinks, favored among young people for the beverages' caffeine jolt, also play a lead role in several popular alcoholic drinks, such as Red Bull and vodka. But combining alcohol and energy drinks may create a dangerous mix, according to University of Florida research.

10 Feb 2010

TruTouch Technologies completes human clinical trials of its finger-touch detection system

TruTouch Technologies, a pioneer in non-invasive biometric intoxication detection systems, today announced that it has successfully carried out human clinical trials of its newest finger-touch detection system for alcohol intoxication, in collaboration with Lovelace Scientific Resources.

21 Jan 2010

Journal Homeopathy highlights a remarkable range of findings on homeopathic treatments

The journal Homeopathy (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/homp) has published a two part special issue focusing on biological models of homeopathy. The special issue highlights experiments on homeopathic treatments in biological models, ranging from whole animals and plants to cell cultures and enzymes, showing a remarkable range of findings.

19 Jan 2010

Chronic overeating plays fundamental role in obesity epidemic

The causes of obesity are complex and individual, but it is clear that chronic overeating plays a fundamental role. But when this behaviour becomes compulsive and out of control, it is often classified as "food addiction" - a label that has generated considerable controversy, according to a McMaster University psychiatrist and obesity researcher.

23 Dec 2009

Trauma surgeon offers precautionary measures for pedestrians during holiday season

A trauma surgeon for more than 20 years, Esposito has witnessed the tragic aftermath of drunken walking professionally and personally. Several years ago, Esposito's cousin of his opted to walk instead of driving home from a party where he had been drinking.

23 Dec 2009

Bourbon causes a worse hangover than vodka

Many alcoholic beverages contain byproducts of the materials used in the fermenting process. These byproducts are called "congeners," complex organic molecules with toxic effects including acetone, acetaldehyde, fusel oil, tannins, and furfural. Bourbon has 37 times the amount of congeners that vodka has. A new study has found that while drinking a lot of bourbon can cause a worse hangover than drinking a lot of vodka, impairment in people's next-day task performance is about the same for both beverages.

19 Dec 2009

Tips to prevent hangover during holiday season

"Eating food is an important element in reducing drinking and reducing risk of intoxication," Garbutt said. Eat a meal before you take your first sip of alcohol, he advises, and continue to take in food as the night wears on. Food, fats especially, help slow down the body's absorption of alcohol. But to truly be effective, the food must be in your stomach first. If you wait until you're feeling buzzed or tipsy to start eating, it's already too late.

9 Dec 2009

Caffeinated energy drink does not neutralize alcohol intoxication, says new study

People who drink may want to know that coffee won't sober them up, according to new laboratory research. Instead, a cup of coffee may make it harder for people to realize they're drunk.

8 Dec 2009

Cannabis can reduce spasticity in MS patients

Cannabis can reduce spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. A systematic review, published in the open access journal BMC Neurology, found that five out six randomized controlled trials reported a reduction in spasticity and an improvement in mobility.

4 Dec 2009

Whitehead researchers develop new type of genetic screen for human cells

Whitehead researchers have developed a new type of genetic screen for human cells to pinpoint specific genes and proteins used by pathogens, according to their paper in Science.

27 Nov 2009

New findings suggest current system of classifying psychoactive drugs in UK may need to be revisited

Drug users are well informed about the harms associated with the drugs they use, and perceive alcohol and tobacco to be amongst the most dangerous substances, according to a survey by UCL (University College London) and Imperial College London researchers.

25 Nov 2009

FDA approves Par Pharmaceutical's new painkiller drug

Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. (NYSE: PRX) today announced that it has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Abbreviated New Drug Application for the 100mg and 200mg strengths of tramadol ER.

17 Nov 2009

Scientists identify potential drug target for curing alcohol drinking behavior

A group of drunken fruit flies have helped researchers from North Carolina State and Boston universities identify entire networks of genes-also present in humans-that play a key role in alcohol drinking behavior.

4 Nov 2009

Children's Hospital Boston's CRAFFT substance abuse diagnostic test helps identify high risk sexual behavior

Alcohol and drug use are known contributors to adolescents engaging in dangerous sexual activity; leading to substantial health risks such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted illnesses, drug overdoses and alcohol poisonings. Yet, research suggests that fewer than half of pediatricians report screening patients for substance use and at-risk sexual behavior.

19 Oct 2009

Intoxicated trauma patients have higher survial rates than sober patients: Study

Trauma patients who were intoxicated before their injuries were more likely to survive than trauma patients who suffered similar injuries but were sober at the time, according to a study published in the October edition of the American Surgeon that was conducted by researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed).

1 Oct 2009

Risky driving behaviors linked to teens and parents interactions

Two new studies reveal that teen crashes and risky driving behaviors such as cell phone use, failure to wear seat belts, and drinking and driving are strongly linked with the way teens and parents communicate and approach rules about safety.

1 Oct 2009

Growing public support for the use of ignition interlocks on the cars of drunk drivers: IIHS study

While a study released last week by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicates growing public support for the use of ignition interlocks on the cars of drunk drivers, a growing body of justice officials and policymakers say the trend is actually dealing with the people--not just the cars--when it comes to mitigating the social and financial costs of the DUI epidemic.

25 Sep 2009

Medical students post unprofessional content online

A majority of medical schools surveyed report they have experienced incidents of students posting unprofessional content online, including incidents involving violation of patient confidentiality, with few schools having policies to address these types of postings, according to a study in the September 23/30 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on medical education.

23 Sep 2009

Connecting to people increases self-acceptance and helps in overcoming shame

Shame is a common reaction when someone feels that they have fallen below social norms or their own standards. From being intoxicated in front of one's peers and superiors to failing an important test at school or being rejected at the school dance, shame can be an internal alarm that ensures that we know when we are at risk of finding ourselves outside the lines of societal acceptance and desirability.

9 Sep 2009

Computer models for automatic classification of injury reports

Researchers are developing computer models to comb through thousands of injury reports in large administrative medical datasets or insurance claims data to automatically classify them based on specific words or phrases.

3 Sep 2009