Latest news from Research Society on Alcoholism on News en-us Copyright 2025 News 115 31 / /images/newswise-logo-rss.gif /articles/alcohol-dependence-linked-to-history-of-mental-health-problems-attempted-suicide/?sc=rsin /articles/alcohol-dependence-linked-to-history-of-mental-health-problems-attempted-suicide/?sc=rsin Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:00:00 EST Men with alcohol dependence who also have a history of mental health issues or hazardous drug use were significantly more likely to have attempted suicide, according to a study just published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research. The large Japanese study found that one in five men being treated for alcohol dependence had a history of mental health issues, and fifteen percent had attempted suicide. The study highlights opportunities for earlier and multifaceted interventions, including suicide prevention, to address the needs of people with alcohol dependence and mental health issues. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/positive-attitudes-about-moderate-drinking-reduce-alcohol-related-harms-in-college-students/?sc=rsin /articles/positive-attitudes-about-moderate-drinking-reduce-alcohol-related-harms-in-college-students/?sc=rsin Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:00:00 EST College students' attitudes about their own drinking predict how much they will drink, how many alcohol-related consequences they will experience, and their odds of experiencing blackouts. A study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that when students considered drinking heavily to be positive, they tended to drink considerably more. However, when they felt limiting their drinking to a moderate number of drinks would be enjoyable and beneficial, they experienced fewer blackouts and other harmful consequences. The study authors suggest that new strategies that address students' attitudes about moderate versus heavy drinking could be effective in preventing students from harm related to alcohol use. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/higher-alcohol-use-among-queer-black-sexual-and-gender-minorities-linked-to-drinking-behaviors-in-their-social-circles-anxiety-latine-ethnicity-and-growing-up-exposed-to-problematic-drinking/?sc=rsin /articles/higher-alcohol-use-among-queer-black-sexual-and-gender-minorities-linked-to-drinking-behaviors-in-their-social-circles-anxiety-latine-ethnicity-and-growing-up-exposed-to-problematic-drinking/?sc=rsin Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:00:00 EST Black sexual minority men and transgender women (sexual and gender minorities; SGM) consume more alcohol on average than people in the general population. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/screening-test-can-identify-subtle-signs-of-prenatal-alcohol-exposure-in-newborns-potentially-facilitating-early-developmental-intervention-study-suggests/?sc=rsin /articles/screening-test-can-identify-subtle-signs-of-prenatal-alcohol-exposure-in-newborns-potentially-facilitating-early-developmental-intervention-study-suggests/?sc=rsin Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:00:00 EST The developmental risk linked to mild-to-moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can be identified in infants, according to a study that tested a screening tool with 130 newborns. In alcohol-exposed babies, the tool picked up subtle differences in attention and regulation that are associated with lower cognitive and motor functioning in early childhood. This finding points to a critical opportunity for early intervention and the potential for improving long-term outcomes. People exposed to alcohol in utero can face lifelong impacts on their physical growth, learning, and behavior, a constellation of symptoms known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In the US, up to 1 in 20 school-age children may be affected by FASD. FASD is typically not identified until children are in school, and misdiagnoses are common. The effects of mild-to-moderate PAE, the most common range of exposure, have been especially challenging to characterize. For the study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/critical-need-for-regulation-to-protect-people-with-substance-use-disorder-from-exploitative-marketing-practices-on-social-media/?sc=rsin /articles/critical-need-for-regulation-to-protect-people-with-substance-use-disorder-from-exploitative-marketing-practices-on-social-media/?sc=rsin Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:00:00 EST People seeking online support for addiction recovery may encounter cynical marketing by the addiction treatment industry that sometimes prioritizes financial gain over clients' health and well-being, according to a study of public discourse around substance use recovery on Twitter. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/study-links-immune-system-dysfunction-in-adults-to-childhood-trauma-and-heavy-drinking/?sc=rsin /articles/study-links-immune-system-dysfunction-in-adults-to-childhood-trauma-and-heavy-drinking/?sc=rsin Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:00:00 EST Adverse experiences in childhood and heavy alcohol use may alter the body's immune system. A study of adults with alcohol use disorder published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that those who had experienced trauma as children and those who drank heavily had differences in the levels of certain antibodies responsible for warding off disease. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/even-modest-alcohol-use-contributes-to-accelerated-brain-aging-and-behavioral-inflexibility-with-deficits-evident-early-in-adult-life-study-suggests/?sc=rsin /articles/even-modest-alcohol-use-contributes-to-accelerated-brain-aging-and-behavioral-inflexibility-with-deficits-evident-early-in-adult-life-study-suggests/?sc=rsin Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:00:00 EST Alcohol use leads to earlier brain aging and impaired behavioral flexibility, with those effects detectable even among adults in their 20s and 30s, according to an innovative study. Hazardous drinking is known to be linked to cognitive-behavioral impairments, including difficulty adapting to changing circumstances. This helps explain, for example, why people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) continue to drink despite negative consequences. Evidence is growing that heavy alcohol use accelerates brain aging. It is not known, however, whether this aging effect explains the link between alcohol use and certain cognitive deficits typical of older brains. For the study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research, investigators explored whether hazardous drinking predicted brain aging as measured by a machine learning tool and whether brain aging explained the association between alcohol use and behavioral inflexibility. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/warning-labels-about-breast-cancer-risk-from-alcohol-may-encourage-women-to-reduce-drinking/?sc=rsin /articles/warning-labels-about-breast-cancer-risk-from-alcohol-may-encourage-women-to-reduce-drinking/?sc=rsin Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:00:00 EST Messages warning about the association between alcohol use and breast cancer may be effective in alerting women to the risk and spurring them to reduce their drinking. A study of women in their twenties, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that specifically designed warnings were effective in influencing women's reactions, attitudes and beliefs, and intentions to change behavior. The findings indicate that using effective health messaging on warning labels may help increase public awareness of the increased risk of developing breast cancer associated with alcohol. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/peers-influence-drinking-behavior-in-mature-adults-too-study-says/?sc=rsin /articles/peers-influence-drinking-behavior-in-mature-adults-too-study-says/?sc=rsin Mon, 10 Feb 2025 04:15:21 EST How much alcohol a person drinks is strongly linked to how much their peers drink--and not just among teens and young adults. A new study of mature adults, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, has found that adults' social connections influence a person's drinking, both contemporaneously and over time. And, an individual's social network is more influential in changing their drinking behavior over time than other factors, such as their occupation or smoking. The study highlights the importance of understanding social connections in order to design interventions for mature adults who drink heavily. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/cbd-may-reduce-craving-for-alcohol-study-finds/?sc=rsin /articles/cbd-may-reduce-craving-for-alcohol-study-finds/?sc=rsin Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:00:00 EST CBD may hold promise as a tool to help people reduce problem drinking, according to a new study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research. Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, modifies the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces physical signs of anxiety and self-reported craving for alcohol in people with alcohol use disorder. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/older-people-with-alcohol-use-disorder-may-underestimate-their-impairment-in-visual-processing-when-drinking-raising-their-risk-of-accidents/?sc=rsin /articles/older-people-with-alcohol-use-disorder-may-underestimate-their-impairment-in-visual-processing-when-drinking-raising-their-risk-of-accidents/?sc=rsin Wed, 29 Jan 2025 10:00:00 EST Older adults' visual functions-- eye movement reaction time, speed, and accuracy--are acutely impaired by alcohol, and those with chronic alcohol use disorder (AUD) are not immune to these impairments when imbibing. The study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research is the first to examine alcohol's acute effects on eye movements, pupil size, and self-perception of impairment in middle-aged to older adults with AUD versus a control group of those with lifetime light drinking. Alcohol disrupts eye movement and pupil dilation, resulting in delayed visual reactions and reduced accuracy. Many believe that those with longer-term excessive drinking have built up tolerance and are protected against eye movement impairment. While this study showed that older drinkers with chronic AUD (vs. light drinkers) had less impairment in visually tracking an object that moves predictably, they were equally impaired in eye movements that require quick adjustments to randomly appearing objects. The perso Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/social-network-social-functioning-associated-with-longer-stays-in-alcohol-treatment/?sc=rsin /articles/social-network-social-functioning-associated-with-longer-stays-in-alcohol-treatment/?sc=rsin Tue, 28 Jan 2025 10:00:00 EST When seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder, how a person is functioning in society strongly influences how long they will stay in inpatient treatment. According to a study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, people who are dissatisfied in their primary social role--at work or school, for example--and people with a strong social network stay in treatment longer, giving them more opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/among-veterans-with-alcohol-use-disorder-women-drink-as-much-as-men-and-have-more-severe-mental-health-symptoms/?sc=rsin /articles/among-veterans-with-alcohol-use-disorder-women-drink-as-much-as-men-and-have-more-severe-mental-health-symptoms/?sc=rsin Mon, 27 Jan 2025 10:00:00 EST Women veterans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are drinking in similar quantities to their male peers and have more severe symptoms of co-occurring depression, anxiety, and PTSD, a new study suggests. Among veterans, the rates of AUD and related impairments in physical and mental functioning are higher than in the general population. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/self-consciousness-may-be-a-risk-factor-for-binge-drinking-in-young-adults-and-a-protective-factor-too/?sc=rsin /articles/self-consciousness-may-be-a-risk-factor-for-binge-drinking-in-young-adults-and-a-protective-factor-too/?sc=rsin Tue, 31 Dec 2024 10:00:00 EST Self-consciousness plays a role in a young adult's tendency to binge drink, but that role evolves over time. A new study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that people who are self-conscious may be more likely to binge drink as young adults but less likely to binge drink as they mature. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/new-tool-potentially-offers-additional-insight-into-sexual-violence-against-women-in-bars-and-clubs/?sc=rsin /articles/new-tool-potentially-offers-additional-insight-into-sexual-violence-against-women-in-bars-and-clubs/?sc=rsin Mon, 30 Dec 2024 10:00:00 EST Young men's commonly held beliefs and attitudes about drinking, gender role stereotypes, and peer pressure may be key drivers impacting women's sexual victimization in bars and clubs. That's according to a recent study testing a new measurement tool designed to assess beliefs and attitudes related to men's perpetration of sexual violence in drinking venues. Sexual violence, encompassing sexual harassment, unwanted touching, and persistence, as well as assault, is a pervasive problem with major emotional, health, and economic impacts. Most perpetrators are men, and most targets are women. While previous research has found that certain beliefs and attitudes are linked to sexual violence, existing research tools do not fully assess or account for beliefs and attitudes related to sexual violence occurring in drinking venues. In fact, many forms of sexual violence are so common in drinking venues that they are normalized and seen as socially acceptable among young men. Understanding men's b Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/prenatal-alcohol-exposure-and-postnatal-adversity-commonly-co-occur-but-evidence-based-supportive-interventions-are-critically-lacking/?sc=rsin /articles/prenatal-alcohol-exposure-and-postnatal-adversity-commonly-co-occur-but-evidence-based-supportive-interventions-are-critically-lacking/?sc=rsin Tue, 24 Dec 2024 10:00:00 EST People with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are at raised risk of postnatal adversity (PA), according to an evaluation of current research. The review in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research highlights substantial vulnerabilities for affected people and major gaps in mental health interventions and other supports. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/perceived-social-acceptability-of-driving-while-under-the-influence-of-cannabis-and-alcohol-may-sway-young-adult-behavior/?sc=rsin /articles/perceived-social-acceptability-of-driving-while-under-the-influence-of-cannabis-and-alcohol-may-sway-young-adult-behavior/?sc=rsin Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:00:00 EST Half of 18- to 25-year-olds believe that the average young adult drives or rides in a car at least once a month while the driver is under the influence of alcohol and cannabis. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/common-diabetes-drug-shows-promise-for-reducing-harmful-alcohol-use/?sc=rsin /articles/common-diabetes-drug-shows-promise-for-reducing-harmful-alcohol-use/?sc=rsin Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:00:00 EST An early-stage study has found that a drug commonly prescribed for diabetes may prove to help treat people with alcohol use disorder. The study, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that the diabetes drug metformin reduced alcohol intake in mice. Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/large-study-of-diverse-us-veterans-adds-to-evidence-that-moderate-drinking-does-not-protect-against-heart-disease-or-diabetes/?sc=rsin /articles/large-study-of-diverse-us-veterans-adds-to-evidence-that-moderate-drinking-does-not-protect-against-heart-disease-or-diabetes/?sc=rsin Sun, 24 Nov 2024 10:00:00 EST Moderate alcohol use does not reduce cardiometabolic disease risk among veterans of European, African, or Hispanic ancestry, a new study suggests. The findings add to growing evidence that traditional research methods applied to drinking levels and certain disease outcomes have created illusory and misleading results. Heavy drinking is known to be linked to coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Traditional observational studies have, however, associated moderate drinking with the lowest risk and abstinence with a moderate risk (the U-curve or J-curve effect). In recent years, the U-curve has been increasingly attributed to confounding errors--when study results are distorted by other factors. In this case, the abstinence category is implicated since it establishes a false equivalence between study participants with widely differing risk factors (lifelong non-drinkers, those who stopped drinking for health or other alcohol-related problems, and those who falsely reporte Research Society on Alcoholism /articles/for-young-adults-who-use-both-alcohol-and-cannabis-alcohol-use-may-trigger-cannabis-cravings-among-men-but-not-women/?sc=rsin /articles/for-young-adults-who-use-both-alcohol-and-cannabis-alcohol-use-may-trigger-cannabis-cravings-among-men-but-not-women/?sc=rsin Sat, 23 Nov 2024 10:00:00 EST Among young adults who frequently use cannabis, drinking alcohol is linked to intensified cannabis cravings in men and reduced cannabis cravings in women, a novel study suggests. The findings potentially illuminate mechanisms driving the combined use of the two substances and could inform sex-specific approaches to preventing or addressing the resulting harms. Young adults commonly use alcohol and cannabis together (i.e., co-use), and people who use both substances experience more negative consequences--including worse outcomes for alcohol use disorder treatment--than those who use one or the other. Co-use may be partially driven "cross-substance-induced" craving, in which the repeated co-use of two substances prompts one to become a trigger for the other. Research on this effect involving alcohol and cannabis--previously limited to laboratory testing and remote monitoring--has hinted at sex differences in these effects. For the study in Alcohol: Clinical Experimental Research, investigato Research Society on Alcoholism