 |
|
Study offers clues to brain's protective mechanisms against alcoholism
September 05, 2006A new study provides clues that differing brain chemistry may provide part of the answer to why some people with a strong family history of alcoholism develop alcohol dependency while others do not.
UPTON, NY-Why do some people with a strong family history of alcoholism develop alcohol dependency while others do not? A new study provides clues that differing brain chemistry may provide part of the answer. Researchers from four scientific institutions and federal agencies working at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have found that elevated levels of D2 receptors for dopamine - a chemical "messenger" in the brain's reward circuits - may provide a protective effect for those most at risk for developing alcoholism. The study, part of an ongoing effort to understand the biochemical basis of alcohol abuse, also provides new evidence for a linkage between emotional attributes and brain function. The study appears in the September 2006 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
"Higher levels of dopamine D2 receptors may provide protection against alcoholism by triggering the brain circuits involved in inhibiting behavioral responses to the presence of alcohol," said lead author Nora D. Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and former Associate Laboratory Director for life sciences research at Brookhaven Lab. "This means that treatment strategies for alcoholism that increase dopamine D2 receptors could be beneficial for at-risk individuals."
Earlier Brookhaven Lab studies have demonstrated that increasing dopamine D2 receptors by genetic manipulation decreased alcohol consumption in rats that had been trained ( http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/2001/bnlpr090501.htm ) or that were genetically predisposed ( http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/PR_display.asp?prID=04-47 ) to drink large quantities of alcohol. Another study found that such D2-receptor "gene therapy" reduced drinking in mice with normal to moderately low levels of D2 receptors ( http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/PR_display.asp?prID=05-49 ). The current study adds to the evidence that D2 receptors modulate the motivation to drink alcohol and that increasing these receptors could play a role in the treatment of alcoholism. The D2 receptor is one of five dopamine receptor subtypes.
In this study, researchers compared the number of dopamine D2 receptors in two groups: 16 nonalcoholic individuals with no family history of alcoholism and 15 nonalcoholic individuals who had a positive family history of alcoholism - an alcoholic biological father with early onset of alcoholism and at least two other first or second degree relatives (parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, cousin, aunt, uncle) with alcoholism. The latter group was at a very high risk of developing alcoholism. The researchers studied high-risk individuals rather than looking at people with drinking disorders because chronic alcohol abuse reduces the number of dopamine receptors, making comparisons difficult. Participants were scanned with positron emission tomography (PET) and were given two radioactive tracers to assess their dopamine D2 receptor levels and brain glucose - a marker of brain function.
The scans demonstrated high levels of dopamine D2 receptors in the brains of participants with a family history of alcoholism, particularly in their frontal regions - 10 percent higher, on average, than in the brains of those with no family history. These areas of the brain - including the caudate and ventral striatum - are involved in emotional reactions to stress and cognitive control of decisions about drinking.
"This suggests that dopamine D2 receptors in these brain regions protect high-risk individuals from becoming alcoholic," said principal investigator Gene-Jack Wang, who chairs Brookhaven Lab's Medical Department and is clinical head of the PET Imaging Group at the Lab's Center for Translational Neuroimaging. "This protective effect may combine with emotional and environmental factors to compensate for higher inherited vulnerability."
Each study participant was given a Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, to measure for extroversion and introversion, also known as positive and negative emotionality. Positive emotionality is believed to decrease the likelihood of alcohol abuse. This test was given to determine whether the receptors' protective effect was associated with this or other personality characteristics.
"We found that individuals who had the highest level of dopamine D2 receptors were those who were extroverted and more motivated by positive rewards," said Volkow. "This held true for both individuals with and without a family history of alcoholism."
DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory
Earlier Brookhaven Lab studies have demonstrated that increasing dopamine D2 receptors by genetic manipulation decreased alcohol consumption in rats that had been trained ( http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/2001/bnlpr090501.htm ) or that were genetically predisposed ( http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/PR_display.asp?prID=04-47 ) to drink large quantities of alcohol. Another study found that such D2-receptor "gene therapy" reduced drinking in mice with normal to moderately low levels of D2 receptors ( http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/PR_display.asp?prID=05-49 ). The current study adds to the evidence that D2 receptors modulate the motivation to drink alcohol and that increasing these receptors could play a role in the treatment of alcoholism. The D2 receptor is one of five dopamine receptor subtypes.
In this study, researchers compared the number of dopamine D2 receptors in two groups: 16 nonalcoholic individuals with no family history of alcoholism and 15 nonalcoholic individuals who had a positive family history of alcoholism - an alcoholic biological father with early onset of alcoholism and at least two other first or second degree relatives (parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, cousin, aunt, uncle) with alcoholism. The latter group was at a very high risk of developing alcoholism. The researchers studied high-risk individuals rather than looking at people with drinking disorders because chronic alcohol abuse reduces the number of dopamine receptors, making comparisons difficult. Participants were scanned with positron emission tomography (PET) and were given two radioactive tracers to assess their dopamine D2 receptor levels and brain glucose - a marker of brain function.
The scans demonstrated high levels of dopamine D2 receptors in the brains of participants with a family history of alcoholism, particularly in their frontal regions - 10 percent higher, on average, than in the brains of those with no family history. These areas of the brain - including the caudate and ventral striatum - are involved in emotional reactions to stress and cognitive control of decisions about drinking.
"This suggests that dopamine D2 receptors in these brain regions protect high-risk individuals from becoming alcoholic," said principal investigator Gene-Jack Wang, who chairs Brookhaven Lab's Medical Department and is clinical head of the PET Imaging Group at the Lab's Center for Translational Neuroimaging. "This protective effect may combine with emotional and environmental factors to compensate for higher inherited vulnerability."
Each study participant was given a Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, to measure for extroversion and introversion, also known as positive and negative emotionality. Positive emotionality is believed to decrease the likelihood of alcohol abuse. This test was given to determine whether the receptors' protective effect was associated with this or other personality characteristics.
"We found that individuals who had the highest level of dopamine D2 receptors were those who were extroverted and more motivated by positive rewards," said Volkow. "This held true for both individuals with and without a family history of alcoholism."
DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory
Alcoholism Current Events and Alcoholism News RSSScripps team shows diet switching can activate brain's stress system, lead to 'withdrawal' symptoms
In research that sheds light on the perils of yo-yo dieting and repeated bouts of sugar-bingeing, researchers from The Scripps Research Institute have shown in animal models that cycling between periods of eating sweet and regular-tasting food can activate the brain's stress system and generate overeating, anxiety, and withdrawal-like symptoms.
Drunken fruit flies help scientists find potential drug target for alcoholism
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.
Pitt, US Army team designs new strategy to find drugs to treat neglected infection
Using an unconventional approach that they designed, University of Pittsburgh drug discoverers and their collaborators at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research have identified compounds that hold promise for treating leishmaniasis, a parasitic infection that many consider one of the world's most overlooked diseases.
Alcohol activates cellular changes that make tumor cells spread
Alcohol consumption has long been linked to cancer and its spread, but the underlying mechanism has never been clear.
Taking medicine for HIV proves hard to swallow for many people
Highly active antiretroviral therapy has increased the longevity and quality of life for people living with human immunodeficiency virus. But it requires strict adherence in taking the medicine, something that is extremely difficult for many individuals to do.
Alcohol Tolerance Switch Found in Fruit Flies
Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a genetic "switch" in fruit flies that plays an important role in making flies more tolerant to alcohol.
Alcoholism's effect on sleep persists during long periods of sobriety
A study in the Oct.1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that long-term alcoholism affects sleep even after long periods of abstinence, and the pattern of this effect is similar in both men and women.
New ways to predict violent behavior?
In the future, diagnosing severe personality disorders, evaluating the childhood environment, assessing alcohol consumption and the analysis of the MAOA genotype may provide more accurate means for assessing risk among violent offenders, according to the Finnish research carried out jointly at the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University Central Hospital Psychiatry Centre.
Young age at first drink may affect genes and risk for alcoholism
The age at which a person takes a first drink may influence genes linked to alcoholism, making the youngest drinkers the most susceptible to severe problems.
Penn State College of Medicine research isolates liver cancer stem cells prior to tumor formation
Penn State College of Medicine researchers, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Southern California, have taken an important step in understanding the role of stem cells in development of liver cancer.
More Alcoholism Current Events and Alcoholism News Articles
 |
The Cure for Alcoholism: Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence or Discomfort by Roy Eskapa PhD (Author), David Sinclair PhD (Foreword) Introducing a revolutionary solution to alcohol dependence, this study outlines the Sinclair Method, a treatment that combines the prescription medication Naltrexone and the continued consumption of alcohol. Already well known in many parts of Europe, this breakthrough remedy will bring relief to the millions who suffer from addiction or to those who are affected by someone else’s. Topics covered include the hard evidence behind the treatment, moving testimonials from cured alcoholics, interviews from clinics that have adopted the method, and details about Naltrexone. |
 |
Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism by Katherine Ketcham (Author), William F. Asbury (Author), Mel Schulstad (Author), Arthur P. Ciaramicoli (Author) This invaluable work will contribute much to the battle against our number one disease." --from the Foreword by George McGovern, former senator and author of Terry: My Daughter's Life-and-Death Struggle with Alcoholism Alcoholism is a disease. It's time we started treating it like one. Science has offered undisputed proof that alcoholism is a disease rather than a weakness of character, yet millions of alcoholics continue to suffer due to inappropriate treatment. Now the co-author of the modern classic Under the Influence has teamed up with prominent alcoholism experts to provide new answers to this national epidemic. Based on the latest scientific research, Beyond the Influence clearly explains the neurological nature of the disease and reveals why some people... |
 |
Understanding the Alcoholic's Mind: The Nature of Craving and How to Control It by Arnold M. Ludwig (Author) In this groundbreaking book, Arnold M. Ludwig--a doctor with over twenty-five years of experience working with alcoholics--penetrates the minds of alcoholics in order to explain the behaviors and thought processes they use to get and stay sober. He has worked with over one thousand alcoholics from all walks of life and within many different settings, including hospital clinics, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, detoxification centers, and private homes. Using clinical vignettes, research findings, and personal anecdotes, he documents the basic principles necessary for conquering craving and achieving recovery. |
 |
An Uncommon Drunk: Revelations of a High-Functioning Alcoholic by Jeff Herten M.D. (Author) For nearly thirty years, author Dr. Jeff Herten was a high-functioning alcoholic—one who drinks every day, yet continues to lead a productive, successful life. Now he shares his first-hand knowledge of how alcohol can destroy lives—as it nearly destroyed his. Alcohol is the single greatest social ill in the United States. It affects us not only emotionally but physically. Alcohol may lead to deadly cancers of the breast, colon, esophagus, and liver. It rots our bones, corrodes our stomach lining, erodes our memories, and suppresses our immune systems. An Uncommon Drunk explores the numerous facets of alcohol consumption in the United States, including the risks, the behaviors associated with alcohol, and the innocent victims of alcohol abuse. But it also offers hope for those... |
 |
My Way Out: One Woman's Remarkable Journey in Overcoming Her Drinking Problem and How Her Innovative Program Can Help You or Someone You Love by Roberta Jewell (Author) Research indicates one out of 13 Americans suffers a drinking problem and four problem drinkers exist for every "hard core alcoholic". It is one of our country’s most significant health issues and a pervasive secret epidemic. Those affected are desperate for help but do not fit the alcoholic profile. So instead of seeking help, they suffer in silence. In My Way Out, Jewell describes her history as a highly functional alcoholic and her decades of research in battling her addiction. Written in collaboration with Dr. Linda Garcia, MD, the search ultimately led her to develop a program calling upon experts in multiple fields. Jewell’s therapy is based upon a 2002 double blind study published in The Lancet, a highly esteemed British medical journal, which reported results of... |
 |
Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp (Author) A journalist describes her twenty years as a functioning alcoholic, explaining how she used alcohol to escape the realities of life and personal relationships, until a series of personal crises forced her to confront her problem. Reprint. 90,000 first printing." |
 |
Under the Influence: A Guide to the Myths and Realities of Alcoholism by James Robert Milam (Author), Katherine Ketcham (Author) Ten of millions Americans suffer from alcoholism, yet most people still wrongly believe that alcoholism is a psychological or moral problem, and that it can be cured by psychotherapy or sheer will power. Based on groundbreaking scientific research, Under The Influence examine the physical factors that set alcoholics and non-alcoholics apart, and suggests a bold, stigma-free way of understanding and treating the alcoholic. How to tell if someone you know is an alcoholic. The progressive stages of alcoholism. How to get an alcoholic into treatment -- and how to choose a treatment program. Why frequently prescribed drugs can be dangerous -- even fatal -- for alcoholics. How to ensure a lasting recovery. |
 |
Seven Weeks to Sobriety: The Proven Program to Fight Alcoholism through Nutrition by Joan Mathews Larson (Author) "Comprehensive, rational and personal. It suppplies much of what is missing in traditional approaches to alcoholic rehabilitation. I believe that this book can save lives." Leo Galland, M.D. Open this book and you will embark on a groundbreaking seven-week journey that will change your life. You will learn how to break your addiction to alcohol and end your cravings--and do it under your own power. Here, step-by-step, is a proven, seven-week program developed by Dr. Joan Matthews Larson at the innovative Health Recovery Center in Minneapolis, that subdues your body's addictive chemistry and puts you on the path to full recovery. |
 |
THE ALCOHOLISM AND ADDICTION CURE: A Holistic Approach to Total Recovery by Chris Prentiss (Author) The breakthrough three-step program to total recovery from addiction to drugs, alcohol and addictive behaviors. Reveals the four causes of dependency and shows how to create a personalized , holistic treatment program to completely cure your dependency. |
 |
Marriage On The Rocks: Learning to Live with Yourself and an Alcoholic by Janet G. Woititz (Author) From the author of the New York Times bestseller Adult Children of Alcoholics -- an invaluable guide for women dealing with alcoholic partners. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |