A study found that genetic variations in taste receptors affect the way people perceive the bitterness of alcohol, influencing their drinking habits. Individuals who are supertasters and can't taste the bitterness of PROP may consume more alcohol than those who are nontasters.
A new study found that alcoholics show deficits in visuoperception and frontal executive functioning even with prolonged sobriety. Researchers assessed visuoperception and perceptual learning tasks in detoxified alcoholic men compared to control men, revealing differences in cognitive processes and memory strategies.
The genomic sequence of the coelacanth, a 'living fossil,' holds valuable clues for biologists studying vertebrate evolution. The completed genome analysis reveals slow evolutionary changes relative to land vertebrates and teleost fishes, making it a better reference for comparative sequence analyses.
Research reveals substantial effects on IQ among children with prenatal alcohol exposure, particularly those born to older mothers or with a history of heavy drinking. The study identified subgroups of vulnerable children with compromised academic and social performance.
In a breakthrough discovery, Stanford researchers have found that mast cells can provide protection from sepsis by destroying a molecule that contributes to the pathology and death associated with this bacterial infection. The study reveals a new role for mast cells in limiting damage caused by endothelin-1.
A large population study has found that most ovarian cancers in families with at least one woman with breast cancer are not related to BRCA1/2 mutations. Instead, other factors may contribute to the increased risk of ovarian cancer in these families.
Jefferson scientists discovered that certain parts of the silver-haired bat rabies virus, specifically its glycoprotein cover, enable it to infect the brain rapidly. The researchers found that this type of rabies is capable of evading the immune system more effectively than other strains, making it a key factor in viral pathogenesis.
A study published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research suggests that variants of the BDNF gene may play a role in vulnerability to alcohol withdrawal-associated delirium tremens and violence while intoxicated. The study found a significant association between the G196A polymorphism and AA genotypes/A allele frequencies in al...
Researchers developed a new way to predict the number of drug users, finding two epidemic periods with significant increases in opiate and injecting drug users between 1975 and 1995. The study suggests the number of current opiate users has continued to rise since the early 1970s, doubling between 1977 and 1982.