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Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
Older problem drinkers use more alcohol than do their younger counterparts Older adults who have alcohol dependence problems drink significantly more than do younger adults who have similar problems, a new study has found. The findings suggest that older problem drinkers may have developed a tolerance for alcohol and need to drink even more than younger abusers to achieve the effects they seek. Contact: Virginia Richardson Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
Researchers begin to decipher metabolism of sexual assault drug It's a naturally occurring brain chemical with an unwieldy name: 4-hydroxybutyrate (4-HB). Taken by mouth, it can be abused or used as a date-rape drug. Now, a team of Ohio and Michigan scientists have determined new routes by which 4-HB is metabolized by the body. "This is new and important information," said K. Michael Gibson, professor and chair of biological sciences at Michigan Technological University and a member of the research team. Contact: Jennifer Donovan Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Cigarettes harbor many pathogenic bacteria: Study Cigarettes are widely contaminated with bacteria, including some known to cause disease in people, concludes a new study conducted by a University of Maryland environmental health researcher and microbial ecologists at the Ecole Centrale de Lyon in France. The research team describes the study as the first to show that "cigarettes themselves could be the direct source of exposure to a wide array of potentially pathogenic microbes among smokers and other people exposed to secondhand smoke." Contact: Neil Tickner Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Women can quit smoking and control weight gain Many women don't quit smoking because they are afraid of gaining weight. That's because nicotine suppresses appetite and boosts a smoker's metabolism. But a new meta-analysis shows that women who quit smoking while receiving treatment for weight control are better able to control their weight gain and are more successful at quitting cigarettes. The finding disproves clinical guidelines that say trying to diet and quit smoking at the same time will sabotage efforts to ditch cigarettes. Contact: Marla Paul Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Why can't some people give up cocaine? Drug dependency is a recurrent but treatable kind of addiction. However, not all people who are drug dependent progress in the same way once they stop taking drugs. A new study shows that, in the case of cocaine, a high score on the so-called "scale of craving," an antisocial personality type and previous heroin abuse are the factors most commonly involved in people falling back into the habit. Contact: SINC Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Promising pharmaceutical agents emerge as sports doping products Researchers from the German Sport University Cologne in Germany found that nonsteroidal and tissue-selective anabolic agents such as selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are being sold on the black market for their performance enhancing qualities. The availability of authentic SARMs was recently demonstrated for the first time by the detection of the drug candidate Andarine in a product sold via the Internet. Full findings of the study appear in the latest issue of Drug Testing and Analysis published by Wiley-Blackwell. Contact: Dawn Peters Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Treating alcohol-use disorders and tuberculosis together Treatment for alcohol use disorders and tuberculosis (TB) is rarely integrated, even though the two diseases have a high co-occurrence. American and Russian researchers have jointly designed and are monitoring an innovative program that will deliver alcohol treatment as part of routine TB care. The trial study is continuing. Contact: Shelly F. Greenfield, M.D., M.P.H. Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
An intervention that can reduce hostile perceptions in children with prenatal alcohol exposure Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to significant impairments in social skills. Researchers have found that a social- skills intervention called Children's Friendship Training can lead to a decrease in hostile attributions or perceptions of children with PAE. Contact: Vivien Keil, Ph.D. Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
A brief intervention that works for drivers who persist in driving while intoxicated Researchers comparing the effectiveness of two interventions on driving-while-impaired re-offenders with alcohol problems found that one -- Brief Motivational Interviewing -- was more effective. While both interventions led to significant declines in risky drinking, BMI produced significantly more pronounced and longer-lasting reductions in risking drinking compared to the control intervention. Contact: Thomas G. Brown, Ph.D. Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Examining mathematical abilities in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have a number of cognitive deficits. Mathematical ability seems particularly damaged in children with FASD. A new study supports the importance of the left parietal area for mathematical abilities in children with FASD. Contact: Catherine Lebel, B.Sc. Public Release: 18-Nov-2009
Study raises concerns about outdoor second-hand smoke Indoor smoking bans have forced smokers at bars and restaurants onto outdoor patios, but a new University of Georgia study in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that these outdoor smoking areas might be creating a new health hazard. Contact: Sam Fahmy Public Release: 18-Nov-2009
Current cigarette smokers at increased risk of seizures A recent study determined there is a significant risk of seizure for individuals who currently smoke cigarettes. This is the first prospective study to examine the potential risks associated with cigarette smoking, caffeine intake, and alcohol consumption as they independently relate to epilepsy. Full findings of this study are currently available online and will appear in the February 2010 issue of Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy. Contact: Dawn Peters Public Release: 17-Nov-2009
Depression as deadly as smoking, but anxiety may be good for you A study by researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway, and the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London has found that depression is as much of a risk factor for mortality as smoking. The study also shows that patients with depression face an overall increased risk of mortality, while a combination of depression and anxiety in patients lowers mortality compared with depression alone. Contact: Melanie Haberstroh Public Release: 17-Nov-2009
Coed college housing connected to frequent binge drinking A new study in the Journal of American College Health finds that students placed by their universities in coed housing are 2.5 times more likely to binge drink each week than students placed in all-male or all-female housing. Contact: Joe Hadfield Public Release: 16-Nov-2009
Unrealistic optimism prompts risky behavior Unrealistic optimism about drinking behavior can lead to later alcohol-related problems, according to research published in the current issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the official monthly journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Contact: Jim Gilden Public Release: 16-Nov-2009
Smoking may now be considered an established risk factor for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease While previous studies have indicated a "probable" connection between smoking and ALS, a new study published in the Nov. 17, 2009, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, states that smoking may now be considered an "established" risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Contact: Keith J. O'Connor Public Release: 16-Nov-2009
The straight dope: Studies link parental monitoring with decreased teen marijuana usage Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug by adolescents, with almost 42 percent of high school seniors admitting to having experimented with it. Many studies have focused on parents as being the best avenue for preventing adolescent marijuana use; however, the strength of the relationship between monitoring and marijuana usage has been unclear. According to a meta-analysis, there is in a fact a strong, reliable link between parental monitoring and decreased marijuana usage in adolescents. Contact: Barbara Isanski Public Release: 16-Nov-2009
First ever large-scale study of ketamine users published The first ever large-scale, longitudinal study of ketamine users has been published online today in the journal Addiction. With Ketamine (K, Special K) use increasing faster than any other drug in the UK (British Crime Survey, 2008) this research showing the consequences of repeated ketamine use provides valuable information for users and addiction professionals alike. Contact: Amy Molnar Public Release: 16-Nov-2009
Bladder cancer risks increase over time for smokers Risk of bladder cancer for smokers has increased since the mid-1990s, with a risk progressively increasing to a level five times higher among current smokers in New Hampshire than that among nonsmokers in 2001-2004, according to a new study published online Nov. 16 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Contact: Steve Graff Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
Dopamine enhances expectation of pleasure in humans Enhancing the effects of the brain chemical dopamine influences how people make life choices by affecting expectations of pleasure, according to new research from the UCL Institute of Neurology. Contact: Ruth Howells Public Release: 11-Nov-2009
Athletes on performance enhancers more likely to abuse alcohol, other drugs College athletes who use performance-enhancing substances may be at heightened risk of misusing alcohol and using recreational drugs as well, according to new research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Contact: Stephanie Smith Peeters Public Release: 10-Nov-2009
90 percent of Africans are not protected by smoke-free laws As African nations are poised to undergo the highest increase in the rate of tobacco use among developing countries, nearly 90 percent of people on the continent remain without meaningful protection from secondhand smoke, according to a new report released at a regional cancer conference today. Contact: Megan Dold Public Release: 9-Nov-2009
Scientists call for ban on alcohol-industry sponsorship of sport The alcohol industry's sponsorship of sport should be banned and replaced with a dedicated alcohol tax modeled on those employed by some countries for tobacco, say scientists. Contact: Aeron Haworth Public Release: 9-Nov-2009
Theory about long and short-term memory questioned by UCL scientists The long-held theory that our brains use different mechanisms for forming long-term and short-term memories has been challenged by new research from UCL, published today in PNAS. Contact: Ruth Howells Public Release: 9-Nov-2009
Health researchers call for alcohol industry to prove no harm in funding of sports Researchers from Australia and the UK are calling for a new approach to the debate over whether alcohol industry sponsorship of sports increases drinking among sports participants. They want to shift the burden of proof to the alcohol industry. Contact: Amy Molnar |