Dieters Can Experience Neurobiological Similarities Of Drug Addicts And Alcoholics
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have shown that intermittent access to foods rich in fat and sugar induces changes in the brain which are comparable to those observed in drug dependence. The findings, reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may explain how abstinence from these foods contributes to relapse eating among dieters as well as related eating disorders. Forms of obesity and eating disorders can be defined as chronic relapsing conditions with alternating periods of abstinence (dieting to avoid "forbidden" foods-rich in sugar and fat also known as palatable foods) and relapse (compulsive, often uncontrollable, eating of highly-palatable foods) that continue despite negative consequences.
Interdisciplinary Research Team Developing Novel Drug Detection Technology
Every time a person snorts cocaine, it doesn't just go to his or her head: It also provokes a response in the immune system, creating special biomolecules that may serve as a permanent record of each exposure. With the support of a $2.7 million Recovery Act grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) an interdisciplinary team headed by Vanderbilt chemist John McLean and physicist John Wikswo will attempt to determine whether an individual's white blood cells retain chemical memories of exposure to drugs like cocaine and alcohol that can be read reliably and unambiguously. The capability to characterize an individual's history of drug abuse should allow physicians to tailor treatment strategies on a case-by-case basis and the technology could provide new insights into the biological pathways that control addictive behavior, which is a first step toward identifying effective new treatments.
Shock Figures Highlight Prevalence Of Alcohol-Related Problems, UK
Millions of people across the UK could be putting themselves at risk of alcohol related violence, casual sex or blackouts, according to an ICM poll carried out on behalf of the Priory Group. 61% of people questioned had been adversely affected following a night's heavy drinking. The most common occurrence was not being able to remember what had happened the night before. The research shows that alcohol can negatively affect behaviour in a number of ways:- - 30% of people admitted to being unable to function properly at work or college the day after a drinking session - Over a quarter of people had had an argument with their spouse or partner fuelled by alcohol and 4% of people had actually ended a relationship - Almost one in four men had been injured or involved in an alcohol-fuelled fight - Violence was most common amongst those aged 25 - 34 years with 43% admitting to either being injured or involved in violence - 16% of women had been injured or involved in an alcohol-fuelled fight - 21% of people had taken a day off to recover from a hangover - 21% of people had sent a text or made a phone call they later regretted - 20% of people had lost personal belongings such as wallet, keys or purse - 6% of men and 3% of women had woken up with someone they couldn't remember - Scotland has the most promiscuous drinkers with 10% admitting to waking up with someone who they could not remember - Older people are not immune to the problems of excessive drinking with 40% of those questioned having suffered some form of issue caused by drinking too much Dr Mark Collins, consultant at the Priory Group said: "These are shocking revelations, reinforcing the fact that the excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol is a massive social and public health problem.
17 Million To UC San Diego For Methamphetamine AIDS Research
Igor Grant, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and colleagues have been awarded a $17 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to establish the Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center (TMARC) at UC San Diego. Grant is director of the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center (HNRC), a clinical research center designated and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. HNRC researchers strive for greater understanding of how HIV enters the central nervous system and why it affects some people but does not cause neurological deficits in others. "The establishment of TMARC will advance our knowledge of the multiple interactions that occur with HIV-induced neurological complications, substance abuse, and other comorbid disorders, " noted NIDA Director Dr.
Expert On Risks Of Alcholic Energy Drinks Available
Emergency physician Mary Claire O'Brien, M.D., of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, has done extensive research on the risks and dangers of alcoholic energy drinks (AEDs). She is available to comment on her research which has been cited in the ongoing effort by state attorneys general to ban the drinks. On Nov. 13, the FDA asked 30 munaufacturers of AEDs to provide safety data related to adding caffeine and other stimulants to their products. O'Brien's research found that college students who reported consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks had significantly higher prevalence of alcohol-related consequences such as sexual assault and injury.
FDA To Look Into Safety Of Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages
The Food and Drug Administration today notified nearly 30 manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages that it intends to look into the safety and legality of their products. "The increasing popularity of consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages by college students and reports of potential health and safety issues necessitates that we look seriously at the scientific evidence as soon as possible, " said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of food and drugs. Of the combined use of caffeine and alcohol among U.S. college students in the few studies on this topic, the prevalence was as high as 26 percent. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, a substance added intentionally to food (such as caffeine in alcoholic beverages) is deemed "unsafe" and is unlawful unless its particular use has been approved by FDA regulation, the substance is subject to a prior sanction, or the substance is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS).
AMA Takes On Social Issues, Backs Reform, Rebuts 100-Year Trend
After a century of health-reform opposition - with highlights such as coining the term "socialized medicine, " - the American Medical Association is now supporting Democrats' overhaul efforts, as well as taking on a few one taboo social issues, NPR 's Health Blog reports. At a recent meeting, the group called for the government "to revisit the classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug, " and for the military to sack the "don't ask, don't tell policy on gays and lesbians in its ranks. In an interview with Dr. James Rohack, the association's president, NPR asks "What's going on?" Rohack says, "In the past some have painted the AMA as an organization of 'no.
Public Health Experts Call On The Scottish Parliament To Do The Right Thing And Introduce Minimum Pricing For Alcohol
At the Faculty of Public Health Scottish conference in Peebles, delegates called on the Scottish and UK governments to introduce new measures to curb binge drinking, anti-social behaviour and to tackle Scotland's increasing alcohol-related health problems. Scotland has one of the fastest growing chronic liver disease rates in the world, and one in three divorces is linked to alcohol problems. 65, 000 children under 16 are estimated to be living with parents with alcohol problems. Dr Emilia Crighton, Convenor of the Faculty of Public Health in Scotland, said: "One in 20 deaths in Scotland is attributable to alcohol. There is an overwhelming case that cheap drink damages Scotland's health record.
New Data Emerges On Liver Transplant Survival Rates
Researchers at the University of Miami School of Medicine compared the outcomes of cirrhotic patients who underwent liver transplants for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) versus alcoholic liver disease (ETOH) and found no statistically significant differences in post-transplant survival rates between the NASH and ETOH groups. Study findings are presented in the December issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, NASH affects 2%-5% of Americans and ranks as one of the major causes of cirrhosis in the U.
Drug Users Know Their Stuff
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. The findings, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, suggest that the current system of classifying psychoactive drugs in the UK may need to be revisited. The study, led by Dr Celia Morgan and Professor Valerie Curran at UCL, surveyed 1, 500 UK drug users via the website http://www.nationaldrugsurvey.org. Drug users were asked to rate twenty psychoactive substances on a 'rational' scale previously developed by Professor David Nutt, Imperial College London, who collaborated on this study.