Differential effects of alcohol‐drinking patterns on the structure and function of the brain and cognitive performance in young adult drinkers: A pilot study

Maintaining the correct balance in neuronal activation is of paramount importance to normal brain function. Imbalances due to changes in excitation or inhibition can lead to a variety of disorders ranging from the clinically extreme (e.g. epilepsy) to the more subtle (e.g. anxiety). In the brain, the most common inhibitory synapses are regulated by GABAA (γ-aminobutyric acid type A) receptors, a role commensurate with their importance as therapeutic targets. Remarkably, we still know relatively little about GABAA receptor biogenesis. Receptors are constructed as pentameric ion channels, with α and β subunits being the minimal requirement, and the incorporation of a γ subunit being necessary for benzodiazepine modulation and synaptic targeting. Insights have been provided by the discovery of several specific assembly signals within different GABAA receptor subunits. Moreover, a number of recent studies on GABAA receptor mutations associated with epilepsy have further enhanced our understanding of GABAA receptor biogenesis, structure and function.

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Association of Alcohol Drinking Patterns with Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components in Korean Adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2018

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126433 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6433

Author(s):

Seung Won Lee ◽

Sung-In Jang

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Binge Drinking ◽

Alcohol Drinking ◽

Hdl Cholesterol ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Drinking Patterns ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Korean Adults ◽

Alcohol Drinking Patterns ◽

Drinking Frequency

This study examined the association of alcohol drinking patterns with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in a nationally representative sample of South Korean adults. The cross-sectional study included 12,830 current drinkers (6438 men and 6392 women) who were at least 20 years old. Measures of alcohol drinking patterns included average drinking frequency, usual quantity, and binge drinking frequency over the past year. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for MetS and its components according to alcohol drinking patterns, and also to examine linear trends in these relationships. The prevalence of MetS was 1822 (26.2%) in men and 1313 (17.5%) in women. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, drinking quantity and binge drinking frequency were positively associated with MetS in both sexes. Regarding components of MetS, while the risk of low HDL cholesterol decreased as drinking frequency increased, other MetS components (abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, and impaired fasting glucose) worsened. Our results suggest that separate management of each component of MetS will be required to protect cardio-metabolic health, and a healthy drinking culture that refrains from binge drinking should be established in the context of public health.

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Normal ageing and the brain

Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0790966700004651 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 26-28

Author(s):

CS Breathnach

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Cortex ◽

Imaging Techniques ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Ageing Population ◽

Cell Shrinkage ◽

Ageing Processes ◽

Normal Ageing ◽

And Function ◽

Ageing Brain ◽

The Brain

AbstractInterest in the psychiatric aspects of old age predated the institution of geriatrics as a clinical discipline, but the systematic study of the ageing brain only began in the second half of this century when an ageing population presented a global numerical challenge to society. In the senescent cerebral cortex, though the number of neurons is not reduced, cell shrinkage results in synaptic impoverishment with consequent cognitive impairment. Recent advances in imaging techniques, combined with burgeoning knowledge of neurobiological structure and function, have increased our understanding of the ageing processes in the human brain and permit an optimistic approach in the application of the newer insights into neuropsychology and geriatric psychiatry.

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Sex Differences in Alcohol Drinking Patterns During Forced and Voluntary Consumption in Rats

Alcohol ◽

10.1016/s0741-8329(99)00010-5 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 15-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 70

Author(s):

Jorge Juárez ◽

Eliana Barrios De Tomasi

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Alcohol Drinking ◽

Drinking Patterns ◽

Alcohol Drinking Patterns

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Differential effects of the ApoE4 genotype on brain structure and function

NeuroImage ◽

10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.11.042 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 89 ◽

pp. 81-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Silke Matura ◽

David Prvulovic ◽

Alina Jurcoane ◽

Daniel Hartmann ◽

Julia Miller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Structure ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Differential Effects ◽

Brain Structure And Function ◽

And Function

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Culture Wires the Brain

Perspectives on Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/1745691610374591 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 391-400 ◽

Cited By ~ 87

Author(s):

Denise C. Park ◽

Chih-Mao Huang

Keyword(s):

Brain Structure ◽

Cultural Psychology ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Neural Function ◽

Limited Evidence ◽

Neural Structure ◽

Cultural Experiences ◽

Brain Structure And Function ◽

And Function ◽

The Brain

There is clear evidence that sustained experiences may affect both brain structure and function. Thus, it is quite reasonable to posit that sustained exposure to a set of cultural experiences and behavioral practices will affect neural structure and function. The burgeoning field of cultural psychology has often demonstrated the subtle differences in the way individuals process information—differences that appear to be a product of cultural experiences. We review evidence that the collectivistic and individualistic biases of East Asian and Western cultures, respectively, affect neural structure and function. We conclude that there is limited evidence that cultural experiences affect brain structure and considerably more evidence that neural function is affected by culture, particularly activations in ventral visual cortex—areas associated with perceptual processing.

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Alcohol Consumption at Any Level Increases Risk of Injury Caused by Others: Data from the Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health

Substance Abuse Research and Treatment ◽

10.4137/sart.s23549 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9s2 ◽

pp. SART.S23549 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Thomas Clausen ◽

Priscilla Martinez ◽

Andy Towers ◽

Thomas Greenfield ◽

Paul Kowal

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Older Adult ◽

Emerging Economies ◽

Alcohol Drinking ◽

Adult Health ◽

Drinking Patterns ◽

Risk Of Injury ◽

Alcohol Drinking Patterns ◽

Global Ageing

Background Alcohol use is a well-known risk factor for injury. However, information is needed about alcohol drinking patterns and the risk of injury among older adults in low- and middle-income countries as this population grows. We aimed to examine the influence of drinking patterns on the burden of injury and investigate factors associated with different types of injury in older populations in six emerging economies. Methods Data from more than 37,0 adults aged 50 years and older were included from the Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave 1 conducted in six emerging economies, namely, China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa. We investigated past-year reported injuries from falls, traffic accidents, and being hit or stabbed. Alcohol drinking patterns were measured as lifetime abstinence, ever but not past- week use, and gender-specific past-week low-risk and high-risk use. We stratified by gender and used logistic regression models to observe the association between alcohol drinking pattern and risk of injury by controlling for other factors. Results During the year prior to interview, 627 (2.2%) subjects reported bodily injury resulting from a car accident, 1,156 (4.2%) from a fall, and 339 (.9%) from being hit or stabbed during the past year. For women, only being a high-risk drinker increased the risk of being hit or stabbed, whereas for men, all levels of drinking were associated with an increased risk of being hit or stabbed. We observed a higher risk of being hit or stabbed from past-week high-risk drinking among women (odds ratio [OR] = 6.09, P < 0.01) than among men (OR = 3.57, P < 0.01). We observed no association between alcohol drinking pattern and injury due to car accidents for either women or men. Conclusions The risk of experiencing injury due to violence increased with level of alcohol exposure of the victim. The increase in alcohol use in emerging economies calls for further study into the consequences of alcohol use and for public health initiatives to reduce the risk of violence in older adult populations, with special attention to the experience of older adult women.

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