Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research
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Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. · Apr 2005
Acute ethanol inhibits extracellular signal-regulated kinase, protein kinase B, and adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate response element binding protein activity in an age- and brain region-specific manner.
As little as a single episode of exposure of the developing brain to ethanol can result in developmental neuropathology and mental retardation. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), protein kinase B (PKB), and adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) are messenger molecules that play important roles in neuronal plasticity and survival. This study was undertaken to examine the effects of acute ethanol on ERK, PKB, and CREB activation in the brain. ⋯ The results demonstrate that acute ethanol inhibits ERK/PKB/CREB signaling in brain. This inhibition occurs in an age- and brain region-specific manner, with inhibition of PKB restricted to a time during the brain growth-spurt period. Furthermore, the lack of effect of MK-801 suggests that inhibition of NMDA receptors is unlikely to play a major role in binge ethanol inhibition of ERK/PKB/CREB signaling in vivo.
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Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. · Jan 2005
Comparative StudyTrends and determinants of alcohol consumption in Portugal: results from the national health surveys 1995 to 1996 and 1998 to 1999.
There is very little information on trends and determinants of alcohol consumption in the Portuguese population, which is usually characterized by high wine consumption. ⋯ The pattern of alcohol consumption is changing in Portugal: the prevalence of drinkers is decreasing, and younger generations are shifting from wine to beer and spirits. Educational level seems to be a powerful mediator in the choice of alcoholic beverage.
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Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. · Jan 2005
Comparative StudyGlycine receptors regulate dopamine release in the rat nucleus accumbens.
The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system seems to be centrally involved in regulating reward-related behavior and consequently has been implicated in addictive processes, such as alcoholism and drug addiction. This DA system has also been implicated in psychosis and in regulating hedonia/anhedonia, important components of mania and depression. Given the potentially great importance of the mesolimbic DA system for several psychiatric disorders, it is of major interest to delineate the mechanisms and dynamics underlying DA regulation and release. Recently strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors (GlyR) have attracted some interest in this matter. ⋯ The present results indicate that GlyRs in the nAc are tonically activated and of importance for regulating extracellular DA levels. The possibility of pharmacologically interfering with GlyRs to combat psychiatric disorders, in which the mesolimbic DA system is implicated, such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and psychosis, should be explored.
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Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. · Aug 2004
Comparative StudyIncreased cortisol response to surgery in patients with alcohol problems who developed postoperative confusion.
Patients with alcohol problems often develop postoperative confusion and have impaired cortisol, ACTH, and norepinephrine. However, the relationship between neuroendocrine responses to surgical stress and postoperative confusion remains unclear in patients with alcohol problems. ⋯ The cortisol response to surgical stress increases in patients with alcohol problems who develop postoperative confusion, although cortisol response to surgical stress decreases in patients with alcohol problems without postoperative confusion.