National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

LNI uses brain imaging (PET, MRI and simultaneous PET/MRI) to study the neurocircuitry that underlies the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse and of natural reinforcers and their disruption in diseases of addiction and obesity. For this purpose we study how reward circuits modulate executive function (self-control), interoception, and motivation in the normal human brain including an understanding of the...

Our senses are essential for us to interact with the world. Our five senses–sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell work closely to enable the mind to understand its surroundings better. In humans, chemical senses mediate safety, nutrition, the sensation of pleasure, and general well-being. Taste, olfaction, and chemesthesis (refers to chemical irritation from the burning of chili peppers, the cooling...

[ ARCHIVED NEWS RELEASE ] The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has released a new version of The Cool Spot, the institute's website for middle school (11- to 13-year-old) children. [NOTE: In 2024, NIAAA replaced the site with NIAAA for Middle School .] " The Cool Spot uses engaging...

Revised January 2024 Opportunities by Grant Mechanism Navigating the complex world of NIH Funding can be daunting. Hopefully these pages will help you to better understand your eligibility for various grants and programs based on your specific education level. The information below is focused on NIH training programs in which the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) participates...

It’s Big Game time and March Madness is fast approaching providing opportunities for fans to get together and cheer on their favorite teams. While planning festivities be aware that some guests may choose to celebrate without consuming alcohol. Whether your guests are abstaining because they are driving after the game or have an early morning the next day or because...

La llegada de los estudiantes al campus universitario en otoño es, generalmente, el comienzo de nuevas experiencias, nuevas amistades y de momentos que se recordarán toda la vida. Desafortunadamente para muchos, también es una época de consumo nocivo de alcohol y consumo por parte de menores de edad, así como de lidiar con sus consecuencias, desde el vandalismo, las agresiones...

Los científicos han identificado un área dentro de la corteza frontal del cerebro que puede coordinar la respuesta de un animal a situaciones potencialmente traumáticas. Comprender dónde y cómo los circuitos neuronales que involucran a la corteza frontal regulan tales funciones, y cómo dichos circuitos podrían funcionar mal, puede proporcionar información sobre su papel en los trastornos psiquiátricos relacionados con...

Underage drinking is a serious public health problem in the United States. Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth, and drinking by young people poses enormous health and safety risks.

February 16, 2024

How does alcohol affect a teen’s health? Test your knowledge about underage drinking with an online quiz , now available from Kahoot! The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has partnered with Kahoot!, an online learning platform, to provide free interactive quizzes and games for educators and learners. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is excited to have...

What Is Binge Drinking? The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08%—or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter—or more. This typically happens if a woman has four or more drinks, or a man has five or more drinks, within about 2 hours...

Mon, 02/26/2024 - 12:00

This article was first published in NIAAA Spectrum Volume 16, Issue 1. Alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) can be an effective method for identifying persons either at risk for or with alcohol-related problems and for connecting them to treatment. Recent data suggest, however, that while screening for alcohol misuse is common in primary care and other...

Overview of the Lab To survive all animals must meet basic needs that are guided by their physiological state. The behaviors an animal performs to satisfy these needs are called motivated behaviors. However complex a motivated behavior may be – whether simple, like following an enticing scent to a tasty treat, or complex, like a specialized courtship-mating ritual in order...