Changes to genetic material in the brain may help induce the anxiety that is characteristic of alcohol withdrawal, according to a new study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The finding points to possible therapies to prevent withdrawal-related anxiety, a driving force behind alcohol use among dependent...

Researchers supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have identified new genes that may contribute to excessive alcohol consumption. The new study, conducted with strains of animals that have either a high or low innate preference for alcohol, provides clues about the molecular mechanisms that underlie the tendency...

Vulnerability to both alcohol and nicotine abuse may be influenced by the same genetic factor, according to a recent study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In the study, two genetically distinct kinds of rat – one an innately heavy-drinking strain bred to prefer alcohol (“P” rats)...

Unhealthy alcohol drinking patterns may go hand-in-hand with unhealthy eating habits, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Examining diet quality of individuals who drink any kind of alcoholic beverage, researchers found that people who...

Scientists have identified a brain mechanism in rats that may play a central role in regulating anxiety and alcohol-drinking. The finding, by researchers supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), could provide important clues about the neurobiology of alcohol-drinking behaviors in humans. A report of the study appears...

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), today kicked off a major collaborative study that will investigate ways to screen, identify, and treat patients in hospital emergency departments for alcohol problems. Academic emergency medical departments (EDs) at 14 institutions throughout the U.S. will participate in the study, the...

DO YOU DRINK ALCOHOL TO DEAL WITH STRESS? Doctors at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) seek volunteers between 21-65 year of age who drink heavily and/or had a stressful childhood to participate in a study looking at the effect of alcohol abuse and early life stress on the ability to feel calm. All study-related tests and procedures are provided...

Percentage change in per capita alcohol consumption, United States, 1977–2019. Year Beer Wine Spirits All beverages 2019 82.7 148.3 85.6 91.5 2018 83.5 148.3 83.7 90.8 2017 84.3 148.3 81.7 90.4 2016 85.8 148.3 79.8 90.4 2015 85.8 144.8 77.9 89.6 2014 86.6 148.3 76.9 89.2 2013 88.2 144.8 76.0 89.6 2012 89.0 144.8 75.0 90.0 2011 88.2 141.4 73.1...

Join the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) on Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. ET for a webinar on small business research funding to develop and commercialize treatments, technologies, and solutions in this field. You’ll learn about the NIAAA Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program, priority research interests, tips for submitting...

Offers free continuing education credit A new online resource will help healthcare professionals and practices improve care for people whose alcohol consumption may be impacting their health. Recognizing alcohol’s contribution to over 200 diseases and conditions will improve clinicians’ ability to serve their patients. The Healthcare Professional’s Core Resource on Alcohol was developed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse...

The White House Hosts a Mental Health Virtual Event: The Science Behind Alcohol Misuse as a Coping Mechanism Thursday, August 4, 2022 at 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET WHAT: The White House is hosting a series of virtual conversations to highlight promising areas of current research and understand what is still needed to address the Nation’s deepening mental health...

The 2022 National Conference on Alcohol and Other Substance Use in Women and Girls: Advances in Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery will be held virtually from Thursday, October 20, through Friday, October 21, 2022. Registration: Please use the following link to register for the conference: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/367873990007 Please register by close of business on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. This conference is FREE...

Press Contact: NIAAA Press Office [email protected] (301) 443-2857 December 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To celebrate this milestone anniversary, NIAAA will host a virtual scientific conference, “Alcohol Across the Lifespan: 50 Years of Evidence-Based Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment Research,” on the afternoons...

Why Should Health Plans Adopt Alcohol-Related Quality Improvement Measures? Health plans can make a meaningful difference in countless lives by adopting alcohol-related quality improvement measures. Alcohol screening and follow-up are evidence based, top-ranking clinical preventive services in terms of health impact and cost effectiveness. 1,2 Alcohol consumption contributes to more than 200 health conditions and is a leading cause of...

February, which is American Heart Month and includes Valentine’s Day, serves as a good time to review the ways that alcohol misuse can damage a most vital organ—the heart. Research has demonstrated that long-term heavy drinking weakens the heart muscle, causing a disease called alcohol-associated cardiomyopathy, in which the left ventricle of the weakened heart dilates, stretches out, and cannot...

PREAMBLE Research involving the administration of alcohol to human research participants is a critical experimental approach to address fundamental questions on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic responses to alcohol and underlying biobehavioral mechanisms, as well as the etiology, treatment, and prevention of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Furthermore, in the context of early medication development, alcohol administration studies are important to investigate...

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Alcohol Research: Current Reviews ( ARCR), an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) at the National Institutes of Health. While the journal has evolved over time, the mission remains unchanged. ARCR is committed to making relevant scientific developments accessible to alcohol researchers and other interested audiences...