National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

The effectiveness of an experimental treatment for alcoholism depends on the genetic makeup of individuals who receive it, according to a new study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health. A report of the findings appears online in the American Journal of Psychiatry. “This study represents an important milestone...

A National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism analysis of data from 1997, the first year that all states and the District of Columbia included Hispanic origin on death certificates, reveals that risk for liver cirrhosis mortality is higher among white men and women of Hispanic origin than among non-Hispanic black and white Americans. Cirrhosis death rates are highest among...

Viewing pictures of alcoholic beverages activates the prefrontal cortex and the anterior thalamus in alcoholics but not in moderate drinkers, report Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) researchers in the April Archives of General Psychiatry. The research team is the first to use fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to examine whether alcohol cues stimulate specific brain regions. "The activated brain...

How do genes influence alcohol use disorder? Alcohol use disorder (AUD) often seems to run in families, and we may hear about scientific studies of an “alcoholism gene.” Genetics certainly influence our likelihood of developing AUD, but the story isn’t so simple. Research shows that genes are responsible for about half of the risk for AUD. Therefore, genes alone do...

April 23-24, 1998 • Ramada Inn • Bethesda, Maryland As the Working Group meeting drew to a close, NIAAA asked the members to sketch the rudiments of four potential models for intervening with risk drinking during pregnancy. Three were to be based on the target groups specified in the IOM report–universal, selective, and indicated. The fourth model was to cut...

Findings from the largest survey ever mounted on the co-occurrence of psychiatric disorders among U.S. adults afford a sharper picture than previously available of major depressive disorder* (MDD) in specific population subgroups and of MDD’s relationship to alcohol use disorders (AUDs) ** and other mental health conditions. The new analysis of data from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol...

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every family across the country and will likely have a long-lasting impact on public health and well-being. Alcohol misuse is already a public health concern in the United States, and alcohol has the potential to further complicate the COVID-19 pandemic in multiple ways. Below are links to important resources for the public, clinicians, and researchers...

The medication naltrexone and up to 20 sessions of alcohol counseling by a behavioral specialist are equally effective treatments for alcohol dependence when delivered with structured medical management, according to results from "Combining Medications and Behavioral Interventions for Alcoholism" (The COMBINE Study). Results from the National Institutes of Health-supported study show that patients who received naltrexone, specialized alcohol counseling, or...

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Director Ting-Kai Li, M.D., announced today that Mark S. Goldman, Ph.D., has joined NIAAA as an Associate Director. "I am delighted that Dr. Goldman has joined the NIAAA leadership," says Dr. Li. "He brings a wealth of research and clinical experience that will be invaluable at this exciting time of discovery in...

Researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California-San Francisco, report in the June 14 issue of Cell that the brain chemical messenger dopamine and ethanol (beverage alcohol) act through independent mechanisms to synergistically produce a common cellular response that sustains voluntary alcohol consumption. The work may provide an additional target for pharmacologic treatment of alcoholism. "Today's...

Summary of the 121th Meeting June 10-11, 2009 The National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) convened for its 121st meeting at 5:30 p.m. on June 10, 2009, at the Fishers Lane Conference Center in Rockville, Maryland, in a closed session. Dr. Abraham Bautista presided over the closed review of grant applications and consideration of MERIT Award nominations...

Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala has announced the availability of the 10th Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health , produced by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The report highlights recent research advances on the causes, consequences, treatment, and prevention of alcohol addiction (alcoholism) and alcohol abuse. The 492-page...

NIAAA Reports Project MATCH Main Findings Washington, D.C. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism today announced main findings from the largest and most statistically powerful clinical trial of psychotherapies ever undertaken. Designed to test whether different types of alcoholics respond differently to specific therapeutic approaches, the eight-year, multisite trial confirmed one hypothetical "match" and did not confirm ten...

Thursday, February 8, 2007

CONTENTS A. Reauthorization Legislation and Budget B. Director's Activities C. NIAAA Staff and Organization D. NIAAA Research Programs E. Scientific Meetings F. Outreach G. Multi-Media Products from NIAAA A. Reauthorization Legislation and Budget NIH Reform Act In December, Congress passed a reauthorization bill for NIH, the third ever omnibus reauthorization for the agency. Previous omnibus reauthorizations were enacted in 1993...

Bethesda, Maryland — Ting-Kai Li, M.D., director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) since November 2002, announced today that he will step down from his post and retire from Federal service, effective October 31, 2008. Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., the NIAAA Deputy Director since February 2008, will serve as Acting Director of the Institute while a...