National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

A recent NIAAA study determined the expression profile of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of rats treated with alcohol. MicroRNAs are non-coding RNA molecules thought to play a key role in and the regulation of gene expression. The study results suggest that multiple miRNAs were aberrantly expressed in rat NAc after alcohol injection. Among them, miR-382 was down-regulated...

Two experimental compounds prevent one of the cellular events that is a likely contributor to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), according to a new study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). A report of the study, by scientists at Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), appears in the...

NIAAA ANNOUNCEMENT “Rethinking Alcohol Use Disorders: Science, Diagnosis, Treatment and Policy” NIAAA Track at APA Annual Meeting Press Briefing Arlington, Va. – The American Psychiatric Association (APA) will highlight the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) track “Rethinking Alcohol Use Disorders: Science, Diagnosis, Treatment and Policy” at the 159 th Annual Meeting in Toronto, Ontario, at a press...

An NIAAA study shows that people who drink socially and have certain risk factors for alcohol use disorder (AUD) self-administer more alcohol and at a faster rate during a single laboratory session of alcohol consumption than people at low risk for developing AUD. Participants with all three risk factors evaluated in this study—being male, having a family history of AUD...

Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana are the substances American adolescents use the most. A recent study led by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism examined how adolescents’ substance use patterns are associated with substance use disorders in young adulthood. Their findings, published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence in March 2014, show that adolescents who drink alcohol and...

The effects of alcohol use during pregnancy on an unborn child are well known. However, a recent NIAAA-funded study in rats has shown that a mother’s alcohol use before conception also could have negative effects on her child’s health and response to stress during adulthood. To study the effects of preconception alcohol use, the research team, led by Dipak Sarkar...

Prevalencia del trastorno por consumo de alcohol en el último año Personas de 12 años y más Según la Encuesta Nacional sobre la Salud y el Consumo de Drogas (NSDUH, por su sigla en inglés) de 2022, un total de 29.5 millones de personas de 12 años y más (el 10.5% en este grupo de edad) presentaron trastorno por consumo...

Prevalencia del consumo de alcohol entre menores de edad en personas de 12 a 20 años Prevalencia del consumo de alcohol durante toda la vida Según la Encuesta Nacional sobre la Salud y el Consumo de Drogas (NSDUH, por su sigla en inglés) de 2022, un total de 13.2 millones de personas de 12 a 20 años (el 34.2% en...

A study in the February 2000 Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (Volume 24, Number 2) presents the first concrete evidence that protracted, heavy alcohol use can impair brain function in adolescents. It is unclear at present whether the damage is reversible. Supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a research team led by Sandra A. Brown, Ph.D...

"Alcohol and Your Health-Where Do You Draw the Line?" is the question to be posed once again on Thursday, April 7, when National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD) marks its 7th year. Since NASD originated in 1999, a steadily growing one-quarter million participants have addressed that question head on at thousands of NASD sites across the country. Sites registered for 2005...

Newborns whose mothers drank alcohol heavily during pregnancy had damage to the nerves in the arms and legs, according to a study by researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, one of the National Institutes of Health. The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Chile. The nerve damage was still present...

Un medicamento para los problemas cardíacos y la presión arterial alta puede ser también efectivo para tratar el trastorno por consumo de alcohol, según un nuevo estudio realizado por investigadores de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (NIH) y sus colegas. El estudio presenta pruebas convergentes de experimentos en ratones y ratas, así como un estudio de cohortes en humanos, que...

The promising results of the topiramate treatment study reported by Johnson, et al in the October 10, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association represent another development in ongoing efforts to expand and improve treatment options for individuals with alcohol dependence (alcoholism). Topiramate significantly reduced drinking among alcohol dependent individuals. And unlike previous studies with other medications...

At the 2017 meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, the symposium “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Alcohol Treatment But Were Afraid To Ask: A Primer for Non-Clinicians” covered screening and diagnosis of alcohol use disorder, brief interventions, and referral to treatment, as well as the many treatment options and potential pathways through treatment. The symposium included discussions...

CONTENTS A. Legislation, Budget, and Policy B. Director’s Activities C. NIAAA Staff and Organization D. Research Priority Emphasis and Core Support Teams E. NIAAA Research Programs F. Scientific Meetings G. Outreach H. Multi-Media Products from NIAAA I. What’s Ahead A. Legislation, Budget, and Policy Congressional Activity Legislation Introduced for NIAAA Name Change Congressman Patrick Kennedy and Senator Joseph Biden have...

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...

Table of Contents NIAAA DIRECTOR’S NOTE NIAAA BUDGET DIRECTOR’S ACTIVITIES STAFF TRANSITIONS STAFF AWARDS NEW RFA’S/PA’S NIAAA COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA COVERAGE SELECT NIAAA STAFF ACTIVITIES NEW AND UPCOMING PUBLICATIONS WHAT’S AHEAD NIAAA RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Director’s Note Fall Update – NIAAA’s work combatting the harms of college drinking As fall begins and students return to college campuses across the country, we...

Table of Contents NIAAA DIRECTOR’S NOTE NIAAA BUDGET NIAAA DIRECTOR'S SEARCH DIRECTOR’S ACTIVITIES STAFF TRANSITIONS STAFF HONORS AND EDITORIAL APPOINTMENTS NEW RFA’S/PA’S NIAAA COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA COVERAGE NOTABLE NIAAA STAFF ACTIVITIES NEW AND UPCOMING PUBLICATIONS WHAT’S AHEAD NIAAA RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS In Memoriam Daniel W. Hommer (1948 ― 2013) Dr. Daniel W. Hommer, M.D., beloved and respected member of the NIAAA...

"Alcohol and your health – where do you draw the line?" is the question asked by the 2003 National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), a program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Screening for Mental Health (SMH), Inc., and their partners. On April 10, nearly 4000 sites across...