April 23-24, 1998 • Ramada Inn • Bethesda, Maryland Abstracts The Seattle Pregnancy and Health Program: A Demonstration Grant to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Intervene in Female Alcohol Abuse During Pregnancy Ruth E. Little, Sc.D., Ann P. Streissguth, Ph.D., and Gay M. Guzinski, M.D. From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology...

Globally, alcohol misuse was the seventh-leading risk factor for premature death and disability in 2016. 1 In 2016, alcohol misuse was the leading risk factor for death and disability among people ages 15 to 49. 1 In 2016, approximately 14.0% of total deaths among people ages 20 to 39 were alcohol attributable. 2 In 2016, of all deaths attributable to...

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...

NIAAA grantee will discuss alcohol’s effects on adolescent development What: The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, announces that Sandra A. Brown, Ph.D., will deliver a virtual presentation of the 2020 Jack Mendelson Honorary Lecture. The title of her presentation is “Discerning Risks and Effects of Alcohol in the Midst of...

Research on Promising Medications (not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA]) to Treat Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Varenicline (Chantix®), a medication approved for smoking cessation, was found in a recent 200-patient clinical trial conducted by NIAAA’s Clinical Investigations Group (NCIG) to reduce alcohol consumption and craving among people who are alcohol-dependent. Varenicline may work by partially stimulating...

The NIAAA community mourns the passing of Ann P. Streissguth, Ph.D., who died on August 1, 2023. An internationally renowned expert on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), Dr. Streissguth and colleagues published the first study identifying “fetal alcohol syndrome” in the United States and its link to maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. “Dr. Streissguth was a pioneer whose seminal research...

Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD): Promising Practices for System Involved Youth with FASD FASD is a group of medical conditions that describe a range of effects that can occur in an individual prenatally exposed to alcohol. These effects, often invisible, may include mental, behavioral, and or learning disabilities with lifelong implications. This session will highlight available resources on this...

Drinking to the point of a blackout has gained pop culture notoriety in recent years. Alcohol-induced blackouts can lead to impaired memory of events that transpired while intoxicated, and a drastically increased risk of injuries and other harms. They can occur in anyone who drinks alcohol, no matter their age or level of experience with drinking. In this factsheet, we...

Appendix A. Differences Among Survey Data Sources Item NHSDA/NSDUH MTF YRBS Sample Characteristics Survey population Civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 12 and older, including residents of households and noninstitutional group quarters, and civilians living on military installations 8th, 10th, 12th graders enrolled in school 9th through 12th graders enrolled in school Sample size (2019) 67,625 youth and adults 18,766 12- to...

Appendix A. Differences Among Survey Data Sources Item NHSDA/NSDUH MTF YRBS Sample Characteristics Survey population Civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 12 and older, including residents of households and noninstitutional group quarters, and civilians living on military installations 8th, 10th, 12th graders enrolled in school 9th through 12th graders enrolled in school Sample size (2019) 67,625 youth and adults 18,766 12- to...

NIAAA’s ability to pursue its research priorities is supported by the commitment to building and sustaining a robust research capacity. At the core of NIAAA’s efforts to build research capacity are cultivating a talented scientific and administrative workforce to advance research to the next frontier and maximizing NIAAA research resources and infrastructure to promote discovery. Objective 1: Enhancing and Sustaining...

In 2010, NIAAA celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding this year with a fresh, new look and new publications that examined the Institute's pivotal role in alcohol-related research and outreach. The Institute hosted a special symposium on October 4, 2010, recognizing the anniversary. At this symposium, leaders in the field discussed the ways in which alcohol research has evolved...

NIAAA Resources Today there are more options available for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) than ever before. Decades of research have led to advances in medications and behavioral therapies to help people recover. Professionally led alcohol treatment now takes place in a variety of settings, including outpatient care that can help many people recover while still living at home. To...

The mission of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is to generate and disseminate fundamental knowledge about the adverse effects of alcohol on health and well-being, and apply that knowledge to improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of alcohol-related problems, including alcohol use disorder, across the lifespan. NIAAA leads the national effort to reduce alcohol-related problems by: Conducting and...

Can NIAAA accept donations? Yes. Although the NIAAA is a federally funded organization and not a fund-raising organization, the U.S. Congress has authorized NIAAA to accept donations and bequests to support its research mission. Donations to the NIAAA are deposited in a Gift Fund account which is separate from the funding NIAAA receives from Congress. How are donations used? Projects...

Treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) includes behavioral treatments such as mutual support groups and individual therapy, as well as pharmaceutical treatments. Often these are used in combination. Currently, there are three Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for the treatment of AUD: Disulfiram (Antabuse®) In 1949, disulfiram became the first drug approved to treat alcoholism. The drug works by...

Para muchas personas, una noche de alcohol puede resultar en una mañana desagradable y los temibles efectos de una resaca. ¿Qué nos dice la ciencia sobre este fenómeno? ¿Qué factores causan los síntomas característicos de una resaca? Y la pregunta que quizás sea tan antigua como la resaca misma: ¿existe algún remedio real? ¿Qué es la resaca? La resaca se...

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has launched a LinkedIn page. We are excited to expand our social media footprint to engage with professional audiences, including researchers, health care professionals, educators, public health officials, and more. Visit and follow the LinkedIn page today. On this account, we will share NIAAA news and events, information on funding, job...

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has released Advancing Alcohol Research to Promote Health and Well-Being, the Institute’s Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2024-2028. The plan charts a course for the next five years and outlines the goals and priorities that will guide NIAAA’s research through a dynamic balance of basic, translational, and clinical research relevant to...

Dry January is a time when people take a break from drinking and examine their relationship with alcohol. There are many potential reasons to take advantage of this time to examine your relationship with alcohol. It may be part of a New Year’s resolution to incorporate healthy behaviors into your routine. You may have overindulged during the holidays, and it...