Related Articles

Aims

To investigate longitudinal changes in quality of life (QOL) as a function of transitions in alcohol use disorders (AUD) over a 3-year follow-up of a general U.S. population sample.

Methods

The analysis is based on individuals who drank alcohol in the year preceding the Wave 1 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions and were reinterviewed at Wave 2 (n=22,245). Using multiple linear regression models, changes in SF-12 QOL were estimated as a function of DSM-IV AUD transitions, controlling for baseline QOL and multiple potential confounders.

Results

Onset and offset of AUD were strongly associated with changes in mental/psychological functioning, with significant decreases in mental component summary (NBMCS) scores among individuals who developed dependence and significant increases among those who achieved full and partial remission from dependence. The increases in overall NBMCS and its social functioning, role emotional and mental health components were equally great for abstinent and nonabstinent remission from dependence, but improvements in bodily pain and general health were associated with nonabstinent remission only. Onset of abuse was unrelated to changes in QOL, and the increase in NBMCS associated with nonabstinent remission from abuse only was slight. Individuals with abuse only or no AUD who stopped drinking had significant declines in QOL.

Conclusions

These results suggest the possible importance of preventing and treating AUD for maintaining and/or improving QOL. They are also consistent with the sick quitter hypothesis and suggest that abuse is less a mental disorder than a maladaptive pattern of behavior.

Background

Despite the substantial prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), prior research indicates that most people with AUDs never utilize either formal or informal treatment services. Several prior studies have examined the characteristics of individuals with AUDs who receive treatment; however, limited longitudinal data are available on the predictors of receiving AUD services in treatment-naive individuals with AUDs.

Methods

This study utilized data from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to identify adults in Wave 1 who met criteria for an AUD within the last 12 months and reported no prior lifetime alcohol treatment (N=2,760). These individuals were surveyed again at Wave 2, approximately three to four years later (N=2,170). This study examined the Wave 1 demographic and psychiatric conditions that were associated with receipt of AUD treatment services between Wave 1 and Wave 2.

Results

In multivariable analyses, use of AUD treatment services between Waves 1 and 2 was significantly more likely among those who were male, non-Caucasian, younger, had lower income, and who had health insurance. Additionally, those who met criteria for a baseline drug use disorder, anxiety disorder or a personality disorder were more likely to receive AUD treatment.

Conclusions

Treatment was more often utilized in those who had more severe baseline psychopathology and in those with fewer economic resources. These findings highlight the need to broaden the types of care available to individuals with AUDs to increase the appeal of AUD services.

Background

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is associated with poorer treatment outcomes, but more help seeking, for alcohol use disorders (AUDs); however, associations of ASPD with AUD treatment in the general population have not been studied prospectively.

Objective

To examine prediction of treatment over 3-year follow-up among adults with AUDs by baseline ASPD and syndromal adult antisocial behavior without conduct disorder before age 15 (AABS).

Method

Face-to-face interviews with 34,653 respondents to the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, of whom 3875 had prevalent AUDs between Waves 1 and 2 and ASPD, AABS, or no antisocial syndrome at Wave 1.

Results

In unadjusted analyses, baseline ASPD predicted AUD treatment but AABS did not. After adjustment for additional need, predisposing, and enabling factors, antisocial syndromes did not predict treatment. Baseline predictors of treatment included more past-year AUD symptoms, and past-year nicotine dependence and AUD treatment.

Conclusions

That baseline antisocial syndrome did not predict AUD treatment may reflect strong associations of antisociality with previously identified predictors of help seeking.

Objective

The present study examined the dimensionality of DSM-IV Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) criteria using Item Response Theory (IRT) methods and tested the validity of the proposed DSM-V AUD guidelines in a sample of college students.

Method

Participants were 396 college students who reported any alcohol use in the past 90 days and were aged 18 years or older. We conducted factor analyses to determine whether a one- or two-factor model provided a better fit to the AUD criteria. IRT analyses estimated item severity and discrimination parameters for each criterion. Multivariate analyses examined differences among the DSM-V diagnostic cut-off (AUD versus No AUD) and severity qualifiers (no diagnosis, moderate, severe) across several validating measures of alcohol use.

Results

A dominant single-factor model provided the best fit to the AUD criteria. IRT analyses indicated that abuse and dependence criteria were intermixed along the latent continuum. The "legal problems" criterion had the highest severity parameter and the tolerance criterion had the lowest severity parameter. The abuse criterion "social/interpersonal problems" and dependence criterion "activities to obtain alcohol" had the highest discrimination parameter estimates. Multivariate analysis indicated that the DSM-V cut-off point, and severity qualifier groups were distinguishable on several measures of alcohol consumption, drinking consequences, and drinking restraint.

Discussion

Findings suggest that the AUD criteria reflect a latent variable that represents a primary disorder and provide support for the proposed DSM-V AUD criteria in a sample of college students. Continued research in other high-risk samples of college students is needed.

Aims

To determine the prevalence of past 12 month DSM-5 alcohol use disorders (AUDs), to quantify and characterize individuals who remain stably unaffected or affected and those who diagnostically “switch” between DSM-IV and DSM-5 classifications.

Design

Data from the nationally representative Wave 2 of the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) collected in 2004–2005.

Setting

General population survey.

Participants

All surveyed participants (N=34,653, aged 21 and older) and 29,993 individuals reporting lifetime alcohol use across both waves of NESARC.

Measurements

DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria were coded using proposed guidelines.

Findings

The prevalence of DSM-5 AUDs was 10.8% with the corresponding prevalence of DSM-IV abuse/dependence being 9.7%, implying a modest 11.3% increase. Those who diagnostically switched from affected to unaffected (19.6% of DSM-IV affected) were most likely to have endorsed hazardous use, particularly due to drinking and driving while those who transitioned from unaffected to affected (3.3% of DSM-IV unaffected) were primarily DSM-IV diagnostic orphans reporting larger/longer and quit/cut-back. Dropping the legal criterion did not significantly affect the prevalence while the addition of craving also had a relatively modest impact on prevalence.

Conclusion

The proposed DSM-5 revisions successfully eliminate individuals previously diagnosed with DSM-IV alcohol abuse primarily due to hazardous use alone and incorporate diagnostic orphans into the diagnostic realm. Definitions of craving and importantly, hazardous use require considerable attention as it is likely that they will contribute to variations in reports of increased prevalence of AUDs between DSM-IV to DSM-5.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) and nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMPD) among U.S. college students. A secondary aim of this study was to identify individual-level and college-level characteristics associated with the co-occurrence of AUDs and NMPD.

Method

Data were collected from self-administered mail surveys, sent to a random sample of approximately 14,000 college students from a nationally representative sample of 119 U.S. colleges and universities.

Results

Among U.S. college students, those with AUDs represented approximately 75% of nonmedical users of prescription drugs. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that college students with past-year DSM-IV alcohol abuse only (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.59-5.55) and students with past-year DSM-IV alcohol dependence (AOR = 9.17, 95% CI = 7.05-11.93) had significantly increased odds of NMPD in the past year compared with students without AUDs. The co-occurrence of AUDs and NMPD was more likely among college students who were male, white, earned lower grade point averages, and attended co-ed colleges and institutions located in Southern or Northeastern U.S. regions.

Conclusions

The findings provide evidence that NMPD is more prevalent among those college students with AUDs, especially individuals with past-year DSM-IV alcohol dependence. The assessment and treatment of AUDs among college students should account for other forms of drug use such as NMPD.

Background

Alcohol and other substance use disorders (AUD/SUD) are common among youth and often continue into adulthood; therefore, the neurocognitive effects of substance use are of great concern. Because neuromaturation continues into young adulthood, youth with AUD/SUD may be at risk for lasting cognitive decrements. This study prospectively examines neuropsychological functioning over 10 years as a function of AUD/SUD history and outcomes.

Methods

The 51 participants consisted of 18 youth with persisting AUD/SUD, 19 youth with remitted AUD/SUD, and 14 community youth with no AUD/SUD history followed over 10 years (ages 16 to 27 on average) with neuropsychological testing and substance use interviews on 8 occasions. Neuropsychological performance from baseline to 10-year follow-up was compared between the three groups.

Results

Despite scoring higher than controls at intake, both AUD/SUD groups showed a relative decline in visuospatial construction at 10-year follow-up (p=.001). Regressions showed that alcohol use (β=−.33, p < .01) and drug withdrawal symptoms (β=−.31, p<.05) over follow-up were predictive of year 10 visuospatial function. Alcohol use also predicted verbal learning and memory (β=−.28, p<.05), while stimulant use predicted visual learning and memory function (β=−.33, p=.01). More recent substance use was associated with poorer executive function (β=.28, p<.05).

Discussion

These findings confirm prior studies suggesting that heavy, chronic alcohol and other substance use persisting from adolescence to young adulthood may produce cognitive disadvantages, primarily in visuospatial and memory abilities. Youth who chronically consume heavy quantities of alcohol and/or experience drug withdrawal symptoms may be particularly at risk for cognitive deterioration by young adulthood.

Comorbidies that commonly accompany those afflicted with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) may promote variability in the pattern and magnitude of neurocognitive abnormalities demonstrated. The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of several common comorbid medical conditions (primarily hypertension and hepatitis C), psychiatric (primarily unipolar mood and anxiety disorders), and substance use (primarily psychostimulant and cannabis) disorders, and chronic cigarette smoking on the neurocognitive functioning in short-term abstinent, treatment-seeking individuals with AUD. Seventy-five alcohol dependent participants (ALC; 51 ± 9 years of age; 3 females) completed comprehensive neurocognitive testing after approximately one-month of abstinence. Multivariate multiple linear regression evaluated the relationships among neurocognitive variables and medical conditions, psychiatric and substance use disorders, controlling for sociodemographic factors. Sixty-four percent of ALC had at least one medical, psychiatric or substance abuse comorbidity (excluding smoking). Smoking status (smoker or non-smoker) and age were significant independent predictors of cognitive efficiency, general intelligence, postural stability, processing speed and visuospatial memory after age-normed adjustment and control for estimated premorbid verbal IQ, education, alcohol consumption, and medical, psychiatric, and substance misuse comorbidities. Results indicated that chronic smoking accounted for a significant portion of the variance in the neurocognitive performance of this middle-aged AUD cohort. The age-related findings for ALC suggest that alcohol dependence, per se, was associated with diminished neurocognitive functioning with increasing age. The study of participants who demonstrate common comorbidities observed in AUD is necessary to fully understand how AUD, as a clinical syndrome, affects neurocognition, brain neurobiology, and their changes with extended abstinence.

Background

Current initiatives to update diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorders (AUDs) have stimulated dialogue about the usefulness of indicators of alcohol consumption in the diagnosis of AUDs.

Methods

This study used Rasch model analyses to examine the properties of alcohol consumption descriptors and AUD symptoms among 3,382 treatment-seeking adolescents, aged 12–18 years, in the DATOS-A (USDHHS, 1993–1995) baseline assessment, and evaluated the predictive validity of different scoring methods (with and without alcohol consumption) for 12-month alcohol involvement.

Results

Rasch model analyses supported the unidimensionality of indices of alcohol consumption and AUD symptoms. Test information functions showed that adding consumption items provides further information at all points of the alcohol involvement severity spectrum. Combining AUD symptoms with indices of alcohol consumption provided better prediction of alcohol involvement after treatment than either AUD symptoms counts or DSM-IV dependence diagnosis alone. Differential item functioning (DIF), however, was observed for select items. Generally, indices of drinking “too much too fast” were more severe for females, African Americans and Hispanics, while the opposite was true for items measuring “too much too often”. For age, “too much too often” items were more severe for the younger (12–14yrs) age group, and AUD symptoms were more severe for the older (15–18yrs) age group.

Conclusions

Indices of alcohol consumption can be validly scaled along with AUD symptoms in this population, and their inclusion provides statistical measurement advantages. Nevertheless, caution is necessary in using consumption items in measuring alcohol involvement due to DIF observed across sex, race and age.

Background

While there is an extensive literature on the correlates of alcohol use disorders (AUD; alcohol abuse and dependence), there are relatively few prospective studies of representative birth cohorts that have examined the unique effects of an adolescent onset and persistent course of AUD on a wide range of psychosocial variables.

Methods

A longitudinal, community-based sample of 530 men was used to examine the impact of an adolescent onset (AUD+ at age 17) and persistent course (AUD+ at age 29) of AUD on adolescent and adult functioning including substance use, antisocial behavior, mental health problems, overall psychosocial functioning, environmental risk and protective factors, and social outcomes such as peer and romantic relationships, marriage, educational and occupational attainment, and parenthood.

Results

An adolescent onset of AUD (n = 57) was associated with severe deficits across multiple domains of psychosocial functioning in adolescence. Measures of behavioral disinhibition in adolescence were strong predictors of a persistent course of AUD (n = 93). Nearly 40% of men with an adolescent onset were able to desist by age 29, and were similar, but not identical to men who never experienced an AUD in terms of adult functioning. Men with an adolescent onset and persistent course of AUD exhibited the most severe deficits in functioning.

Conclusion

Results emphasize the importance of examining developmental course to understand the etiology of AUD. Our findings are optimistic in that individuals who desist from AUD are able to achieve high levels of psychosocial functioning. Our findings suggest that future research on the persistence of AUD into adulthood should focus on the contributions of behavioral disinhibition and social environment variables including peer and romantic relationships.

Background

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is highly comorbid with alcohol use disorders (AUD) yet the nature of this comorbidity remains unclear. To better understand these associations, we first examined whether SAD was related to AUD above and beyond relevant covariates. Second, we examined the psychosocial impairment associated with the comorbidity of SAD and AUD versus SAD without AUD. Third, the temporal sequencing of SAD and AUD among comorbid individuals was examined.

Methods

Participants included 5,877 (50% females) adults from the National Comorbidity Survey.

Results

As predicted, SAD was related to alcohol dependence (not abuse) after controlling for relevant conditions, indicating that SAD is linked to more severe alcohol impairment and that this link is not better accounted for by other pathology. Results also supported the hypothesis that the addition of alcohol dependence to SAD resulted in greater impairment across a variety of domains relative to SAD without alcohol dependence (e.g., greater rates of health care utilization, other psychiatric diagnoses, health problems, and greater interpersonal stress). Additionally, for the majority of comorbid individuals, SAD onset predated alcohol dependence onset, suggesting SAD increases vulnerability for misusing alcohol.

Conclusions

Together, these data lend support for the contention that SAD may serve as a risk for alcohol dependence and indicate that the co-occurrence of these two conditions may result in greater personal and public health care costs.

This study examined the relationship between past-year drinking behaviors and nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) in a nationally representative sample. Prevalence estimates in the United States were derived based on data collected from face-to-face interviews using the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) (n = 43,093 individuals aged 18 years and older). Nonmedical use of prescription opioids, stimulants, tranquilizers, and sedatives was more prevalent among individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) than those without AUDs. The odds of reporting NMUPD were 18 times higher among alcohol dependent participants compared to past-year abstainers (OR = 18.2, 95% CI = 13.9–23.8). Although individuals with AUDs constituted less than 9% of the total sample, those with AUDs accounted for more than one in every three nonmedical users of prescription drugs. The past-year co-occurrence of AUDs and NMUPD was more prevalent among young adults 18–24 years of age than individuals 25 years and older. More than one in every four young adults aged 18–24 years who met the criteria for past-year DSM-IV alcohol dependence also reported past-year NMUPD. These findings suggest that the treatment for AUDs should include a thorough assessment of NMUPD, especially among young adults.

Objective

The accuracy of self-reported healthcare use among individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD) has been questioned. The present study attempts to compare the accuracy of self-reported physician visits for individuals who differ with respect to their history of AUDs.

Methods

Our data source was a 14-year follow-up of individuals interviewed at the St. Louis site of the 1981-1983 Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study (ECA). We used a case-control design (N=237) to compare the accuracy of self-reports among ECA participants with stably-diagnosed AUDs (cases; n=75) to two comparison groups: those with problem/very heavy drinking (n=81) and those unaffected by alcohol (n=81). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) described the concordance between self-reports and archival records of physician visits in the prior six months. We used multinomial logistic regression to identify characteristics associated with under-reporting and over-reporting, and zero-truncated Poisson regression to identify characteristics associated with discordance severity.

Results

Self-reports of cases had substantial concordance with physician records (ICC=0.74, CI=0.61-0.83). As compared to cases, those with problem/very heavy drinking had a significantly higher ICC, and those who were unaffected by alcohol had a significantly lower ICC. However, differences in concordance disappeared when using regression models that adjusted for factors known to affect the accuracy of self-reported healthcare use. Utilization frequency was a strong predictor of inaccurate reporting.

Conclusions

These findings suggest AUD status may not independently affect the accuracy of self-reports. Counts of physician visits for those with AUD may be considered accurate when utilization frequency is low.

Data from two waves of a nationally representative U.S. population sample were used to link frequency of risk drinking in the year preceding the Wave 1 interview with the incidence or occurrence of various adverse outcomes in the approximately 3-year period between the two interviews (n = 22,245 Wave 1 drinkers who were reinterviewed at Wave 2). Risk drinking was defined as consuming the equivalent of 5+ standard drinks in a day for men and the equivalent of 4+ standard drinks in a day for women. Controls included sociodemographic and health characteristics, mean quantity of drinks consumed on risk drinking days and average volume of intake on non-risk drinking days. The odds of nonhierarchical alcohol abuse and dependence, initiation of smoking and incidence of nicotine dependence were increased at all frequencies of risk drinking and showed a fairly continuous increase in magnitude with increasing frequency, reaching OR of 3.03 – 7.23 for daily/near daily risk drinking. The incidence of liver disease was strongly increased among weekly or more frequent risk drinkers (OR = 2.78 – 4.76). The odds of social harm, drug use and drug dependence were increased among daily/near daily risk drinkers (OR = 1.61 – 2.63), and the likelihood of marital disruption and drivers license revocation showed near-significant increases at all frequencies of risk drinking. Frequency of risk drinking interacted with volume of intake on non-risk drinking days in predicting alcohol abuse and illicit drug use and with duration of drinking in predicting alcohol dependence. Risk drinking poses a threat of many types of harm, both directly and indirectly through its association with smoking initiation and nicotine dependence. These findings have illustrative value for prevention programs, and they indicate that frequent risk drinker is a strong marker for alcoholism.

Background

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are associated with the highest all-cause mortality rates of all mental disorders. The majority of patients with AUDs never receive inpatient treatment for their AUD, and there is lack of data about their mortality risks despite their constituting the majority of those affected. Absenteeism from work (sick leave) due to an AUD likely signals worsening. In this study, we assessed whether AUD-related sick leave was associated with mortality in a cohort of workers in Germany.

Methods

128,001 workers with health insurance were followed for a mean of 6.4 years. We examined the associations between 1) AUD-related sick leave managed on an outpatient basis and 2) AUD-related psychiatric inpatient treatment, and mortality using survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazard regression models (separately by sex) adjusted for age, education, and job code classification. We also stratified analyses by sick leave related to three groups of alcohol-related conditions (all determined by International Classification of Diseases 9th ed. (ICD-9) codes): alcohol abuse and dependence; alcohol-induced mental disorder; and alcohol-induced medical conditions.

Results

Outpatient-managed AUD-related sick leave was significantly associated with higher mortality (hazard ratio (HR) 2.90 (95% Confidence interval (CI) 2.24-3.75) for men, HR 5.83 (CI 2.90-11.75) for women). The magnitude of the association was similar for receipt of AUD-related psychiatric inpatient treatment (HR 3.2 (CI 2.76-3.78) for men, HR 6.5 (CI 4.41-9.47) for women). Compared to those without the conditions, higher mortality was observed consistently for outpatients and inpatients across the three groups of alcohol-related conditions. Those with alcohol-related medical conditions who had AUD-related psychiatric inpatient treatment appeared to have the highest mortality.

Conclusions

Alcohol use disorder-related sick leave as documented in health insurance records is associated with higher mortality. Such sick leave does not necessarily lead to any specific AUD treatment. Therefore, AUD-related sick leave might be used as a trigger for insurers to intervene by offering AUD treatment to patients to try to reduce their risk of death.

Up to 50% of bipolar disorder (BD) patients present a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol use disorders (AUD). BD patients with comorbid AUD, even when in remission from the AUD, have a poorer outcome and functional impairment than patients with BD alone. The neurobiological abnormalities that potentially characterize this severe subgroup of BD patients are unknown. Our goal was to investigate gray matter (GM) volume abnormalities in BD I patients with comorbid AUD. Twenty-one BD-AUD patients, 21 BD-nonAUD BD patients, and 25 healthy controls (HC), matched by age, gender, and handedness were studied. The BD-AUD patients were in remission from AUD on average for 6.8 years. 3D SPGR MRIs (TR=25 ms, TE=5 ms, slice thickness=1.5 mm) were acquired from all subjects using a 1.5 T GE Signa Imaging System. We used an optimized voxel-based morphometry protocol to compare GM volumes among the groups. BD-AUD patients presented smaller GM volumes in the left medial frontal and the right anterior cingulate gyri compared to BD-nonAUD patients. BDnon-AUD patients did not present GM volume differences compared to HC. These findings provide evidence for an effect of comorbid AUD on regional brain structure of BD I patients and warrant further research on neurobiological aspects of this prevalent and severe comorbidity.

Background

Item Response Theory (IRT) has been used to examine alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms and their psychometric properties but has not been previously applied to AUD symptoms from an American Indian sample.

Methods

Lifetime DSM-IV AUD symptoms and binge drinking (5+ drinks men/4+ drinks women) at ≥1, ≥4, ≥8, ≥15 days per month during the period of heaviest lifetime drinking criteria were assessed in 530 American Indian participants. Exploratory (EFA) factor analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the ten AUD symptoms and each alcohol consumption criterion. Two-parameter IRT models generated marginal maximum likelihood estimates for discrimination (a) and threshold (b) parameters for ten DSM-IV AUD symptoms and each consumption criterion. Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis was used to assess AUD symptom severity in groups defined by gender and age at interview.

Results

The AUD symptoms of “Withdrawal” and “Activities Given Up” were the most severe symptoms. “Tolerance” and “Social/Interpersonal Problems” were the least severe. All AUD symptoms fell on the moderate portion of the severity continuum, except “Withdrawal”, which fell at the lower end of the severe portion. The consumption criterion of 5+/4+ (male/female) at ≥8 times per month demarcated the portion of the severity continuum where AUD symptoms began to occur at a probability of 50%. DIF analysis showed significant gender and age at interview differences for “Hazardous Use,” “Tolerance,” and “Activities Given Up,” but not for the other AUD symptoms.

Conclusions

In this American Indian community sample, alcohol abuse and dependence did not represent distinct disorders. Only one AUD symptom was found outside the moderate portion of the underlying AUD severity continuum. Drinking 5+/4+ (male/female) drinks at a frequency of ≥8 times per month during the period of heaviest lifetime drinking was found to function well as both a risk and a diagnostic criterion for lifetime DSM-IV AUD. DSM-IV AUD symptom criteria, as currently assessed, may be limited in their ability to capture the full range of symptom severity of AUDs, at least in this high risk population.

Aims: To evaluate sociodemographic correlates associated with transitions from alcohol use to disorders and remission in a Brazilian population. Methods: Data are from a probabilistic, multi-stage clustered sample of adult household residents in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area. Alcohol use, regular use (at least 12 drinks/year), DSM-IV abuse and dependence and remission from alcohol use disorders (AUDs) were assessed with the World Mental Health version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Age of onset (AOO) distributions of the cumulative lifetime probability of each alcohol use stage were prepared with data obtained from 5037 subjects. Correlates of transitions were obtained from a subsample of 2942 respondents, whose time-dependent sociodemographic data were available. Results: Lifetime prevalences were 85.8% for alcohol use, 56.2% for regular use, 10.6% for abuse and 3.6% for dependence; 73.4 and 58.8% of respondents with lifetime abuse and dependence, respectively, had remitted. The number of sociodemographic correlates decreased from alcohol use to disorders. All transitions across alcohol use stages up to abuse were consistently associated with male gender, younger cohorts and lower education. Importantly, low education was a correlate for developing AUD and not remitting from dependence. Early AOO of first alcohol use was associated with the transition of regular use to abuse. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that specific correlates differently contribute throughout alcohol use trajectory in a Brazilian population. It also reinforces the need of preventive programs focused on early initiation of alcohol use and high-risk individuals, in order to minimize the progression to dependence and improve remission from AUD.

The present study sought to address a gap in the literature by providing preliminary evidence of the prevalence and clinical characteristics of comorbid generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD) in a front-line outpatient substance abuse clinic. Of 39 outpatients meeting criteria for an AUD, nearly half (46%) also met criteria for current GAD. The onset of GAD occurred prior to AUD in 67% of comorbid cases, with an average time lag of 12.5 years among individuals with primary GAD. Participants with comorbid GAD-AUD endorsed higher levels of worry severity and worry-reduction alcohol expectancies, and 55.6% of comorbid participants had a history of suicide attempts. Groups did not differ on anxiety sensitivity, social anxiety, or depression. Comorbid participants were more likely to indicate that worry interfered with their substance abuse treatment, and to indicate interest in concurrent treatment targeting their worry. Study findings provide initial evidence that GAD may be a prevalent and relevant factor among individuals with AUD seeking outpatient substance abuse treatment.

Objective

Bipolar Disorder (BD) has a high rate of suicide attempt, and Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) have also been associated with elevated risk for suicidal behavior. Whether risk for suicidal behavior is elevated when these conditions are comorbid has not been addressed in epidemiologic studies.

Methods

1643 individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder were identified from 43,093 general population respondents who were interviewed in the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Lifetime prevalence of reported history of suicide attempt and suicidal thoughts among Bipolar Disorder respondents with and without DSM IV lifetime alcohol use disorders (abuse or dependence) was assessed using X2 and adjusted odds ratios and confidence intervals calculated. Logistic regression was used to test relevance of other comorbid clinical conditions to suicide risk in BD respondents with and without comorbid AUD

Results

More than half (54%) of respondents who met criteria for BD also reported AUD. BD individuals with comorbid AUD were at greater risk for suicide attempt than those without AUD (Adjusted Odds Ratio =2.25) and were more likely to have comorbid nicotine dependence and drug use disorders. Nicotine dependence and drug use disorders did not increase risk for suicidal behavior among those with BD, nor did they confer additional risk among BD respondents who also reported AUD. Despite greater psychopathological burden, individuals with comorbid BD and AUD did not receive more or more intensive treatment.

Conclusions

Suicidal behavior is more likely in bipolar respondents who also suffer from AUD. Interventions to reduce suicide risk in BD need to address the common and high-risk comorbidity with AUD.

Background

A positive family history (FH) of alcohol use disorders (AUD) has been linked to increased risk for the development of AUD, and neurocognitive factors have been postulated as important underlying mechanisms of familial alcoholism transmission.

Methods

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a spatial working memory (SWM) and vigilance paradigm to investigate potential neurodevelopmental differences linked to familial density of AUD in 72 adolescents aged 12 to 14 years.

Results

Youth with denser family histories of AUD showed less activation during a simple vigilance condition relative to SWM in cingulate and medial frontal gyri (β = 0.28, p = 0.03), and a trend for more relative activity during rest (β = −0.25, p = 0.07) in this cluster.

Conclusions

Youth with greater familial densities of AUD may be less successful at modulating activity of the default network, potentially indicating a greater propensity for task-independent thought or reduced inhibition of task-irrelevant processing. Failure to moderate activation of the default network may have implications for cognitive efficiency and goal directed behavior in youth with dense FH. Further, aberrant activation in cingulate regions may be linked to genetic variation in GABA receptor units, suggesting a useful endophenotype for risk associated with alcohol dependence.

Aims

To determine how alcohol use differentially affects brain functioning in male and female adolescents.

Methods

Adolescents with alcohol use disorders (AUDs; 7 female, 11 male) and control adolescents without AUDs (9 female, 12 male), aged 14−17 years, performed spatial working memory and vigilance tasks during functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

Gender, AUD and their interaction were significantly associated with brain activation patterns to the tasks. There were interactions in the superior frontal, superior temporal, cingulate and fusiform regions, in which female and male adolescents with AUDs showed a different brain response from each other and control subjects. Overall, female adolescents with AUDs showed a greater departure from normal activation patterns than male adolescents with AUD.

Conclusions

Adolescent alcohol involvement may affect male and female brains differently, and adolescent females may be somewhat more vulnerable to adverse alcohol effects. With continued drinking, these adolescents may be at an increased risk for behavioural deficits.

Background

A better understanding of the relationship between treatment-seeking for alcohol problems and personality traits could give useful insight in factors promoting or hindering treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUD). The aim of this study was to analyze the associations between treatment-seeking for AUD, personality traits, and psychiatric co-morbidity in women. The study was based on pooled cross-sectional data from three population based samples and one clinical sample (n = 1,339). Comparisons were made between treated and untreated women with AUD, and between those with resolved and unresolved AUD.

Results

A stepwise logistic regression model showed that treatment-seeking for AUD was not associated with personality traits. Among women with lifetime AUD (n = 217), those who had been treated (n = 42) had significantly higher scores than untreated women (n = 175) on three personality traits of the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP); somatic anxiety, muscular tension, and guilt. Women with resolved AUD, who had received treatment (n = 23) had significantly higher scores on scales measuring somatic anxiety, psychic anxiety, muscular tension, irritability, and guilt than untreated women with resolved AUD. The latter group resembled women without AUD on most personality traits. There were no differences in occurrence of lifetime psychiatric disorders between the treated and the untreated women, whereas treated women with current AUD had increased risk of lifetime anxiety (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.1–8.7).

Conclusion

Treatment-seeking was not associated with personality traits in this study. Still, it can be concluded that women with resolved AUD who had received treatment had high scores on the KSP-scales measuring psychic and somatic anxiety, tension, irritability, and feelings of guilt. This suggests that personality assessment might be a useful tool in tailoring individual treatment programs for women with AUD. Future studies need to explore if women who do not seek treatment have special needs which are not met in usual treatment settings.

The objective of this study was to examine the underlying factorial architecture of lifetime DSM-IV alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria in a population-based sample of adolescent and emerging adult female twins who had ever used alcohol (n=2832; aged 18-25 years), and to determine whether thresholds and factor loadings differed by age. Item response modeling was applied to DSM-IV AUD criteria. Compound criteria (e.g., persistent desire or unsuccessful attempts to quit or cut down) were included as separate items. Of the remaining 16 items, tolerance and use despite physical problems were the most and least commonly endorsed items, respectively. Underlying the items was a single factor representing liability to AUDs. Factor loadings ranged from 0.67 for blackouts to 0.90 for time spent using/recovering from effects. Some items assessing different DSM-IV criteria had very similar measurement characteristics, while others assessing the same criterion showed markedly different thresholds and factor loadings. Compared to that of women aged 21-25 years, the threshold for hazardous use was higher in women aged 18-20 years, but lower for used longer than intended and persistent desire to cut down. After accounting for threshold differences, no variations in discrimination across age groups were observed. In agreement with the extant literature, our findings indicate that the factorial structure of AUD is unidimensional, with no support for the abuse/dependence distinction. Individual components of compound criteria may differ in measurement properties; therefore pooling information from such divergent items will reduce information about the AUD construct.

A behavioral economic approach to alcohol use disorders (AUDs) emphasizes both individual and environmental determinants of alcohol use. The current study examined individual differences in alcohol demand (i.e., motivation for alcohol under escalating conditions of price) and delayed reward discounting (i.e., preference for immediate small rewards compared to delayed larger rewards) in 61 heavy drinkers (62% with an AUD). In addition, based on theoretical accounts that emphasize the role of craving in reward valuation and preferences for immediate rewards, craving for alcohol was also examined in relation to these behavioral economic variables and the alcohol-related variables. Intensity of alcohol demand and delayed reward discounting were significantly associated with AUD symptoms, but not with quantitative measures of alcohol use, and were also moderately correlated with each other. Likewise, craving was significantly associated with AUD symptoms, but not with alcohol use, and was also significantly correlated with both intensity of demand and delayed reward discounting. These findings further emphasize the relevance of behavioral economic indices of motivation to alcohol use disorders and the potential importance of craving for alcohol in this relationship.