http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. An analysis of research on physical punishment of children over the past 20 years indicates that such punishment is potentially harmful to their long-term development, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-physical-children-potentially-long-term.html Health Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:11 EST news247751956 (Medical Xpress) -- Alcohol consumption can lead to those dreaded hangovers and even alcohol dependence. However, a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has found a natural ingredient in the Asian tree Hovenia dulcis that seems to produce anti-alcohol effects. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-herbal-drug-effects-alcohol.html Neuroscience Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:22:55 EST news244984952 New research by scientists at the Scripps Research Institute has underlined the power of an endogenous anti-stress peptide in the brain to prevent and even reverse some of the cellular effects of acute alcohol and alcohol dependence in animal models. The work could lead to the development of novel drugs to treat alcoholism. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-underlines-potential-anti-stress-peptide-block.html Psychology & Psychiatry Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:49:58 EST news242657347 While researchers know that genetic factors play an important role in the development of alcohol dependence (AD), it is challenging to discover which particular genes may be involved. Prior evidence had established that the endogenous cannabinoid system is implicated in AD, with cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) appearing to be the main candidate. New findings confirm the association between CNR1 and dependence on alcohol and other substances. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-cannabinoid-receptor-linked-alcohol-substances.html Genetics Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:25:16 EST news240596678 A new study of teens undergoing substance abuse treatment finds helping others helps the adolescent helper by reducing cravings for alcohol and drugs, a major precipitator of relapse. These novel findings stem from the "Helping Others" study (http://helpingotherslivesober.org) led by Maria Pagano, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-teens-road-addiction-recovery.html Health Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:40:02 EST news240039595 In a national survey of undergraduates, roughly six percent met criteria for current alcohol dependence (AD), and approximately 31 percent met criteria for current alcohol abuse. While many undergraduates "mature out" of heavy alcohol use after graduation, a minority will continue to abuse alcohol and be at risk for alcohol-related problems. This study investigated which undergraduates are most likely to engage in high-risk drinking, using alcohol-use disorder (AUD) criteria and binge-drinking endorsement as identifiers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-heavy-undergraduates-impulsive-aggressive-high.html Addiction Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:40:47 EST news237829213 When you think about your immune system, you probably think about it fighting off a cold. But new research from the University of Adelaide suggests that immune cells in your brain may contribute to how you respond to alcohol. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-alcohol-related-behavior-blame-immune.html Health Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:28:30 EST news236489301 One of the ways an alcohol dependence (AD) diagnosis can be made is through measurement of biological markers of hepatic injury such as gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). These markers, however, are not always sufficiently sensitive or specific enough for determining AD, nor do their levels change rapidly in response to abstinence or relapse. A new study of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which regulates neuronal plasticity, indicates it may predict relapse in AD individuals undergoing treatment. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-linking-brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor-alcohol.html Medical research Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:00:39 EST news232641766 Researchers know that gender differences exist in the prevalence, characteristics, and course of alcohol dependence (AD). Polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenase-1B (ADH1B) and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) are strong genetic determinants of AD. A new study of gender differences in the effects of these polymorphisms on the development of AD has found that inactive ALDH2 can accelerate the development of AD in women. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-aldehyde-dehydrogenase-polymorphism-affects-alcohol.html Other Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:00:06 EST news232642090 Compared to other common psychiatric disorders, the diagnostic reliability of alcohol dependence (AD) as determined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) is relatively high. However, when members of the general public are asked to report on past experiences or lifetime history (LTH) of psychiatric or substance use disorders, associations are often unreliable and underestimated. A new study looking at the reliability of, as well as the influence of genetic and environmental influences on, DSM-IV LTH-AD in a population-based sample has found that a diagnosis based upon a single diagnostic interview is reasonably reliable. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-oft-used-dsm-diagnosis-alcohol-reliability.html Health Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:35:35 EST news227378071 A team of Scripps Research Institute scientists has found a key biological mechanism underpinning the transition to alcohol dependence. This finding opens the door to the development of drugs to manage excessive alcohol consumption. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-scientists-key-mechanism-transition-alcohol.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 31 May 2011 12:49:45 EST news226064965 (Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at King's College London Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) have identified a new gene which may have a critical role in the molecular pathways contributing to alcohol drinking and the development of alcohol dependence in women. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-04-gene-potential-role-female-alcohol.html Genetics Fri, 22 Apr 2011 06:12:32 EST news222671539