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Creswell KG, Sayette MA. How laboratory studies of cigarette craving can inform the experimental alcohol craving literature. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:344-358. [PMID: 35037262 PMCID: PMC8920775 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Interest in alcohol and other drug craving has flourished over the past two decades, and evidence has accumulated showing that craving can be meaningfully linked to both drug use and relapse. Considerable human experimental alcohol craving research since 2000 has focused on craving as a clinical phenomenon. Self-reported craving to drink typically has served as a catch-all for the craving construct in these studies, whereas few studies have considered craving as a process (or hypothetical construct) that interacts with other phenomena to affect use. In contrast to alcohol, we believe that recently there has been more mechanistic work targeting cigarette craving-related processes. Here, we briefly present a narrative review of studies of acute alcohol craving in humans that have been conducted during the past two decades. We then specify important ways in which alcohol and tobacco differ (e.g., the role of withdrawal), and we note the unique challenges in inducing robust alcohol craving states in the laboratory. Finally, we offer recommendations for how the alcohol field might advance its conceptual understanding of craving by adopting ideas and methods drawn from the smoking research literature. Specifically, we suggest that researchers extend their studies to not only examine the link between alcohol craving and relapse but also to focus on why and, in some instances, how alcohol cravings matter clinically, and the circumstances under which craving especially matters. We propose research to investigate the shifts in alcohol-related cognitive and affective processing that occur during alcohol craving states. Furthermore, we highlight the value of research examining the level of insight that individuals with varying levels of alcohol involvement possess about their own craving-related processing shifts. We believe that laboratory studies can provide rich opportunities to examine conceptual questions about alcohol craving that are central to addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasey G. Creswell
- Department of PsychologyCarnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Michael A. Sayette
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
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2
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Akbari M, Hasani J, Seydavi M. Negative affect among daily smokers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord 2020; 274:553-567. [PMID: 32663988 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Negative Affect (NA), as a personality trait is a tendency towards experiencing a more negative emotion. The body of research suggests that NA encourages smoking relapse and smoking as a reason for NA reduction, though. The likelihood of this connection does not seem to be bright yet. The present study critically reviews researches to synthesize the existing literature to determine the strength of this linkage. METHODS Key-word related research was systematically searched in PubMed, PsychINFO, Science Direct and Google Scholar for studies conducted from 1980 to 2019, followed by, the assessment and selection of retrieved studies based on defined inclusion criteria. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used to examine the prospective relationship between NA and smoking. Meta-regression was also used to dig for possible explanations of heterogeneity. Furthermore a multi-moderators model and sub-group analyses examined the moderating factors. RESULTS Forty effect-sizes comprising 12 cross-sectional studies, 28 longitudinal studies and 24,913 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The forest plot of the pooled correlation effect size in the random model indicates a significant effect size of the relationship between NA and smoking (r = 0.11; 95%CI 0.071-0.15, P = 0.001) in the meta-analysis with high heterogeneity (Q = 473.916; df=39; P = 0.001; I2=91.77%). Also, the pooled effect size was obtained as 0.143 (95%CI 0.071-0.214) for light-to-moderate and 0.112 (95%CI 0.057-0.166) for moderate-to-heavy smokers, with the effect size ranging from 0.061 to 0.195 which was significant among all subtypes, though this trend seem higher among adolescents, males, and longitudinal studies than in adults, females, and cross-sectional studies. LIMITATIONS The review was limited to English articles, and the heterogeneity of the studies were high. CONCLUSION These results support the notion that NA was positively and weakly linked to smoking and this linkage is stronger in light-to-moderate smokers, males, and adolescents. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed with the aim of extending future directions on NA and smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Akbari
- Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Department of Clinical Psychology, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Guinle MIB, Sinha R. The Role of Stress, Trauma, and Negative Affect in Alcohol Misuse and Alcohol Use Disorder in Women. Alcohol Res 2020; 40:05. [PMID: 32832310 PMCID: PMC7431322 DOI: 10.35946/arcr.v40.2.05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence indicates that the United States is facing a public health crisis of alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorder (AUD), which has been fueled in part by dramatic rises in binge and heavy drinking and prevalence of AUD in women. Historically, alcohol misuse and AUD have been more prevalent in men than in women. However, recent evidence on data from the past decade shows increases in AUD prevalence rates that are associated with substantially higher binge and heavy drinking and AUD prevalence in women compared to men. This paper first addresses the key roles of stress, trauma, childhood maltreatment, negative affect, and mood and anxiety disorders; sex differences in the presentation of these psychosocial and psychological factors; and their contributions to alcohol misuse, escalation to binge and heavy drinking, and transition to AUD in women. Also examined are potential central and peripheral biological mechanisms by which stressors and traumatic experiences, as well as chronic stress states-including depression and anxiety-may facilitate differential pathways to alcohol misuse, escalation, and transition to AUD in women. Finally, this paper discusses major gaps in the literature on sex differences in these areas as well as the need for greater research on sex-specific pathways to alcohol misuse and transition to AUD, so as to support a more comprehensive understanding of AUD etiology and for the development of new strategies for prevention and treatment of alcohol misuse and AUD in women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rajita Sinha
- Yale Stress Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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4
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Maier HB, Neyazi M, Neyazi A, Hillemacher T, Pathak H, Rhein M, Bleich S, Goltseker K, Sadot-Sogrin Y, Even-Chen O, Frieling H, Barak S. Alcohol consumption alters Gdnf promoter methylation and expression in rats. J Psychiatr Res 2020; 121:1-9. [PMID: 31710958 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is one of the most disabling diseases worldwide. Glial-cell derived neurotrophic factor (Gdnf) shows promising results concerning the inhibition of alcohol consumption in rodent models. We investigated the epigenetic regulation of Gdnf following ethanol consumption and withdrawal in a rat model. 32 Wistar rats underwent 7 weeks of intermittent access to alcohol in a 2-bottle choice (IA2BC). Whole blood, Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) and Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) were collected immediately after the last 24 h of an alcohol-drinking session (alcohol group, AG) or 24 h after withdrawal (withdrawal group, WG). MRNA levels were measured using real-time quantitative PCR. Bisulfite-conversion of DNA and capillary sequencing was used to determine methylation levels of the core promoter (CP) and the negative regulatory element (NRE). The CP of the AG in the NAc was significantly less methylated compared to controls (p < 0.05). In the NAc, mRNA expression was significantly higher in the WG (p < 0.05). In the WG, mRNA expression levels in the VTA were significantly lower (p < 0.05) and showed significantly less methylation in the NRE in the VTA (p < 0.001) and the NAc (p < 0.01) compared to controls. Changes in the cerebral mRNA expression correspond to alterations in DNA methylation of the Gdnf promoter in a rodent model. Our results hold clinical relevance since differences in Gdnf mRNA expression and DNA methylation could be a target for pharmacological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Benedictine Maier
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Meraj Neyazi
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexandra Neyazi
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Hillemacher
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Hansi Pathak
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mathias Rhein
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Bleich
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Koral Goltseker
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yossi Sadot-Sogrin
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Oren Even-Chen
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Helge Frieling
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Segev Barak
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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5
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Kasten CR, Holmgren EB, Wills TA. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Subtype 5 in Alcohol-Induced Negative Affect. Brain Sci 2019; 9:E183. [PMID: 31366097 PMCID: PMC6721373 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9080183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors (mGlu5 receptors) have been identified as a promising treatment to independently alleviate both negative affective states and ethanol-seeking and intake. However, these conditions are often comorbid and might precipitate one another. Acute and protracted ethanol withdrawal can lead to negative affective states. In turn, these states are primary drivers of alcohol relapse, particularly among women. The current review synthesizes preclinical studies that have observed the role of mGlu5 receptor modulation in negative affective states following ethanol exposure. The primary behavioral assays discussed are ethanol-seeking and intake, development and extinction of ethanol-associated cues and contexts, behavioral despair, and anxiety-like activity. The work done to-date supports mGlu5 receptor modulation as a promising target for mediating negative affective states to reduce ethanol intake or prevent relapse. Limitations in interpreting these data include the lack of models that use alcohol-dependent animals, limited use of adolescent and female subjects, and a lack of comprehensive evaluations of negative affective-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea R Kasten
- LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical Education Building, 1901 Perdido Street, Room 6103, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Eleanor B Holmgren
- LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical Education Building, 1901 Perdido Street, Room 6103, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Tiffany A Wills
- LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical Education Building, 1901 Perdido Street, Room 6103, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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6
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Seo S, Beck A, Matthis C, Genauck A, Banaschewski T, Bokde AL, Bromberg U, Büchel C, Quinlan EB, Flor H, Frouin V, Garavan H, Gowland P, Ittermann B, Martinot J, Paillère Martinot M, Nees F, Papadopoulos Orfanos D, Poustka L, Hohmann S, Fröhner JH, Smolka MN, Walter H, Whelan R, Desrivières S, Heinz A, Schumann G, Obermayer K. Risk profiles for heavy drinking in adolescence: differential effects of gender. Addict Biol 2019; 24:787-801. [PMID: 29847018 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Abnormalities across different domains of neuropsychological functioning may constitute a risk factor for heavy drinking during adolescence and for developing alcohol use disorders later in life. However, the exact nature of such multi-domain risk profiles is unclear, and it is further unclear whether these risk profiles differ between genders. We combined longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses on the large IMAGEN sample (N ≈ 1000) to predict heavy drinking at age 19 from gray matter volume as well as from psychosocial data at age 14 and 19-for males and females separately. Heavy drinking was associated with reduced gray matter volume in 19-year-olds' bilateral ACC, MPFC, thalamus, middle, medial and superior OFC as well as left amygdala and anterior insula and right inferior OFC. Notably, this lower gray matter volume associated with heavy drinking was stronger in females than in males. In both genders, we observed that impulsivity and facets of novelty seeking at the age of 14 and 19, as well as hopelessness at the age of 14, are risk factors for heavy drinking at the age of 19. Stressful life events with internal (but not external) locus of control were associated with heavy drinking only at age 19. Personality and stress assessment in adolescents may help to better target counseling and prevention programs. This might reduce heavy drinking in adolescents and hence reduce the risk of early brain atrophy, especially in females. In turn, this could additionally reduce the risk of developing alcohol use disorders later in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sambu Seo
- Neural Information Processing Group, Department of Computer Science and Electrical EngineeringTechnische Universität Berlin, and Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Germany
| | - Anne Beck
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyCharité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte Germany
| | - Caroline Matthis
- Neural Information Processing Group, Department of Computer Science and Electrical EngineeringTechnische Universität Berlin, and Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Germany
| | - Alexander Genauck
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyCharité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte Germany
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg University Germany
| | - Arun L.W. Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of NeuroscienceTrinity College Dublin Ireland
| | - Uli Bromberg
- Department of Systems NeuroscienceUniversity Medical Centre Hamburg‐Eppendorf Germany
| | - Christian Büchel
- Department of Systems NeuroscienceUniversity Medical Centre Hamburg‐Eppendorf Germany
| | - Erin Burke Quinlan
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College London UK
| | - Herta Flor
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg University Germany
- Department of Psychology, School of Social SciencesUniversity of Mannheim Germany
| | | | - Hugh Garavan
- Departments of Psychiatry and PsychologyUniversity of Vermont USA
| | - Penny Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre School of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Nottingham, University Park UK
| | | | - Jean‐Luc Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM Unit 1000 ‘Neuroimaging and Psychiatry’University Paris Sud—Paris Saclay, University Paris Descartes, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, Orsay and Maison de Solenn France
| | - Marie‐Laure Paillère Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM Unit 1000 ‘Neuroimaging and Psychiatry’University Paris Sud—Paris Saclay, University Paris Descartes and AP‐HP, Department of Adolescent Psychopathology and Medicine, Maison de Solenn, Cochin Hospital France
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg University Germany
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg University Germany
| | | | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity Medical Centre Göttingen Germany
| | - Sarah Hohmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg University Germany
| | - Juliane H. Fröhner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging CenterTechnische Universität Dresden Germany
| | - Michael N. Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging CenterTechnische Universität Dresden Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyCharité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte Germany
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Global Brain Health InstituteTrinity College Dublin Ireland
| | - Sylvane Desrivières
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College London UK
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyCharité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte Germany
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College London UK
| | - Klaus Obermayer
- Neural Information Processing Group, Department of Computer Science and Electrical EngineeringTechnische Universität Berlin, and Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Germany
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7
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Cloutier RM, Blumenthal H, Trim RS, Douglas ME, Anderson KG. Real-time social stress response and subsequent alcohol use initiation among female adolescents. PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS 2019; 33:254-265. [PMID: 30869921 PMCID: PMC6483836 DOI: 10.1037/adb0000454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents who are particularly sensitive to social stress may be vulnerable to earlier alcohol consumption and related problems. Although a small literature supports this contention, previous studies mostly relied on retrospective self-report. The current study used discrete-time survival analysis (DTSA) to test whether real-time social stress responding (via laboratory induction) and social anxiety symptoms predicted 12-month alcohol onset in an alcohol-naïve sample of young female adolescents. Anxiety elicited by the task was expected to predict greater and earlier rates of alcohol incidence, particularly among girls with higher levels of self-reported social anxiety symptoms. Participants were 104 community-recruited girls (ages 12-15 years) who completed a modified Trier Social Stress Test and questionnaires; follow-up calls were conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the laboratory visit. Self-reported anxiety was assessed in response to the stressor following acclimation (baseline), instruction (anticipation), and speech (posttask). By 12 months, 30.8% of the sample had consumed a full alcoholic beverage. The DTSA revealed that girls with higher levels of social anxiety and greater elevations in anticipatory (but not posttask) anxiety compared to baseline had earlier alcohol initiation. This is the first study to examine the role of both laboratory-induced anxious responding and retrospective reports of social anxiety as prospective predictors of alcohol incidence. These preliminary findings suggest that adolescent girls who are more sensitive to social stress may be at risk for experimenting with alcohol earlier than their peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee M Cloutier
- Teen Stress and Alcohol Research Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of North Texas
| | - Heidemarie Blumenthal
- Teen Stress and Alcohol Research Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of North Texas
| | - Ryan S Trim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego
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8
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Kaag AM, Wiers RW, de Vries TJ, Pattij T, Goudriaan AE. Striatal alcohol cue-reactivity is stronger in male than female problem drinkers. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 50:2264-2273. [PMID: 29888821 PMCID: PMC6767856 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite apparent sex differences in the development and treatment of alcohol use disorder, relatively little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms. In this study, we therefore investigated neural cue-reactivity in a sample of male (n = 28) and female (n = 27) problem drinkers (matched on age and alcohol use severity) with an average alcohol use disorder identification test score of 12 which is indicative of a likely alcohol use disorder. Neural cue-reactivity data were extracted from four regions of interest: the ventral and dorsal striatum and the ventral and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. While the cue-reactivity paradigm induced similar levels of self-reported craving in men and women, visual alcohol cues induced significantly stronger striatal activation in men compared to drinkers. While sex differences in ventral striatal cue-reactivity were partly explained by sex differences in alcohol intake, cannabis use, negative affect and anxiety, this was not the case for sex differences in dorsal striatal cue-reactivity. These results suggest that alcohol cues are differentially processed by men and women and that the neurobiological mechanisms behind cue-reactivity differ between the sexes. Consequently, paradigms using alcohol-related pictures may not be optimal to induce cue-reactivity in female drinkers and may not be optimal to measure neurobiological markers of alcohol use severity and relapse. Future alcohol cue-reactivity studies should, in addition to including both men and women, include different types of cues (e.g., stressors and imagery in addition to pictures) to assess sex differences in alcohol cue-reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marije Kaag
- Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Reinout W Wiers
- Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Taco J de Vries
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tommy Pattij
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anna E Goudriaan
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Arkin Mental Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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9
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Bacon AK, Engerman B. Excluded, then inebriated: A preliminary investigation into the role of ostracism on alcohol consumption. Addict Behav Rep 2018; 8:25-32. [PMID: 29977993 PMCID: PMC6026723 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Ostracism has only recently been investigated as a relevant social stressor that might precede college student alcohol use. The present study continues initial efforts to examine the effects of ostracism on subsequent alcohol consumption in the laboratory. A 2 (sex: male, female) × 2 (condition: ostracism, control) between-subjects experimental design was conducted to examine the effects of these variables on alcohol consumption in the laboratory. Methods Social drinking college students (N = 40; 43% female) were randomly assigned to one of two social interaction tasks: either an in-person conversation from which the participant was excluded by two confederates, or independently rating neutrally valenced photographs alongside confederates. Participants then consumed a priming drink (targeted dose = 0.03 BrAC) before completing a mock taste test of up to 710 ml of light beer. Amount consumed (in ml) during the mock taste test served as the primary dependent variable. Results The ostracism condition was effective at decreasing mood and psychological need variables (i.e., control, belonging) compared to the control condition. After removing from analyses those who identified the confederates as part of the study (n = 7; 3 control, 4 ostracism), results indicated that males consumed more beer than females, and that ostracized participants trended toward consuming more beer than control participants. Conclusions Findings contribute important methodological additions to a burgeoning literature on the effects of ostracism on drinking, and suggest that ostracism may be a valuable addition to studies examining drinking to cope behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K. Bacon
- Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology, Bradley University, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL, USA.
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10
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Moran LM, Kowalczyk WJ, Phillips KA, Vahabzadeh M, Lin JL, Mezghanni M, Epstein DH, Preston KL. Sex differences in daily life stress and craving in opioid-dependent patients. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2018; 44:512-523. [PMID: 29641291 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2018.1454934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Responses to stress and drug craving differ between men and women. Differences in the momentary experience of stress in relation to craving are less well-understood. OBJECTIVES Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), we examined sex differences in real-time in two areas: (1) causes and contexts associated with stress, and (2) the extent to which stress and drug cues are associated with craving. METHODS Outpatients on opioid-agonist treatment (135 males, 47 females) reported stress, craving, and behavior on smartphones for 16 weeks. They initiated an entry each time they felt more stressed than usual (stress event) and made randomly prompted entries 3 times/day. In stress-event entries, they identified the causes and context (location, activity, companions), and rated stress and craving severity. RESULTS The causes reported for stress events did not differ significantly by sex. Women reported arguing and being in a store more often during stress events, and men reported working more often during stress events, compared to base rates (assessed via random prompts). Women showed a greater increase in opioid craving as a function of stress (p < 0.0001) and had higher stress ratings in the presence of both stress and drug cues relative to men (p < 0.01). Similar effects were found for cocaine craving in men (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION EMA methods provide evidence based on real-time activities and moods that opioid-dependent men and women experience similar contexts and causes for stress but differ in stress- and cue-induced craving. These findings support sex-based tailoring of treatment, but because not all participants conformed to the overall pattern of sex differences, any such tailoring should also consider person-level differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Landhing M Moran
- a Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch , National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Center , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - William J Kowalczyk
- a Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch , National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Center , Baltimore , MD , USA.,b Department of Psychology , Hartwick College , Oneonta , NY , USA
| | - Karran A Phillips
- a Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch , National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Center , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Massoud Vahabzadeh
- c Biomedical Informatics Section, Administrative Management Branch , National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Center , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Jia-Ling Lin
- c Biomedical Informatics Section, Administrative Management Branch , National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Center , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Mustapha Mezghanni
- c Biomedical Informatics Section, Administrative Management Branch , National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Center , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - David H Epstein
- a Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch , National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Center , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Kenzie L Preston
- a Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch , National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Center , Baltimore , MD , USA
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11
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Bujarski S, Ray LA. Experimental psychopathology paradigms for alcohol use disorders: Applications for translational research. Behav Res Ther 2016; 86:11-22. [PMID: 27266992 PMCID: PMC5067182 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2016.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In spite of high prevalence and disease burden, scientific consensus on the etiology and treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) has yet to be reached. The development and utilization of experimental psychopathology paradigms in the human laboratory represents a cornerstone of AUD research. In this review, we describe and critically evaluate the major experimental psychopathology paradigms developed for AUD, with an emphasis on their implications, strengths, weaknesses, and methodological considerations. Specifically we review alcohol administration, self-administration, cue-reactivity, and stress-reactivity paradigms. We also provide an introduction to the application of experimental psychopathology methods to translational research including genetics, neuroimaging, pharmacological and behavioral treatment development, and translational science. Through refining and manipulating key phenotypes of interest, these experimental paradigms have the potential to elucidate AUD etiological factors, improve the efficiency of treatment developments, and refine treatment targets thus advancing precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer Bujarski
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.
| | - Lara A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
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Sex differences in reinstatement of alcohol seeking in response to cues and yohimbine in rats with and without a history of adolescent corticosterone exposure. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:2277-87. [PMID: 27048157 PMCID: PMC5604312 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4278-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Women represent a vulnerable and growing population with respect to alcohol abuse. Elevated glucocorticoid exposure in adolescence increases addiction risk and stress sensitivity in adulthood. However, little is known about sex differences in ethanol craving-like behavior. OBJECTIVE This study characterized sex differences in ethanol-motivated behavior following ethanol-paired cues and/or acute stimulation of the HPA axis in male and female rats with or without exposure to chronically elevated glucocorticoids in adolescence. METHODS Adolescent corticosterone-treated (Experiment 1) or naïve (Experiment 2) male and female rats were trained as adults to self-administer ethanol paired with a cue, and tested for the effects of this cue, alone or in combination with yohimbine, on the reinstatement of ethanol seeking. RESULTS Females showed elevated ethanol self-administration and seeking compared to males. In Experiment 1, corticosterone exposure in adolescence augmented cue-induced reinstatement of ethanol seeking in females only, and females were more sensitive to yohimbine in promoting reinstatement. Experiment 2 replicated these findings and showed that exposure to both yohimbine and alcohol-related cues enhanced the reinstatement of alcohol seeking, producing additive effects in females. Corticosterone levels were higher in females and in yohimbine-treated rats, and corticosterone and estradiol correlated with responding during reinstatement. CONCLUSIONS Chronic manipulations in adolescence and acute manipulations in adulthood of the HPA axis increase cue-induced reinstatement of ethanol seeking to a greater degree in females than in males. Elucidating the mechanisms that underlie these effects may lead to the development of sex-specific interventions aimed at mitigating alcohol relapse risk in females.
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O'Hara RE, Armeli S, Scott DM, Covault J, Tennen H. Perceived racial discrimination and negative-mood-related drinking among African American college students. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2016; 76:229-36. [PMID: 25785798 DOI: 10.15288/jsad.2015.76.229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research consistently shows a positive association between racial discrimination and problematic alcohol use among African Americans, but little is known about the micro-processes linking this pernicious form of stress to drinking. One possibility is that the cumulative effects of discrimination increase individuals' likelihood of negative-mood-related drinking. In the current study, we examined whether individual differences in lifetime perceived racial discrimination among African American college students moderate relations between daily negative moods and evening alcohol consumption in both social and nonsocial contexts. METHOD Data came from an online daily diary study of 441 African Americans (58% female) enrolled at a historically black college/university. Lifetime discrimination was measured at baseline. For 30 days, students reported the number of drinks they consumed the night before both socially and nonsocially, as well as their daytime level of negative mood. RESULTS In support of the hypotheses, only men who reported higher (vs. lower) lifetime discrimination showed a positive association between daily negative mood and that evening's level of nonsocial drinking. Contrary to expectation, women who reported higher (vs. lower) discrimination showed a negative association between daily negative mood and nonsocial drinking. Neither daily negative mood nor lifetime discrimination predicted level of social drinking. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide further evidence that the cumulative impact of racial discrimination may produce a vulnerability to negative-mood-related drinking--but only for African American men. Importantly, these effects emerged only for nonsocial drinking, which may further explain the robust association between discrimination and problematic alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross E O'Hara
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Stephen Armeli
- Department of Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, New Jersey
| | - Denise M Scott
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Genetics and Alcohol Research Center, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Jonathan Covault
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Howard Tennen
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
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Sawyer KS, Poey A, Ruiz SM, Marinkovic K, Oscar-Berman M. Measures of skin conductance and heart rate in alcoholic men and women during memory performance. PeerJ 2015; 3:e941. [PMID: 26020002 PMCID: PMC4435500 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined abnormalities in physiological responses to emotional stimuli associated with long-term chronic alcoholism. Skin conductance responses (SCR) and heart rate (HR) responses were measured in 32 abstinent alcoholic (ALC) and 30 healthy nonalcoholic (NC) men and women undergoing an emotional memory task in an MRI scanner. The task required participants to remember the identity of two emotionally-valenced faces presented at the onset of each trial during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. After viewing the faces, participants saw a distractor image (an alcoholic beverage, nonalcoholic beverage, or scrambled image) followed by a single probe face. The task was to decide whether the probe face matched one of the two encoded faces. Skin conductance measurements (before and after the encoded faces, distractor, and probe) were obtained from electrodes on the index and middle fingers on the left hand. HR measurements (beats per minute before and after the encoded faces, distractor, and probe) were obtained by a pulse oximeter placed on the little finger on the left hand. We expected that, relative to NC participants, the ALC participants would show reduced SCR and HR responses to the face stimuli, and that we would identify greater reactivity to the alcoholic beverage stimuli than to the distractor stimuli unrelated to alcohol. While the beverage type did not differentiate the groups, the ALC group did have reduced skin conductance and HR responses to elements of the task, as compared to the NC group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayle S. Sawyer
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alan Poey
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan Mosher Ruiz
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ksenija Marinkovic
- University of California at San Diego, CA, USA
- Psychology Department, San Diego State University, CA, USA
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Magrys S, Olmstead M. Acute Stress Increases Voluntary Consumption of Alcohol in Undergraduates. Alcohol Alcohol 2015; 50:213-8. [DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agu101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Snelleman M, Schoenmakers TM, van de Mheen D. The relationship between perceived stress and cue sensitivity for alcohol. Addict Behav 2014; 39:1884-9. [PMID: 25133978 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Revised: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that cue sensitivity and stress affect the risk for relapse in alcohol-dependent patients. Theoretically, a link between the two can be expected. However, a clear overview of the interplay of these factors is not yet available. The purpose of this review was to examine the empirical evidence for the influence of stress on sensitivity for alcohol-related cues. Empirical studies indexed in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Web of Knowledge that assessed the relation between stress and sensitivity for alcohol-related cues using subjective, behavioral and/or physiological measures were included in the review. Of the 359 articles screened, 12 were included in the review. Nine articles supported the existence of the relationship between stress and heightened cue sensitivity for alcohol-related cues, whereas three articles did not support our hypothesis. We conclude that the relationship between stress and sensitivity to alcohol cues appears to exist. In fact, there may be different factors at play: our review points toward (1) differences between the effect of psychological stress and physiological stress on cue-sensitivity, and (2) individual differences regarding coping drinking which may explain stress-induced cues sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Snelleman
- IVO Addiction Research Institute, Heemraadssingel 194, 3021 DM, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Tim M Schoenmakers
- IVO Addiction Research Institute, Heemraadssingel 194, 3021 DM, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Dike van de Mheen
- IVO Addiction Research Institute, Heemraadssingel 194, 3021 DM, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University, P.O. box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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Nesic J, Duka T. Effects of stress and dietary tryptophan enhancement on craving for alcohol in binge and non-binge heavy drinkers. Behav Pharmacol 2014; 25:503-17. [PMID: 25036731 PMCID: PMC4141218 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Stress is known to play an important role in alcohol abuse, whereas binge drinking may increase individuals' susceptibility to the development of alcohol dependence. We set out to investigate whether binge drinkers (BDs) or non-BDs (NBDs) are at a greater risk of an increase in their desire for alcohol following experimental stress induction (modified Trier Social Stress Test; Experiment 1) and to explore the biological mechanisms underlying such an effect (Experiment 2). Preclinical evidence suggests that serotonin may mediate stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol intake. We therefore tested whether dietary tryptophan (TRP) enhancement would modulate stress-induced desire for alcohol and whether it would affect the two populations (BD/NBD) differently. In Experiment 1 (14 NBDs, 10 BDs; mean weekly alcohol intake 50.64 U), stress induction selectively increased strong desire for alcohol compared with the nonstressful condition in BDs. Throughout the experiment, BDs reported greater negative reinforcement type of craving than NBDs, but also a higher expectancy of alcohol-induced negative effects. In Experiment 2, 41 participants (22 NBDs, 19 BDs; mean alcohol intake 38.81 U) were given either the TRP-rich (TRP+; 9 BDs, 11 NBD) or the control (CTR; 10 BD, 11 NBD) diet before undergoing stress induction. In BDs, the TRP+ diet prevented the stress-induced increase in strong desire that was observed in individuals receiving the CTR diet. In NBDs, the TRP+ diet appeared to facilitate an increase in strong desire. These findings suggest that BDs may indeed be at a greater risk than NBDs of an increase in their craving for alcohol when stressed. Furthermore, whereas enhancement of 5-hydroxytryptamine function may moderate the impact of stress on craving in BDs, it seems to facilitate stress-induced craving in NBDs, suggesting that the serotonergic system may be differentially involved depending on individual binge drinking status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Nesic
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK
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Sex moderates stress reactivity in heavy drinkers. Addict Behav 2013; 38:2643-6. [PMID: 23899426 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Revised: 05/25/2013] [Accepted: 06/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Psychological stress and alcohol use disorders have a well-known connection. Individual differences in stress reactivity have been an area of interest in alcohol research, particularly given the relationship between craving and stress reactivity to later relapse. The present study examines the role of sex on stress-induced alcohol craving and emotional reactivity using a guided imagery stress paradigm. Participants were 64 non-treatment seeking heavy drinkers from the community who completed a two-session protocol that included two guided imagery exposures, Stress and Neutral. Participants reported their mood and craving before and after each exposure using the Differential Emotions Scale and the Alcohol Urge Questionnaire respectively. Analyses revealed a significant Stress × Sex × Trial effect on craving [F (1,61) = 5.35; p < .05] after controlling for AUDIT scores [F (1,61) = 8.16; p < .01] such that females reported greater increases in craving from baseline to post-imagery during the stress imagery versus the neutral imagery condition, than did males. Mood reactivity analysis showed similar patterns. Specifically, there was a significant Stress × Sex × Trial effect on the anxiety subscale of the DES [F (1,61) = 15.81; p < .001] such that females reported greater increases in anxiety from baseline to post-imagery during the stress imagery versus the neutral conditions, than did males. These results suggest that female heavy drinkers were more sensitive to the effects of the stress-induction on alcohol craving and mood reactivity than males. If supported by future studies, these initial findings may help advance understanding of the mechanisms of stress and mood regulation as central to alcoholism liability and recovery in females.
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Bahi A. Increased anxiety, voluntary alcohol consumption and ethanol-induced place preference in mice following chronic psychosocial stress. Stress 2013. [PMID: 23194312 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2012.754419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress exposure is known to be a risk factor for alcohol use and anxiety disorders. Comorbid chronic stress and alcohol dependence may lead to a complicated and potentially severe treatment profile. To gain an understanding of the interaction between chronic psychosocial stress and drug exposure, we studied the effects of concomitant chronic stress exposure on alcohol reward using two-bottle choice and ethanol-conditioned place preference (CPP). The study consisted of exposure of the chronic subordinate colony (CSC) mice "intruders" to an aggressive "resident" mouse for 19 consecutive days. Control mice were single housed (SHC). Ethanol consumption using two-bottle choice paradigm and ethanol CPP acquisition was assessed at the end of this time period. As expected, CSC exposure increased anxiety-like behavior and reduced weight gain as compared to SHC controls. Importantly, in the two-bottle choice procedure, CSC mice showed higher alcohol intake than SHC. When testing their response to ethanol-induced CPP, CSC mice achieved higher preference for the ethanol-paired chamber. In fact, CSC exposure increased ethanol-CPP acquisition. Taken together, these data demonstrate the long-term consequences of chronic psychosocial stress on alcohol intake in male mice, suggesting chronic stress as a risk factor for developing alcohol consumption and/or anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amine Bahi
- Department of Anatomy, Tawam Medical Campus, CMHS, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE.
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Bahi A. Individual differences in elevated plus-maze exploration predicted higher ethanol consumption and preference in outbred mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 105:83-8. [PMID: 23402940 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2012] [Revised: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/31/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Psychiatric illnesses, such as anxiety, are highly comorbid with drug use disorders in general and alcohol abuse in particular. Unfortunately, the causal role of anxiety in ethanol addiction is still unclear. We asked the question whether high anxiety predicts predilection of mice to voluntarily consume more alcohol than water. In the current study, we used the voluntary alcohol intake in two bottle choice drinking paradigm to explore whether high anxiety predicts higher alcohol preference and intake in outbred Tuck-Ordinary "TO" mice. To this end, mice were tested for their anxiety-like behavior using the elevated plus maze, open field and the marble burying test prior to voluntary continuous access to increasing concentrations of alcohol solutions. To assess their taste discrimination, mice had access to saccharin and quinine solutions. Results showed that compared to low-anxious mice (LAM), high-anxious mice (HAM) showed greater consumption and preference for ethanol but not for saccharin and quinine suggesting alterations in the rewarding effects of alcohol. Taken together, these findings suggest a correlative link between trait anxiety and the behavioral responses to ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amine Bahi
- Department of Anatomy, Tawam Medical Campus, CMHS, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
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Greenwald MK, Lundahl LH, Steinmiller CL. Yohimbine increases opioid-seeking behavior in heroin-dependent, buprenorphine-maintained individuals. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 225:811-24. [PMID: 23161001 PMCID: PMC3558534 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2868-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE In laboratory animals, the biological stressor yohimbine (α(2)-noradrenergic autoreceptor antagonist) promotes drug seeking. Human laboratory studies have demonstrated that psychological stressors can increase drug craving but not that stressors alter drug seeking. OBJECTIVES This clinical study tested whether yohimbine increases opioid-seeking behavior. METHODS Ten heroin-dependent, buprenorphine-stabilized (8 mg/day) volunteers sampled two doses of hydromorphone [12 and 24 mg IM in counterbalanced order, labeled drug A (session 1) and drug B (session 2)]. During each of six later sessions (within-subject, double-blind, randomized crossover design), volunteers could respond on a 12-trial choice progressive ratio task to earn units (1 or 2 mg) of the sampled hydromorphone dose (drug A or B) vs money ($2) following different oral yohimbine pretreatment doses (0, 16.2, and 32.4 mg). RESULTS Behavioral economic demand intensity and peak responding (O (max)) were significantly higher for hydromorphone 2 than 1 mg. Relative to placebo, yohimbine significantly increased hydromorphone demand inelasticity, more so for hydromorphone 1-mg units (P (max) = 909, 3,647, and 3,225 for placebo, 16.2, and 32.4 mg yohimbine doses, respectively) than hydromorphone 2-mg units (P (max) = 2,656, 3,193, and 3,615, respectively). Yohimbine produced significant but clinically modest dose-dependent increases in blood pressure (systolic ≈ 15 and diastolic ≈ 10 mmHg) and opioid withdrawal symptoms, and decreased opioid agonist symptoms and elated mood. CONCLUSIONS These findings concur with preclinical data by demonstrating that yohimbine increases drug seeking; in this study, these effects occurred without clinically significant subjective distress or elevated craving, and partly depended on opioid unit dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark K. Greenwald
- Substance Abuse Research Division, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Leslie H. Lundahl
- Substance Abuse Research Division, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Caren L. Steinmiller
- Substance Abuse Research Division, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI,Dept. of Pharmacology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
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Plebani JG, Ray LA, Morean ME, Corbin WR, MacKillop J, Amlung M, King AC. Human laboratory paradigms in alcohol research. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2012; 36:972-83. [PMID: 22309888 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01704.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2011] [Accepted: 10/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human laboratory studies have a long and rich history in the field of alcoholism. Human laboratory studies have allowed for advances in alcohol research in a variety of ways, including elucidating neurobehavioral mechanisms of risk, identifying phenotypically distinct subtypes of alcohol users, investigating the candidate genes underlying experimental phenotypes for alcoholism, and testing mechanisms of action of alcoholism pharmacotherapies on clinically relevant translational phenotypes, such as persons exhibiting positive-like alcohol effects or alcohol craving. Importantly, the field of human laboratory studies in addiction has progressed rapidly over the past decade and has built upon earlier findings of alcohol's neuropharmacological effects to advancing translational research on alcoholism etiology and treatment. METHODS AND RESULTS To that end, the new generation of human laboratory studies has focused on applying new methodologies, further refining alcoholism phenotypes, and translating these findings to studies of alcoholism genetics, medication development, and pharmacogenetics. The combination of experimental laboratory approaches with the recent developments in neuroscience and pharmacology has been particularly fruitful in furthering our understanding of the impact of individual differences in alcoholism risk and in treatment response. CONCLUSIONS This review of the literature focuses on human laboratory studies of subjective intoxication, alcohol craving, anxiety, and behavioral economics. Each section discusses opportunities for phenotype refinement under laboratory conditions, as well as its application to translational science of alcoholism. A summary and recommendations for future research are also provided.
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Barrenha GD, Coon LE, Chester JA. Effects of alcohol on the acquisition and expression of fear-potentiated startle in mouse lines selectively bred for high and low alcohol preference. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 218:191-201. [PMID: 21487654 PMCID: PMC3160503 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2285-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2010] [Accepted: 03/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorders frequently co-occur in humans perhaps because alcohol relieves anxiety. Studies in humans and rats indicate that alcohol may have greater anxiolytic effects in organisms with increased genetic propensity for high alcohol consumption. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of moderate doses of alcohol (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g/kg) on the acquisition and expression of anxiety-related behavior using a fear-potentiated startle (FPS) procedure. Experiments were conducted in two replicate pairs of mouse lines selectively bred for high- (HAP1 and HAP2) and low- (LAP1 and LAP2) alcohol preference; these lines have previously shown a genetic correlation between alcohol preference and FPS (HAP > LAP; Barrenha and Chester, Alcohol Clin Exp Res 31:1081-1088, 2007). In a control experiment, the effect of diazepam (4.0 mg/kg) on the expression of FPS was tested in HAP2 and LAP2 mice. RESULTS The 1.5 g/kg alcohol dose moderately decreased the expression of FPS in both HAP lines but not LAP lines. Alcohol had no effect on the acquisition of FPS in any line. Diazepam reduced FPS to a similar extent in both HAP2 and LAP2 mice. CONCLUSIONS HAP mice may be more sensitive to the anxiolytic effects of alcohol than LAP mice when alcohol is given prior to the expression of FPS. These data collected in two pairs of HAP/LAP mouse lines suggest that the anxiolytic response to alcohol in HAP mice may be genetically correlated with their propensity toward high alcohol preference and robust FPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo D Barrenha
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, 703 Third Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2081, USA
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Higley AE, Crane NA, Spadoni AD, Quello SB, Goodell V, Mason BJ. Craving in response to stress induction in a human laboratory paradigm predicts treatment outcome in alcohol-dependent individuals. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 218:121-9. [PMID: 21607563 PMCID: PMC3191263 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2355-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2010] [Accepted: 05/09/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Alcohol dependence is associated with high rates of recidivism. Stress has been shown to increase alcohol craving in alcohol-dependent individuals, but the association between stress-induced craving and alcoholism treatment outcome is not well understood. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between strength of stress-induced alcohol craving in the human laboratory and subsequent drinking in a cohort of treatment-seeking, alcohol-dependent adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a prospective study assessing stress-induced craving in the lab and subsequent treatment outcomes in alcohol-dependent subjects enrolled in a 12-week outpatient study. Stress was induced using a previously developed, individualized, audio recorded stress script and validated with objective (salivary cortisol) and subjective measures of distress. In vivo craving for alcohol was measured pre- and post-challenge using VAS. RESULTS Subjects were 28 (16 male, 12 female) alcohol-dependent outpatients. Greater stress-induced craving was associated with a blunted salivary cortisol response, significantly shorter time to alcohol relapse, higher mean drinks per week, fewer percent days abstinent, and lower rates of complete abstinence over the study duration (all p's < 0.05). Conversely, no demographic or baseline variables were significant predictors of any outcome variable. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that greater stress-related increases in alcohol craving are associated with poorer alcohol treatment outcomes. The findings support the use of stress-induced craving as a predictor of alcohol relapse propensity. Furthermore, treatments that address high stress levels and the associated high levels of alcohol craving are likely to improve treatment outcomes in alcohol dependence.
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Stress- and cue-elicited craving and reactivity in marijuana-dependent individuals. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 218:49-58. [PMID: 21710170 PMCID: PMC3209966 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2376-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2010] [Accepted: 06/06/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cue-elicited craving and stress responses have been identified as predictors of relapse in drug dependence, but little research exists on the contribution of these factors to marijuana use specifically. OBJECTIVES The aims of the present study were to evaluate (1) responses to a psychological stressor, (2) responses to marijuana-related cues, and (3) if an exposure to a psychological stressor augmented craving subsequently elicited by marijuana-related cue exposure in marijuana-dependent individuals. METHODS Subjective (craving, stress), neuroendocrine (adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol), and physiologic responses to the presentation of neutral and marijuana cues were assessed after randomization to a stress (Trier Social Stress Task (TSST)) or non-stress control condition in marijuana-dependent individuals. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline, post-stressor/pre-neutral cue, post-neutral cue, and post-marijuana cue. RESULTS Eighty-seven participants completed procedures (stress group, n = 45; non-stress group, n = 42). The stress group had a significant increase over the non-stress group in stress rating (p < 0.001), craving (p = 0.028), cortisol (p < 0.001), and ACTH (p < 0.001) after the completion of the TSST. An increased craving response for all participants was seen following the presentation of the marijuana cues (p = 0.005). Following the TSST or non-stress condition, the non-stress group had an increase in craving to marijuana cues as compared to neutral cues (p = 0.002); an increase in craving was not observed in the stress group (p = 0.404). CONCLUSIONS Marijuana cue exposure and a social stressor increased craving in marijuana-dependent individuals. Completion of the TSST did not increase craving response to subsequent marijuana cue exposure.
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Nesic J, Duka T, Rusted JM, Jackson A. A role for glutamate in subjective response to smoking and its action on inhibitory control. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 216:29-42. [PMID: 21301814 PMCID: PMC3111550 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2189-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2010] [Accepted: 01/17/2011] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Our previous study using memantine in smokers suggests that there may be a differential role for N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the subjective and cognitive effects of smoking. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to investigate if D-cycloserine (DCS) would modulate the subjective and cognitive effects of limited smoking. METHODS Forty-eight habitual smokers abstinent for a minimum of 2 h were randomly allocated to receive either placebo or 50 mg DCS (double-blind) and were subsequently required either to smoke half of one cigarette or to remain abstinent. Subjective and physiological effects of DCS were measured at baseline, 90 min postcapsule, and again after the partial-smoking manipulation, while the effects on sustained attention (rapid visual information processing test--RVIP) and cognitive flexibility (intra-extra dimensional set-shift test--IED) were evaluated only after the partial-smoking manipulation. RESULTS DCS alone did not produce significant subjective effects other than an increase in ratings of "Stimulated". In combination with partial smoking, however, DCS blocked the smoking-induced increase in "Stimulated" and the decrease in "Relaxed" ratings. Furthermore, in combination with smoking, DCS reduced the number of false alarms during the RVIP test (an index of inhibitory control) and produced a small increase in diastolic blood pressure. DCS failed to modulate IED performance. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide further evidence of a role for glutamate release in the subjective effects of smoking but not the effects on attention and cognitive flexibility. Furthermore, our results indicate that glutamate release may also be involved in the effect of smoking on inhibitory control.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Nesic
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, BN2 4GJ UK
| | - T. Duka
- Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QG UK
| | - J. M. Rusted
- Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QG UK
| | - A. Jackson
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, BN2 4GJ UK
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Drinking and stress: an examination of sex and stressor differences using IVR-based daily data. Drug Alcohol Depend 2011; 115:205-12. [PMID: 21146940 PMCID: PMC3090709 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2010] [Revised: 10/18/2010] [Accepted: 10/21/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on the relation of stress to alcohol consumption is inconsistent regarding the direction of effects, and this association has been shown to vary by sex and type of stress. We sought to build upon the stress-drinking literature by examining the direction of the stress-drinking association over time as well as sex and stressor differences using daily data. METHOD 246 heavy drinking adults (67% men) aged 21-82 reported daily stress levels and alcohol consumption over 180 days using Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Baseline daily hassles were examined as an alternative measure of stress. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were conducted to test the stress-drinking association accounting for alcohol dependency at baseline and sex and stressor type as moderators. RESULTS IVR daily stress predicted increased alcohol consumption the following day, whereas baseline level of daily hassles did not. Examining the opposite direction of effects, IVR ratings of daily alcohol consumption predicted decreased next-day stress. Stress predicted higher alcohol consumption the next day for men but there was no significant association for women. For both sexes, drinking predicted decreased stress the next day, but this effect was stronger for women. CONCLUSIONS This study generally supported the drinking to cope and self-medication hypotheses, with findings that increased stress led to increased drinking. The time-varying relation between stress and alcohol appears to be sex- and measure-specific, however. Therefore, interventions targeted at stress management found to be effective for one sex should not be presumed to be applicable to the other.
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Nesic J, Rusted J, Duka T, Jackson A. Degree of dependence influences the effect of smoking on cognitive flexibility. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2011; 98:376-84. [PMID: 21281663 PMCID: PMC3078331 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2009] [Revised: 01/14/2011] [Accepted: 01/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pre-frontal cortical (PFC) dysfunction has been put forward as the basis for development and maintenance of addiction. To explore this relationship, the present study investigated the effects of smoking on PFC-mediated cognitive flexibility and subjective states in low- (LD) and high-dependent (HD) smokers. Twenty-four LD and 24 HD smokers (Fagerström dependence scores ≤ 4 and ≥ 5, respectively) were randomly allocated to non-smoking or smoking condition (12 LD and 12 HD participants per condition). After abstaining from smoking for a minimum of two hours volunteers completed a battery of questionnaires [nicotine-specific Visual Analogue Scales (Nic-VAS), Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU) and Profile of Mood States (POMS)] at baseline [T1] and again after smoking one cigarette or remaining abstinent [T2]. Cognitive flexibility was evaluated at T2 using the Intra-Extra Dimensional Set-Shift test. The Rapid Visual Information Processing test was performed as a control nicotine-sensitive task at several time points during the experiment. Compared to LD smokers, HD smokers had higher salivary cotinine and breath CO levels at baseline and reported more craving (QSU) and felt less stimulated (Nic-VAS), vigorous, friendly and elated (POMS) throughout the experiment. Smoking increased Nic-VAS ratings of 'Buzzed' and 'Dizzy' and decreased craving in all participants. Smoking selectively impaired cognitive flexibility in HD smokers since HD smokers allocated to the smoking condition made significantly more errors with the intra-dimensional set-shift than their counterparts in the abstinent condition. No effect of smoking on RVIP test was observed, most likely due to the practice effect which was significant in both groups of smokers. The practice effect, however, was more pronounced in LD smokers. This study demonstrates that PFC-mediated cognitive effects of smoking as well as subjective reports vary according to the degree of nicotine dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Nesic
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - J. Rusted
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - T. Duka
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - A. Jackson
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
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Collins BN, Nair US, Komaroff E. Smoking cue reactivity across massed extinction trials: negative affect and gender effects. Addict Behav 2011; 36:308-14. [PMID: 21211911 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2010] [Revised: 10/13/2010] [Accepted: 11/29/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Designing and implementing cue exposure procedures to treat nicotine dependence remains a challenge. This study tested the hypothesis that gender and negative affect (NA) influence changes in smoking urge over time using data from a pilot project testing the feasibility of massed extinction procedures. Forty-three smokers and ex-smokers completed the behavioral laboratory procedures. All participants were over 17 years old, smoked at least 10 cigarettes daily over the last year (or the year prior to quitting) and had expired CO below 10 ppm at the beginning of the ~4-hour session. After informed consent, participants completed 45 min of baseline assessments, and then completed a series of 12 identical, 5-minute exposure trials with inter-trial breaks. Smoking cues included visual, tactile, and olfactory cues with a lit cigarette, in addition to smoking-related motor behaviors without smoking. After each trial, participants reported urge and negative affect (NA). Logistic growth curve models supported the hypothesis that across trials, participants would demonstrate an initial linear increase followed by a decrease in smoking urge (quadratic effect). Data supported hypothesized gender, NA, and gender×NA effects. Significant linear increases in urge were observed among high and low NA males, but not among females in either NA subgroup. A differential quadratic effect showed a significant decrease in urge for the low NA subgroup, but a non-significant decrease in urge in the high NA group. This is the first study to demonstrate gender differences and the effects of NA on the extinction process using a smoking cue exposure paradigm. Results could guide future cue reactivity research and exposure interventions for nicotine dependence.
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Zack M, Woodford TM, Tremblay AM, Steinberg L, Zawertailo LA, Busto UE. Stress and alcohol cues exert conjoint effects on go and stop signal responding in male problem drinkers. Neuropsychopharmacology 2011; 36:445-58. [PMID: 20927046 PMCID: PMC3055670 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2010.177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Stress, cues, and pharmacological priming are linked with relapse to addictive behavior. Increased salience and decreased inhibitory control are thought to mediate the effects of relapse-related stimuli. However, the functional relationship between these two processes is unclear. To address this issue, a modified Stop Signal Task was employed, which used Alcohol, Neutral, and Non-Words as Go stimuli, and lexical decision as the Go response. Subjects were 38 male problem drinkers (mean Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS) score: 18.0). Uncontrollable noise (∼ 10 min at 110 dB) was the stressor; nonalcoholic placebo beer (P-Beer) was the cue manipulation, and alcohol (0.7 g/kg), the pharmacological prime. Half the sample received alcohol, and half P-Beer. Stress and beverage (test drink vs soft drink) were manipulated within subjects on two sessions, with half the sample receiving active manipulations together and half receiving them separately. Go response time (RT) and Stop Signal RT (SSRT) were slower to Alcohol than Neutral words. Stress augmented this bias. Alcohol and P-Beer impaired overall SSRT. Stress impaired neither overall SSRT nor Go RT. SSRT to Neutral words and Non-Words correlated inversely with Go RT to Alcohol and Neutral words, and Non-Words. ADS correlated directly with SSRT to Alcohol words. A resource allocation account was proposed, whereby diversion of limited resources to salient cues effectively yoked otherwise independent Go and Stop processes. Disturbances of prefrontal norepinephrine and dopamine were cited as possibly accounting for these effects. Treatments that optimize prefrontal catecholamine transmission may deter relapse by reducing disinhibitory effects of salient eliciting stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Zack
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Tracy M Woodford
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anne M Tremblay
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Laurie A Zawertailo
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Usoa E Busto
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Thomas SE, Randall PK, Brady K, See RE, Drobes DJ. An acute psychosocial stressor does not potentiate alcohol cue reactivity in non-treatment-seeking alcoholics. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2010; 35:464-73. [PMID: 21143244 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01363.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relapse risk factors, such as psychological stress and alcohol cues, are often encountered together. Understanding how they interact has the potential to improve alcoholism treatments. This study was conducted to examine whether an acute psychosocial stressor enhanced alcohol cue reactivity in non-treatment-seeking alcoholics. METHODS Seventy-nine alcohol-dependent individuals (39 women) randomly received either the Trier Social Stress Test or a no-stress control condition. Stress reactivity was measured with serum adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol, mean arterial blood pressure, and subjective distress. Immediately following the stress manipulation, participants held and sniffed a neutral cue then their preferred alcoholic beverage. Cue reactivity was measured by 2 subjective measures of craving following each cue. Additionally, general craving was assessed with the Alcohol Urge Questionnaire at the beginning and end of the laboratory procedure. RESULTS The stress manipulation showed internal validity on all measures of stress reactivity. There was not a main effect of stress nor a stress × cue interaction on either cue reactivity measure. As expected, there was a main effect of cue (alcohol > neutral cue) on both measures of cue reactivity. General craving increased during the challenge, but not differently by stress group. Magnitude of stress reactivity was not associated with magnitude of cue reactivity, and all results were independent of gender. CONCLUSION In this well-controlled clinical laboratory study of non-treatment-seeking alcoholics, an acute psychological stressor did not make an alcohol cue a more potent urge-inducing stimulus, and stress had no effect on general alcohol craving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne E Thomas
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
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Rose AK, Shaw SG, Prendergast MA, Little HJ. The importance of glucocorticoids in alcohol dependence and neurotoxicity. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2010; 34:2011-8. [PMID: 21087289 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01298.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal (HPA) function have been described in alcoholics and in rodents after chronic alcohol consumption but the role of glucocorticoids in alcohol consumption, and the mechanisms involved, has received little attention until recently. Both alcohol consumption and withdrawal from chronic alcohol intake raise circulating glucocorticoid levels, and prolonged high concentrations of glucocorticoids are known to have detrimental effects on neuronal function and cognition. This minireview covers the ways in which glucocorticoids may be involved in drinking behavior, from social drinking to dependence, and the negative consequences of alcohol consumption seen during withdrawal which may have a detrimental effect on treatment outcome. Research shows prolonged increases in brain glucocorticoid concentrations and decreased brain glucocorticoid receptor availability (consistent with increased levels of endogenous ligand) after withdrawal from chronic alcohol treatment. Evidence suggests that increased glucocorticoid levels in the brain after chronic alcohol treatment are associated with the cognitive deficits seen during abstinence which impact on treatment efficacy and quality of life. Studies on organotypic cultures also demonstrate the importance of glucocorticoids in the neuropathological consequences of alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Rose
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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Feldstein Ewing SW, Filbey FM, Chandler LD, Hutchison KE. Exploring the relationship between depressive and anxiety symptoms and neuronal response to alcohol cues. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2009; 34:396-403. [PMID: 20028366 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2009.01104.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive and anxiety symptoms tend to co-occur with heavy drinking. Specifically, their presence may exacerbate the severity and intractability of heavy drinking. Similarly, heavy drinking may increase the risk for and experience of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Although depressive and anxiety symptoms have been significantly correlated with alcohol craving in cue-exposure paradigms, physiological responses have not always mapped onto emotional responses. Therefore, this study sought to examine the role of depressive and anxiety symptoms using a more basic science approach, through examining functional brain changes. METHODS Seventy nontreatment seeking, heavy drinking adults were recruited through a college campus (n = 45 men; mean age = 22.8). They completed measures of drinking, smoking, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) cue-exposure paradigm. RESULTS As hypothesized, depressive symptoms were positively correlated with activation during the alcohol (vs. appetitive control) cue in the insula, cingulate, ventral tegmentum, striatum, and thalamus (cluster-corrected p < 0.05, z = 2.3). Similarly, anxiety symptoms were positively correlated with activation during the alcohol (vs. appetitive control) cue in the striatum, thalamus, insula, and inferior frontal, mid-frontal, and cingulate gyri (cluster-corrected p < 0.05, z = 2.3). CONCLUSIONS Significant correlations were found between depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and differential brain activation in response to an alcohol versus an appetitive control cue in an fMRI paradigm. Moreover, the pattern of activation mapped onto expected regions. This study strongly supports the posited relationships between depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and differential brain activation in an alcohol cue-exposure paradigm with a sample of heavy drinking adults.
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Udo T, Bates ME, Mun EY, Vaschillo EG, Vaschillo B, Lehrer P, Ray S. Gender differences in acute alcohol effects on self-regulation of arousal in response to emotional and alcohol-related picture cues. PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS 2009; 23:196-204. [PMID: 19586136 DOI: 10.1037/a0015015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Basic mechanisms through which men and women self-regulate arousal have received little attention in human experimental addiction research, although stress-response-dampening and craving theories suggest an important role of emotional arousal in motivating alcohol use. This study examined gender differences in the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on psychophysiological and self-reported arousal in response to emotionally negative, positive, and neutral, and alcohol-related, picture cues. Thirty-six social drinkers (16 women) were randomly assigned to an alcohol, placebo, or control beverage group and exposed to picture cues every 10 s (0.1 Hz presentation frequency). Psychophysiological arousal was assessed via a 0.1-Hz heart rate variability (HRV) index. A statistically significant beverage group-by-gender interaction effect on psychophysiological, but not self-reported, arousal was found. The 0.1-Hz HRV responses to picture cues were suppressed by alcohol only in men. This gender-specific suppression pattern did not differ significantly across picture cue types. There were no significant gender differences in the placebo or control group. Greater dampening of arousal by alcohol intoxication in men, compared with women, may contribute to men's greater tendency to use alcohol to cope with stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoko Udo
- Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8001, USA
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Fox HC, Sinha R. Sex differences in drug-related stress-system changes: implications for treatment in substance-abusing women. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2009; 17:103-19. [PMID: 19373619 PMCID: PMC2746371 DOI: 10.1080/10673220902899680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Extensive research indicates that chronic substance abuse disrupts stress and reward systems of the brain. Gender variation within these stress-system alterations, including the impact of sex hormones on these changes, may influence sex-specific differences in both the development of, and recovery from, dependency. As such, gender variations in stress-system function may also provide a viable explanation for why women are markedly more vulnerable than men to the negative consequences of drug use. This article therefore initially reviews studies that have examined gender differences in emotional and biophysiological changes to the stress and reward system following the acute administration of drugs, including cocaine, alcohol, and nicotine. The article then reviews studies that have examined gender differences in response to various types of stress in both healthy and drug-abusing populations. Studies examining the impact of sex hormones on these gender-related responses are also reported. The implications of these sex-specific variations in stress and reward system function are discussed in terms of both comorbid psychopathology and treatment outcome.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Although recent data from animal models indicate that adolescent ethanol exposure increases self-administered ethanol intake in adult rats, the impact of age at first drink on the association between stress and drinking has not been studied in humans. METHODS Data collected in the 2001 to 2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) were used to estimate the extent to which age at first drink modified the association between stress and average daily volume (ADV) of ethanol intake in a sample of 26,946 past-year drinkers. Successive models estimated the magnitude and significance of the interaction between age at first drink (ages 14 or younger, 15-17, and 18 or older) and number of stressors (out of 12 past-year negative life events) after (1) adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, (2) additionally adjusting for family history of alcoholism, comorbid psychopathology, adolescent, and past-year tobacco and illicit drug use, and (3) additionally adjusting for all other significant interactions with number of stressors. RESULTS Even after adjusting for a wide range of confounders and their interactions with stress, initiation of drinking at ages 14 and younger increased the association between the number of stressors and ADV of ethanol consumption by 8% (p=0.014), when considering the full range of 12 potential stressors. In fact, the positive association between stress and consumption was significant only for this group of drinkers with early adolescent exposure to ethanol. Within this group, ADV of consumption increased by an average of 7% with each additional stressor experienced, although the exact percentage increase varied as a function of other covariates that had significant interactions with stress. When a reduced set of 4 stressors was considered, the magnitudes of the associations were mostly unchanged, but the modifying effect of age at first drink fell short of statistical significance (p=0.309) in the fully adjusted model. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study are consistent with the argument that early-onset drinking may increase stress-reactive ethanol consumption; however, these findings need to be replicated in an experimental human study in order to control fully the direction of the relationship between stress and consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A Dawson
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biometry, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane MSC 9304, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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