Effects of heavy alcohol consumption on the cardiovascular system may be mediated in part by the influence of alcohol-induced depression on the immune system

Six Types of Tea Reduce Acute Alcoholism in Mice by Enhancing Ethanol Metabolism, Suppressing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Acute alcoholic intoxication (AAI) is a pathological process of multiple system damage caused by a large amount of alcohol, especially in the liver. Although tea extracts alleviate AAI and alcohol-induced liver damage, the mechanisms underlying the protective actions of different types of Chinese tea are unclear. In this study, the AAI mice model was used to explore the functions and mechanisms of six types of tea extract (WEATs) in alleviating AAI. The losing righting reflexes of mice were evaluated to assess the effects of the WEATs on AAI. The levels of the ethanol metabolism enzymes (ADH, ALDH2, CYP2E1), the oxidative stress-related indicators (NRF-2, HO-1, SOD, GSH, CAT, and TG) and the inflammatory factors (TNF-α, iNOS, IL-6, and IL-10) were determined. Black tea and dark tea significantly shortened the sleep time (duration of the loss of righting reflex) and had a good sobering effect. Green tea and oolong tea had the dual effect of prolonging tolerance time (time of losing righting reflex) and shortening sleep time. While white tea had the most significant effect on prolonging tolerance time but with no obvious sobering effect. Black tea, dark tea, and oolong tea significantly up-regulated ADH and ALDH2, and down-regulated CYP2E1. Green tea and white tea significantly increased the levels of Nrf2, GSH, and CAT. Black tea, dark tea and oolong tea markedly increased the levels of HO-1, IL-10, and inhibited TG. Therefore, it is possible that black tea, dark tea and oolong tea reduced AAI by increasing ethanol metabolism, suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation. While green tea was mainly by regulating oxidative stress. White tea may prolong the tolerance time by increasing ethanol metabolism and reducing oxidative stress. Different types of tea have specific chemical compositions and can alleviate AAI. In conclusion, despite variations in the composition and mechanism of action, tea is a potent natural product to alleviate a hangover and protect the liver.

Lifestyle Behaviours Add to the Armoury of Treatment Options for Panic Disorder: An Evidence-Based Reasoning

This article presents an evidence-based reasoning, focusing on evidence of an Occupational Therapy input to lifestyle behaviour influences on panic disorder that also provides potentially broader application across other mental health problems (MHP). The article begins from the premise that we are all different. It then follows through a sequence of questions, examining incrementally how MHPs are experienced and classified. It analyses the impact of individual sensitivity at different levels of analysis, from genetic and epigenetic individuality, through neurotransmitter and body system sensitivity. Examples are given demonstrating the evidence base behind the logical sequence of investigation. The paper considers the evidence of how everyday routine lifestyle behaviour impacts on occupational function at all levels, and how these behaviours link to individual sensitivity to influence the level of exposure required to elicit symptomatic responses. Occupational Therapists can help patients by adequately assessing individual sensitivity, and through promoting understanding and a sense of control over their own symptoms. It concludes that present clinical guidelines should be expanded to incorporate knowledge of individual sensitivities to environmental exposures and lifestyle behaviours at an early stage.

Atypical depression and alcohol misuse are related to the cardiovascular risk in the general population

OBJECTIVE

The aims of the present study were to assess the associations between mood, anxiety and substance use disorders, including their subtypes, and the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs).

METHOD

Thorough physical investigations, biological measures and standardized interview techniques were used to assess 3716 subjects of an urban area, aged 35-66 years.

RESULTS

Atypical depression was associated with increased prevalence of overweight, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.5, 95% C.I. 1.1-2.0; OR = 2.0, 95% C.I. 1.1-3.5, OR = 1.6, 95% C.I. 1.0-2.4 respectively), whereas decreased prevalence of overweight was found in melancholic (OR = 0.7, 95% C.I. 0.6-0.9) and unspecified depression (OR = 0.8, 95% C.I. 0.7-1.0). Alcohol abuse was associated with diabetes (OR = 1.8, 95% C.I. 1.1-2.9) and dyslipidemia (OR = 1.3, 95% C.I. 1.0-1.8), alcohol dependence with dyslipidemia only (OR = 1.4, 95% C.I. 1.0-2.0). Almost all mental disorders were associated with a lifetime history of regular cigarette smoking, and atypical depression, alcohol misuse and drug dependence were associated with inactivity.

CONCLUSION

To conclude results emphasize the need to subtype depression and to pay particular attention to the atypical subtype. Comorbid alcohol misuse may further increase the cardiovascular risk. Efforts to diminish smoking in subjects with mental disorders could be crucial measures to reduce their high incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Alcohol consumption and later risk of hospitalization with psychiatric disorders: prospective cohort study

The potential effects of alcohol intake upon the risk of psychiatric disorders have not often been investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate, in a population sample, the association between self-reported amount of alcohol intake and the later risk of being registered in a Danish hospital with a psychiatric disorder. The prospective cohort study, the Copenhagen City Heart Study (n=18,146), was used, containing three updated sets of alcohol intake and lifestyle covariates and up to 26 years follow-up. Alcohol intake was measured by self-report while psychiatric disorders were measured through registers. For women, the overall pattern showed that drinking above the sensible limits increased the risk of psychiatric disorders in general, especially for anxiety disorders where women drinking above the sensible drinking limits had a risk of 2.00 (confidence interval: 1.31-3.04) compared to women drinking below the sensible drinking limits. For men, the risk functions were slightly U-shaped; thus, a weekly low or moderate alcohol intake seemed to have a protective effect towards developing psychiatric disorders. The findings suggest sex differences in the association between alcohol consumption and risk of psychiatric disorders.

Comorbidity and temporal ordering of alcohol use disorders and other psychiatric disorders: results from a Danish register-based study

BACKGROUND

Understanding the comorbidity of alcohol use disorders (AUD) and other psychiatric disorders may have important implications for treatment and preventive interventions. However, information on the epidemiology of this comorbidity is lacking. The objective of this study was to present results on lifetime psychiatric comorbidity of AUD in a large Danish community population.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was used, comprising 3 updated measures of sets of lifestyle covariates and 26 years of follow-up data on 18,146 individuals from the Copenhagen City Heart Study, Denmark. The study population was linked to national Danish hospital registers and a greater Copenhagen alcohol unit treatment register to detect registrations with AUD and other psychiatric disorders.

RESULTS

Of the individuals invited to the study, 7.6% were registered with AUD, and among these, 50.3% had a lifetime comorbid psychiatric disorder. Personality disorders were the most common comorbid disorders (24%) together with mood disorders (16.8%) and drug abuse (16.6%). The risk of developing a psychiatric disorder in individuals who were already registered with AUD was larger than the risk of developing AUD in individuals who were already registered with another psychiatric disorder; these differences in risk were especially noticeable for anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and drug abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

AUD is frequently comorbid with other psychiatric disorders, and it is likely that AUD is both an etiologic factor in other mental disorders and a consequence of mental disease. However, in interpreting these complex and perhaps circular causal links, it is important to consider that AUD is registered before a comorbid psychiatric diagnosis more often than the reverse temporal order.

The PsyCoLaus study: methodology and characteristics of the sample of a population-based survey on psychiatric disorders and their association with genetic and cardiovascular risk factors

BACKGROUND

The Psychiatric arm of the population-based CoLaus study (PsyCoLaus) is designed to: 1) establish the prevalence of threshold and subthreshold psychiatric syndromes in the 35 to 66 year-old population of the city of Lausanne (Switzerland); 2) test the validity of postulated definitions for subthreshold mood and anxiety syndromes; 3) determine the associations between psychiatric disorders, personality traits and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), 4) identify genetic variants that can modify the risk for psychiatric disorders and determine whether genetic risk factors are shared between psychiatric disorders and CVD. This paper presents the method as well as sociodemographic and somatic characteristics of the sample.

METHODS

All 35 to 66 year-old persons previously selected for the population-based CoLaus survey on risk factors for CVD were asked to participate in a substudy assessing psychiatric conditions. This investigation included the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies to elicit diagnostic criteria for threshold disorders according to DSM-IV and algorithmically defined subthreshold syndromes. Complementary information was collected on potential risk and protective factors for psychiatric disorders, migraine and on the morbidity of first-degree relatives, whereas the collection of DNA and plasma samples was already part of the original CoLaus survey.

RESULTS

A total of 3,691 individuals completed the psychiatric evaluation (67% participation). The gender distribution of the sample did not differ significantly from that of the general population in the same age range. Although the youngest 5-year band of the cohort was underrepresented and the oldest 5-year band overrepresented, participants of PsyCoLaus and individuals who refused to participate revealed comparable scores on the General Health Questionnaire, a self-rating instrument completed at the somatic exam.

CONCLUSION

Despite limitations resulting from the relatively low participation in the context of a comprehensive and time-consuming investigation, the PsyCoLaus study should significantly contribute to the current understanding of psychiatric disorders and comorbid somatic conditions by: 1) establishing the clinical relevance of specific psychiatric syndromes below the DSM-IV threshold; 2) determining comorbidity between risk factors for CVD and psychiatric disorders; 3) assessing genetic variants associated with common psychiatric disorders and 4) identifying DNA markers shared between CVD and psychiatric disorders.

Chronic heavy ethanol consumption is associated with decreased platelet aggregation in rats

Although moderate alcohol consumption seems to be protective against atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease rate increases with its higher doses. Platelet aggregation is an important process which contributes to the atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether heavy ethanol consumption stimulates or inhibits platelet aggregation. Fourteen adult male Wistar rats were used. Ethanol (7.2%, v/v) in a modified liquid diet was given to eight rats for 21 days, which mimicked characteristics similar to human chronic alcoholism. Six rats constituted the control group. Adenosine diphophate (ADP) and collagen-induced platelet aggregation was measured in whole blood. We found reduced ADP-induced mean maximal aggregation in the alcoholic rat group compared to the control group at dose of 5 microM (p < 0.005). We also found decreased platelet aggregation responses to collagen in the alcoholic group (p < 0.006 for 2 microg/ml collagen, and p < 0.05 for 5 microg/ml collagen). In conclusion, chronic heavy ethanol consumption results in the decreased platelet aggregation in a rat model of alcoholism. Therefore, increased mortality from coronary artery disease in chronic alcoholism may be explained by other factors such as dietary imbalances and coexisting conditions, which include hypertension and depression.