Effects of adolescent alcohol consumption on the brain and behaviour

Mixing energy drinks and alcohol during adolescence impairs brain function: A study of rat hippocampal plasticity

In the last decades, the consumption of energy drinks has risen dramatically, especially among young people, adolescents and athletes, driven by the constant search for ergogenic effects, such as the increase in physical and cognitive performance. In parallel, mixed consumption of energy drinks and ethanol, under a binge drinking modality, under a binge drinking modality, has similarly grown among adolescents. However, little is known whether the combined consumption of these drinks, during adolescence, may have long-term effects on central function, raising the question of the risks of this habit on brain maturation. Our study was designed to evaluate, by behavioral, electrophysiological and molecular approaches, the long-term effects on hippocampal plasticity of ethanol (EtOH), energy drinks (EDs), or alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AMED) in a rat model of binge-like drinking adolescent administration. The results show that AMED binge-like administration produces adaptive hippocampal changes at the molecular level, associated with electrophysiological and behavioral alterations, which develop during the adolescence and are still detectable in adult animals. Overall, the study indicates that binge-like drinking AMED adolescent exposure represents a habit that may affect permanently hippocampal plasticity.

Patterns of neuronal activation following ethanol-induced social facilitation and social inhibition in adolescent cFos-LacZ male and female rats

Alcohol-associated social facilitation together with attenuated sensitivity to adverse alcohol effects play a substantial role in adolescent alcohol use and misuse, with adolescent females being more susceptible to adverse consequences of binge drinking than adolescent males. Adolescent rodents also demonstrate individual and sex differences in sensitivity to ethanol-induced social facilitation and social inhibition, therefore the current study was designed to identify neuronal activation patterns associated with ethanol-induced social facilitation and ethanol-induced social inhibition in male and female adolescent cFos-LacZ rats. Experimental subjects were given social interaction tests on postnatal day (P) 34, 36, and 38 after an acute challenge with 0, 0.5 and 0.75 g/kg ethanol, respectively, and β-galactosidase (β-gal) expression was assessed in brain tissue of subjects socially facilitated and socially inhibited by 0.75 g/kg ethanol. In females, positive correlations were evident between overall social activity and neuronal activation of seven out of 13 ROIs, including the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, with negative correlations evident in males. Assessments of neuronal activation patterns revealed drastic sex differences between ethanol responding phenotypes. In socially inhibited males, strong correlations were evident among almost all ROIs (90 %), with markedly fewer correlations among ROIs (38 %) seen in socially facilitated males. In contrast, interconnectivity in females inhibited by ethanol was only 10 % compared to nearly 60 % in facilitated subjects. However, hub analyses revealed convergence of brain regions in males and females, with the nucleus accumbens being a hub region in socially inhibited subjects. Taken together, these findings demonstrate individual and sex-related differences in responsiveness to acute ethanol in adolescent rats, with sex differences more evident in socially inhibited by ethanol adolescents than their socially facilitated counterparts.

Perceived psychological control relates to coping-related drinking motives via social anxiety among adolescents: A cross-sectional mediation analysis

Accumulating evidence suggests that particular parenting behaviors (e.g., elevated psychological control) may increase risk for both problematic social anxiety and alcohol use among youth; however, no work has yet examined these factors together in a single model. Building developmentally sensitive models of problematic alcohol use trajectories is key to developing effective prevention and intervention strategies. The present study includes 94 adolescents (ages 14-17 years; 53.3% girls; 89.2% White) entering a treatment facility for a variety of internalizing and externalizing forms of psychological distress. Levels of perceived parental psychological control, social anxiety, and coping-related drinking motives were assessed. Higher levels of perceived psychological control were associated with a greater endorsement of coping-related drinking motives; however, a significant proportion of that association was accounted for by elevated social anxiety symptoms. These data extend the existing literature and lay groundwork for more sophisticated experimental and longitudinal designs to corroborate the findings. Moreover, personality-targeted drinking interventions for adolescents may benefit from identifying elevated perceived psychological control as a developmentally relevant risk factor for social anxiety and problematic drinking motives and administering relevant interventions (e.g., personality-targeted coping skills training, parent-involved care) before drinking patterns are established.

Expression of Exploratory Activity of Rat Offspring Depends on the Expression of Exploratory Activity of Their Parents at the Moment of Mating

The aim of this work was to study the, so far, unexplored possibility that non-genetic inheritance of animal behavioral characteristics could depend on the state of the parents at the time of conception. In this study, we measured the levels of motor and exploratory activity in rats at the ages of 2 and 5 months. Male and female rats were mated at the age of 5 months. The following groups were used: male and female rats with high motor activity at ages of 2 and 5 months (ACT+); male and female rats with high activity at the age of 2 months, but low activity at the age of 5 months (ACT-); male and female rats with low activity at the ages of 2 and 5 months (PAS-); male and female rats with low activity at the age of 2 months, but high activity at the age of 5 months (PAS+). It was found that both males and females ACT+ had significantly higher motor activity, which was observed in the first 10minutes, in the next 20-60minutes, in the center of the cage and more rearings as compared with PAS-rats. Significant differences in the severity of exploratory activity were found between the male offspring of ACT+ and ACT- rats. Differences between the offspring of PAS+ and PAS- rats were observed in both the male and female rats. The motor activity of animals in the period from 20minutes after the start of registration did not differ between groups. Thus, it can be considered that individual characteristics of general motor activity are due to genetically inherited factors, while differences in the level of exploratory activity, apparently, are formed due to non-genetic influences from parents during mating.

Neuroimaging of the effects of drug exposure or self-administration in rodents: A systematic review

A systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies on drug (self-) administration in rodents is lacking. Here, we summarized effects of acute or chronic drug administration of various classes of drugs on brain function and determined consistency with human literature. We performed a systematic literature search and identified 125 studies on in vivo rodent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (n = 84) or positron emission tomography (n = 41) spanning depressants (n = 27), opioids (n = 23), stimulants (n = 72), and cannabis (n = 3). Results primarily showed alterations in the striatum, consistent with the human literature. The anterior cingulate cortex and (nonspecific) prefrontal cortex were also frequently implicated. Upregulation was most often found after shorter administration and downregulation after long chronic administration, particularly in the striatum. Importantly, results were consistent across study design, administration models, imaging method, and animal states. Results provide evidence of altered resting-state brain function in rodents upon drug administration, implicating the brain's reward network analogous to human studies. However, alterations were more dynamic than previously known, with dynamic adaptation depending on the length of drug administration.

Associations of Content Domain-Specific Possible Selves with Adolescent Drinking Behaviors

Alcohol use ranks as one of the most prevalent health-risk behaviors among Taiwanese adolescents. Possible selves-personalized future-oriented cognitions about the self-are significant motivators of one's actions, which may potentially influence adolescent drinking behavior. This study aimed to estimate the content domain-specific possible selves and their associations with drinking behaviors among Taiwanese adolescents. A total of 225 Taiwanese seventh and eighth graders from a public junior high school were recruited. An anonymous self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data during two time-points at six-month intervals. Results showed that having a "physical appearance" related hoped-for possible self and a "friendship" related feared possible self was associated with adolescent alcohol use after six months. Whereas, having the "physical appearance" related hoped-for and feared possible selves were associated with alcohol problems, at both, baseline and six months later. Future studies could clarify the meaning behind "physical appearance" related possible selves.

Neurological Disorders Induced by Drug Use: Effects of Adolescent and Embryonic Drug Exposure on Behavioral Neurodevelopment

Clinical studies demonstrate that the risk of developing neurological disorders is increased by overconsumption of the commonly used drugs, alcohol, nicotine and cannabis. These drug-induced neurological disorders, which include substance use disorder (SUD) and its co-occurring emotional conditions such as anxiety and depression, are observed not only in adults but also with drug use during adolescence and after prenatal exposure to these drugs, and they are accompanied by long-lasting disturbances in brain development. This report provides overviews of clinical and preclinical studies, which confirm these adverse effects in adolescents and the offspring prenatally exposed to the drugs and include a more in-depth description of specific neuronal systems, their neurocircuitry and molecular mechanisms, affected by drug exposure and of specific techniques used to determine if these effects in the brain are causally related to the behavioral disturbances. With analysis of further studies, this review then addresses four specific questions that are important for fully understanding the impact that drug use in young individuals can have on future pregnancies and their offspring. Evidence demonstrates that the adverse effects on their brain and behavior can occur: (1) at low doses with short periods of drug exposure during pregnancy; (2) after pre-conception drug use by both females and males; (3) in subsequent generations following the initial drug exposure; and (4) in a sex-dependent manner, with drug use producing a greater risk in females than males of developing SUDs with emotional conditions and female offspring after prenatal drug exposure responding more adversely than male offspring. With the recent rise in drug use by adolescents and pregnant women that has occurred in association with the legalization of cannabis and increased availability of vaping tools, these conclusions from the clinical and preclinical literature are particularly alarming and underscore the urgent need to educate young women and men about the possible harmful effects of early drug use and to seek novel therapeutic strategies that might help to limit drug use in young individuals.

Adolescent alcohol exposure promotes mechanical allodynia and alters synaptic function at inputs from the basolateral amygdala to the prelimbic cortex

Binge drinking is common among adolescents despite mounting evidence linking it to various adverse health outcomes that include heightened pain perception. The prelimbic (PrL) cortex is vulnerable to insult from adolescent alcohol exposure and receives input from the basolateral amygdala (BLA) while sending projections to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) - two brain regions implicated in nociception. In this study, adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure was carried out in male and female rats using a vapor inhalation procedure. Assessments of mechanical and thermal sensitivity revealed that AIE exposure induced protracted mechanical allodynia. To investigate synaptic function at BLA inputs onto defined populations of PrL neurons, retrobeads and viral labelling were combined with optogenetics and slice electrophysiology. Recordings from retrobead labelled cells in the PrL revealed AIE reduced BLA driven feedforward inhibition of neurons projecting from the PrL to the vlPAG, resulting in augmented excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance and increased intrinsic excitability. Consistent with this finding, recordings from virally tagged PrL parvalbumin interneurons (PVINs) demonstrated that AIE exposure reduced both E/I balance at BLA inputs onto PVINs and PVIN intrinsic excitability. These findings provide compelling evidence that AIE alters synaptic function and intrinsic excitability within a prefrontal nociceptive circuit.

Adolescent alcohol exposure alters age-related progression of behavioral and neurotrophic dysfunction in the TgF344-AD model in a sex-specific manner

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and heavy alcohol use are widely prevalent and lead to brain pathology. Both alcohol-related brain damage (ABRD) and AD result in cholinergic dysfunction, reductions in hippocampal neurogenesis, and the emergence of hippocampal-dependent cognitive impairments. It is still unknown how ARBD caused during a critical developmental timepoint, such as adolescence, interacts with AD-related pathologies to accelerate disease progression later in life. The current study utilized a longitudinal design to characterize behavioral and pathological changes in a transgenic rat model of AD (TgF344-AD) following adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure. We found that AIE accelerates cognitive decline associated with AD transgenes in female rats at 6 months of age, and male AD-rats are impaired on spatial navigation by 3-months with no additional deficits due to AIE exposure. Protein levels of various AD-pathological markers were analyzed in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus of male and female rats. The data suggests that AIE-induced alterations of the tropomyosin-related kinase A receptor (TrkA) / p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) ratio creates a brain that is vulnerable to age- and AD-related pathologies, which leads to an acceleration of cognitive decline, particularly in female rats.

Beyond the Laws: Parental Monitoring, Perceived Acceptability of Underage Drinking and Alcohol Use Among Belgian Youth

Parental monitoring behaviors are negatively associated with adolescent substance use. Yet, the processes explaining these associations are still unclear. The current study examined adolescents' knowledge of minimum legal drinking age laws and their perceived acceptability of underage drinking as potential mediators of the links between parental monitoring behaviors and youth alcohol use. The sample included 1154 Belgian adolescents (Mage = 16.34, SD = 1.33; 71% girls), who were recruited in Wallonia (54.9%) and in Flanders (45.1%). Path analyses revealed that higher parental rule setting, but not solicitation, was related to lower alcohol use. Acceptability of underage drinking mediated this link, but not knowledge of the laws. Results suggest that beyond laws regulating the minimum legal drinking age, alcohol use prevention programs should consider the importance of parental rule setting and youth's perceived acceptability of underage drinking.

Divergent Roles of APOAI and APOM in the Identification of Alcohol Use Disorder and Their Association With Inflammation and Cognitive Decline: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) courses with inflammation and cognitive decline. Apolipoproteins have emerged as novel target compounds related to inflammatory processes and cognition.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed on abstinent AUD patients with at least 1 month of abstinence (n  = 33; 72.7% men) and healthy controls (n  = 34; 47.1% men). A battery of plasma apolipoproteins (APOAI, APOAII, APOB, APOCII, APOE, APOJ, and APOM), plasma inflammatory markers (LPS, LBP), and their influence on cognition and presence of the disorder were investigated.

RESULTS

Higher levels of plasma APOAI, APOB, APOE, and APOJ, as well as the proinflammatory LPS, were observed in the AUD group, irrespective of sex, whereas APOM levels were lower vs controls. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses, adjusting for covariates (age, sex, education), associated APOM with the absence of cognitive impairment in AUD and identified APOAI and APOM as strong predictors of the presence or absence of the disorder, respectively. APOAI and APOM did not correlate with alcohol abuse variables or liver status markers, but they showed an opposite profile in their associations with LPS (positive for APOAI; negative for APOM) and cognition (negative for APOAI; positive for APOM) in the entire sample.

CONCLUSIONS

The HDL constituents APOAI and APOM were differentially regulated in the plasma of AUD patients compared with controls, playing divergent roles in the disorder identification and associations with inflammation and cognitive decline.

Development of the modified Highly Processed Food Withdrawal Scale (mProWS)

The Highly Processed Food Withdrawal Scale (ProWS) is a 29-item measure that operationalizes physical and psychological indicators of withdrawal symptoms associated with cutting down on the consumption of ultra-processed foods. The current study developed a briefer 7-item version of the ProWS (modified ProWS; mProWS) using the participant sample from the ProWS validation paper (n = 231). Then, in an independent sample recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk, 244 participants (55.3% females) completed the mProWS, the ProWS, and measures of eating-related constructs in order to evaluate the psychometric properties of the mProWS, relative to the ProWS. The mProWS and the ProWS performed similarly on indexes of reliability, convergent validity with addictive-like eating behavior (e.g., Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 symptom count), discriminant validity with distinct measures (e.g., cognitive desire to restrict food consumption), and incremental validity evidenced by associations with weight cycling above and beyond body mass index (BMI) and YFAS 2.0 symptoms. The mProWS may be an appropriate choice for studies with higher participant burden (e.g., ecological momentary assessment) to assess withdrawal symptoms in real-time when they occur in response to cutting down on ultra-processed foods.

Dysregulation of neurotrophin expression in prefrontal cortex and nucleus basalis magnocellularis during and after adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure

A preclinical model of human adolescent binge drinking, adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure (AIE) recreates the heavy binge withdrawal consummatory patterns of adolescents and has identified the loss of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons as a pathological hallmark of this model. Cholinergic neurons of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NbM) that innervate the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are particularly vulnerable to alcohol related neurodegeneration. Target derived neurotrophins (nerve growth factor [NGF] and brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]) regulate cholinergic phenotype expression and survival. Evidence from other disease models implicates the role of immature neurotrophin, or proneurotrophins, activity at neurotrophic receptors in promoting cholinergic degeneration; however, it has yet to be explored in adolescent binge drinking. We sought to characterize the pro- and mature neurotrophin expression, alongside their cognate receptors and cholinergic markers in an AIE model. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats underwent 5 g/kg 20% EtOH or water gavage on two-day-on, two-day-off cycles from post-natal day 25-57. Rats were sacrificed 2 h, 24 h, or 3 weeks following the last gavage, and tissue were collected for protein measurement. Western blot analyses revealed that ethanol intoxication reduced the expression of BDNF and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (vAChT) in the PFC, while NGF was lower in the NbM of AIE treated animals. During acute alcohol withdrawal, proNGF in the PFC was increased while proBDNF decreased, and in the NbM proBDNF increased while NGF decreased. During AIE abstinence, the expression of neurotrophins, their receptors, and vAChT did not differ from controls in the PFC. In contrast, in the NbM the expression of both NGF and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were reduced long-term following AIE. Taken together these findings suggest that AIE alters the expression of proneurotrophins and neurotrophins during intoxication and withdrawal that favor prodegenerative mechanisms by increasing the expression of proNGF and proBDNF, while also reducing NGF and BDNF.

cGAS/STING signaling pathway-mediated microglial activation in the PFC underlies chronic ethanol exposure-induced anxiety-like behaviors in mice

Chronic ethanol consumption is a prevalent condition in contemporary society and exacerbates anxiety symptoms in healthy individuals. The activation of microglia, leading to neuroinflammatory responses, may serve as a significant precipitating factor; however, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. In this study, we initially confirmed that chronic ethanol exposure (CEE) induces anxiety-like behaviors in mice through open field test and elevated plus maze test. The cGAS/STING signaling pathway has been confirmed to exhibits a significant association with inflammatory signaling responses in both peripheral and central systems. Western blot analysis confirmed alterations in the cGAS/STING signaling pathway during CEE, including the upregulation of p-TBK1 and p-IRF3 proteins. Moreover, we observed microglial activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of CEE mice, characterized by significant alterations in branching morphology and an increase in cell body size. Additionally, we observed that administration of CEE resulted in mitochondrial dysfunction within the PFC of mice, accompanied by a significant elevation in cytosolic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels. Furthermore, our findings revealed that the inhibition of STING by H-151 effectively alleviated anxiety-like behavior and suppressed microglial activation induced by CEE. Our study unveiled a significant association between anxiety-like behavior, microglial activation, inflammation, and mitochondria dysfunction during CEE.

Adolescent alcohol exposure persistently alters orbitofrontal cortical encoding of Pavlovian conditional stimulus components in female rats

Exposure to alcohol during adolescence impacts cortical and limbic brain regions undergoing maturation. In rodent models, long-term effects on behavior and neurophysiology have been described after adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE), especially in males. We hypothesized that AIE in female rats increases conditional approach to a reward-predictive cue and corresponding neuronal activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). We evaluated behavior and neuronal firing after AIE (5 g/kg intragastric) or water (CON) in adult female rats. Both AIE and CON groups expressed a ST phenotype, and AIE marginally increased sign-tracking (ST) and decreased goal-tracking (GT) metrics. NAc neurons exhibited phasic firing patterns to the conditional stimulus (CS), with no differences between groups. In contrast, neuronal firing in the OFC of AIE animals was greater at CS onset and offset than in CON animals. During reward omission, OFC responses to CS offset normalized to CON levels, but enhanced OFC firing to CS onset persisted in AIE. We suggest that the enhanced OFC neural activity observed in AIE rats to the CS could contribute to behavioral inflexibility. Ultimately, AIE persistently impacts the neurocircuitry of reward-motivated behavior in female rats.

"Alcohol will never run out": Socio-ecological drivers of adolescent boys' alcohol use in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Heavy alcohol use amongst adolescent boys is a major public health concern in many countries. It is associated with a range of negative physical and mental health outcomes and predicts alcohol-related problems in adulthood. In Kilimanjaro Region, adolescent boys' alcohol use is widespread, and higher than other regions in Tanzania. An understanding of causal and contextual factors that influence the use of alcohol is needed to inform the development and implementation of effective alcohol prevention interventions. This study aimed to explore these socio-ecological factors in-depth amongst adolescent boys, young men and key stakeholders in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Between August 2022 and June 2023, multi-method, participatory, qualitative methods including: ethnographic observations (8 weeks), 37 in-depth interviews, 14 focus group discussions and participatory adolescent activities were used to elicit perceptions on factors driving adolescent boys' alcohol use in two (rural/urban) settings. Data were triangulated and deductively analysed, guided by Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological framework. This study found many dynamic and inter-related factors linked to alcohol use within adolescents' social, cultural, economic, regulatory, and physical environments. In a context of widespread availability of alcohol, low enforcement of alcohol regulation and (mis)conceptions around the benefits of alcohol use (e.g. curative and/or nutritional properties), parental and cultural influences largely determined the initiation of use in childhood and younger adolescence; employment status, peers, lack of alternative recreational activity and social norms around independence appeared to drive continued and increased use in older adolescence. Factors and their impact varied between rural and urban settings. In conclusion, a wide range of determinants and drivers of alcohol use among ABYM work at multiple socio-ecological levels especially parental, cultural and socioeconomic factors. This suggests that effective prevention requires a systems approach intervening across these levels. For example, incorporating education/awareness raising, increased law enforcement, parent-child communication and problem-solving, and income generation activities.

Increased anxiolytic effect in aged female rats and increased motoric behavior in aged male rats to acute alcohol administration: Comparison to younger animals

The population of most countries in the world is increasing and understanding risk factors that can influence the health of the older population is critical. Older adults consume alcohol often in a risky, binge manner. Previous work has demonstrated that aged rats are more sensitive to many of the effects of acute ethanol. In the current project aged, adult, and adolescent female and male rats were tested on the elevated plus maze and open field following either a 1.0 g/kg alcohol injection or a saline injection. We report sex- and age-dependent effects whereas aged female rats, but not aged male rats, showed an increased anxiolytic effect of alcohol in the elevated plus maze while aged male rats, but not aged female rats, showed increased stimulatory movement in the open field. In addition, significant age effects were found for both female and male rats. It is proposed that the sex- and age-dependent effects reported in the current studies may be due to differential levels of alcohol-induced allopregnanolone for the anxiolytic effects and differential levels of alcohol-induced dopamine for the stimulatory effects. The current work provides insights into factors influencing alcohol consumption in older adults.

Alcohol Consumption During Adolescence Alters the Cognitive Function in Adult Male Mice by Persistently Increasing Levels of DUSP6

Binge alcohol drinking during adolescence has long-term effects on the adult brain that alter brain structure and behaviors, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is involved in the synaptic plasticity and pathological brain injury by regulating the expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6) is a critical effector that dephosphorylates ERK1/2 to control the basal tone, amplitude, and duration of ERK signaling. To explore DUSP6 as a regulator of ERK signaling in the mPFC and its impact on long-term effects of alcohol, a male mouse model of adolescent intermittent alcohol (AIA) exposure was established. Behavioral experiments showed that AIA did not affect anxiety-like behavior or sociability in adulthood, but significantly damaged new object recognition and social recognition memory. Molecular studies further found that AIA reduced the levels of pERK-pCREB-BDNF-PSD95/NR2A involved in synaptic plasticity, while DUSP6 was significantly increased. Intra-mPFC infusion of AAV-DUSP6-shRNA restored the dendritic spine density and postsynaptic density thickness by reversing the level of p-ERK and its downstream molecular expression, and ultimately repaired adult cognitive impairment caused by chronic alcohol exposure during adolescence. These findings indicate that AIA exposure inhibits ERK-CREB-BDNF-PSD95/NR2A by increasing DUSP6 in the mPFC in adulthood that may be associated with long-lasting cognitive deficits.

Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlates

Background

Substance use among adolescents is common and associated with significant consequences, including depression. Adolescents can experience myriad problems related to early onset substance use and depression, making further understanding of this comorbidity necessary.

Method

Participants were a subset from a large-scale performance improvement project and consisted of adolescents aged 12-18 who screened positive for depression during their routine medical or psychiatric appointment and who then completed the substance use assessment Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble Version 2.1 (CRAFFT). Participants with problematic substance use had a CRAFFT score ≥2.

Results

A total of 621 participants were included in this study, and 105 (16.9%) reported problematic substance use. Compared with participants without problematic substance use, those with problematic use were more likely to have moderate to severe depression and anxiety, as well as significantly higher irritability, impulsivity, suicidal propensity, and suicidal thoughts scores. Controlling for age at screening, sex, race, and ethnicity, problematic substance use remained a significant predictor of depression severity, impulsivity, suicidal propensity, and suicidal thoughts.

Limitations

Participants were from a large, metropolitan area of the Southwest United States who must have screened positive for depression, so results may not generalize. Because all participants were underage, they may have been wary in responding to the substance use assessment accurately.

Conclusions

By using a large, diverse sample in a real-world clinical setting, findings strengthen the association between problematic substance use and depression and depression-associated symptoms among adolescents, highlighting the need for early detection and universal depression screening.

C57BL/6J offspring mice reared by a single-mother exhibit, compared to mice reared in a biparental parenting structure, distinct neural activation patterns and heightened ethanol-induced anxiolysis

RATIONALE

Parenting experiences with caregivers play a key role in neurodevelopment. We recently reported that adolescents reared by a single-mother (SM) display an anxiety-prone phenotype and drink more alcohol, compared to peers derived from a biparental (BP) rearing condition.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate if SM and BP offspring infant mice exhibit differential sensitivity to ethanol-induced locomotor activity and differential activity patterns in brain areas related to anxiety response. We also analyzed anxiety response and ethanol-induced anxiolysis in SM and BP adolescents.

METHODS

Mice reared in SM or BP conditions were assessed for (a) ethanol-induced locomotor activity at infancy, (b) central expression of Fos-like proteins (likely represented mostly by FosB, a transcription factor that accumulates after chronic stimuli exposure and serves as a molecular marker of neural plasticity) and cathecolaminergic activity, and (c) anxiety-like behavior and ethanol-induced anxiolysis in adolescence.

RESULTS

Infant mice were sensitive to the stimulating effects of 2.0 g/kg alcohol, regardless parenting structure. SM mice exhibited, relative to BP mice, a significantly greater number of Fos-like positive cells in the central amygdala and basolateral amygdala nuclei. Ethanol treatment, but not parenting condition, induced greater activation of dopaminergic neurons in ventral tegmental area. SM, but not BP, adolescent mice were sensitive to ethanol-induced anxiolysis.

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight the complex relationship between parenting experiences and neurodevelopment. The SM parenting may result in greater neural activation patterns in brain areas associated with anxiety response, potentially contributing to increased basal anxiety and alcohol sensitivity.

Early-life inflammation increases ethanol consumption in adolescent male mice

Recent studies have demonstrated that stress during the critical windows of development can evoke a cascade of neurological changes that can result in neuropsychiatric disorders later in life. In this study, we examined the effect of early-life inflammation on ethanol consumption in adolescent mice. C57BL/6J mice were assigned to either the control or Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group on postnatal day 14 (P14). In the latter group, LPS at a dose of 50 μg/kg was injected intraperitoneally. The mice were weaned at P21, and behavior tests were performed at P45. Ethanol consumption was assessed using a two-bottle choice drinking paradigm. Anxiety-like behaviors were assessed by marble burying test (MBT), open field (OF), and elevated plus maze (EPM). Ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex (LORR), hypothermia and ethanol metabolism were assessed to evaluate ethanol intoxication. P14 LPS-injected adolescent male mice exhibited significantly increased ethanol preference and consumption, with a similar taste preference for saccharin and avoidance of quinine. The adolescent male mice showed increased anxiety-like behaviors in the OF and EPM tests, and an increased duration of LORR, without affecting the hypothermic effects of ethanol and ethanol metabolism. Interestingly, these behavioral changes were not obvious in female mice. In conclusion, our data indicate that early-life inflammation may be a risk factor for ethanol consumption in adolescents with greater changes observed in male mice. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Our study is the first preclinical model to report the enhancement effect of early-life inflammation on ethanol consumption in adolescent male mice and our findings provide a valuable mouse model to examine the neurobiological mechanisms mediating the long-lasting effects of early-life inflammation on alcohol use disorders vulnerability.

Biologics Reduce Symptoms of Alcohol Intolerance Better than Aspirin Desensitization in Patients with N-ERD and Nasal Polyps

BACKGROUND

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD) is associated with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), asthma, and NSAID hypersensitivity. An overproduction of leukotrienes characterizes the pathomechanism of the disease. N-ERD patients often report breathing difficulties after consuming alcohol. These symptoms have been observed in patients receiving either aspirin therapy after desensitization (ATAD), therapy with the biologics dupilumab (anti-IL-4Ra antibody) and omalizumab (anti-IgE antibody), or intranasal corticosteroid treatment (INCS).

METHODS

This retrospective, real-world study assessed the severity of alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related respiratory symptoms in CRSwNP/N-ERD patients 3-6 months after ATAD, biologic (dupilumab or omalizumab), or INCS therapy. A total of 171 patients (98 women and 73 men) were enrolled in the study. All groups received standard INCS therapy. Sixty-three patients were treated with ATAD; 48 received biologics (dupilumab n = 31; omalizumab n = 17); and 60 received INCS only and served as a control group. Alcohol-dependent symptoms and typical CRS symptoms (alcohol-independent) were quantified using visual analog scales (VAS).

RESULTS

ATAD and biological therapy significantly reduced VAS scores for alcohol dependence and CRS symptoms. In the control group receiving INCS, only non-alcohol dependent CRS symptoms improved significantly (p < 0.05). The most significant differences in pre/post scores were observed in patients receiving dupilumab, with the most significant improvement in alcohol-dependent and CRS symptoms (dupilumab > omalizumab > ATAD).

CONCLUSIONS

This real-world study shows that alcohol-related respiratory symptoms are a relevant parameter in CRSwNP/N-ERD patients. Patients benefit more from biologic therapy than from ATAD in terms of their alcohol-related symptoms and other CRS symptoms. Future studies should include placebo-controlled oral alcohol challenge.

Adolescent alcohol exposure modifies adult anxiety-like behavior and amygdala sensitivity to alcohol in rats: Increased c-Fos activity and sex-dependent microRNA-182 expression

Adolescent binge alcohol drinking is a serious health concern contributing to adult alcohol abuse often associated with anxiety disorders. We have used adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) administration as a model of binge drinking in rats in order to explore its long-term effect on the basolateral amygdala (BLA) responsiveness to alcohol and anxiety-like behavior. AIE increased the number of BLA c-Fos positive cells in adult Wistar rats and anxiety-like behavior assessed by the open field test (OFT). Additionally, in adult female rats receiving AIE BLA over expression of miR-182 was found. Therefore, our results indicate that alcohol consumption during adolescence can lead to enduring changes in anxiety-like behavior and BLA susceptibility to alcohol that may be mediated by sex-dependent epigenetic changes. These results contribute to understanding the mechanisms involved in the development of alcohol use disorders (AUD) and anxiety-related disorders.

EZH2-dependent epigenetic reprogramming in the central nucleus of amygdala regulates adult anxiety in both sexes after adolescent alcohol exposure

Alcohol use and anxiety disorders occur in both males and females, but despite sharing similar presentation and classical symptoms, the prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) is lower in females. While anxiety is a symptom and comorbidity shared by both sexes, the common underlying mechanism that leads to AUD and the subsequent development of anxiety is still understudied. Using a rodent model of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure in both sexes, we investigated the epigenetic mechanism mediated by enhancer of zeste 2 (EZH2), a histone methyltransferase, in regulating both the expression of activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) and an anxiety-like phenotype in adulthood. Here, we report that EZH2 protein levels were significantly higher in PKC-δ positive GABAergic neurons in the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) of adult male and female rats after AIE. Reducing protein and mRNA levels of EZH2 using siRNA infusion in the CeA prevented AIE-induced anxiety-like behavior, increased H3K27me3, decreased H3K27ac at the Arc synaptic activity response element (SARE) site, and restored deficits in Arc mRNA and protein expression in both male and female adult rats. Our data indicate that an EZH2-mediated epigenetic mechanism in the CeA plays an important role in regulating anxiety-like behavior and Arc expression after AIE in both male and female rats in adulthood. This study suggests that EZH2 may serve as a tractable drug target for the treatment of adult psychopathology after adolescent alcohol exposure.

Remote Wearable Neuroimaging Devices for Health Monitoring and Neurophenotyping: A Scoping Review

Digital health tracking is a source of valuable insights for public health research and consumer health technology. The brain is the most complex organ, containing information about psychophysical and physiological biomarkers that correlate with health. Specifically, recent developments in electroencephalogram (EEG), functional near-infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS), and photoplethysmography (PPG) technologies have allowed the development of devices that can remotely monitor changes in brain activity. The inclusion criteria for the papers in this review encompassed studies on self-applied, remote, non-invasive neuroimaging techniques (EEG, fNIRS, or PPG) within healthcare applications. A total of 23 papers were reviewed, comprising 17 on using EEGs for remote monitoring and 6 on neurofeedback interventions, while no papers were found related to fNIRS and PPG. This review reveals that previous studies have leveraged mobile EEG devices for remote monitoring across the mental health, neurological, and sleep domains, as well as for delivering neurofeedback interventions. With headsets and ear-EEG devices being the most common, studies found mobile devices feasible for implementation in study protocols while providing reliable signal quality. Moderate to substantial agreement overall between remote and clinical-grade EEGs was found using statistical tests. The results highlight the promise of portable brain-imaging devices with regard to continuously evaluating patients in natural settings, though further validation and usability enhancements are needed as this technology develops.

Overcoming the hurdles of steatotic grafts in liver transplantation: Insights into survival and prognostic factors

With increasing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, the use of steatotic grafts in liver transplantation (LT) and their impact on postoperative graft survival (GS) needs further exploration. Analyzing adult LT recipient data (2002-2022) from the United Network for Organ Sharing database, outcomes of LT using steatotic (≥30% macrosteatosis) and nonsteatotic donor livers, donors after circulatory death, and standard-risk older donors (age 45-50) were compared. GS predictors were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Of the 35,345 LT donors, 8.9% (3,155) were fatty livers. The initial 30-day postoperative period revealed significant challenges with fatty livers, demonstrating inferior GS. However, the GS discrepancy between fatty and nonfatty livers subsided over time ( p = 0.10 at 5 y). Long-term GS outcomes showed comparable or even superior results in fatty livers relative to nonsteatotic livers, conditional on surviving the initial 90 postoperative days ( p = 0.90 at 1 y) or 1 year ( p = 0.03 at 5 y). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, the high body surface area (BSA) ratio (≥1.1) (HR 1.42, p = 0.02), calculated as donor BSA divided by recipient BSA, long cold ischemic time (≥6.5 h) (HR 1.72, p < 0.01), and recipient medical condition (intensive care unit hospitalization) (HR 2.53, p < 0.01) emerged as significant adverse prognostic factors. Young (<40 y) fatty donors showed a high BSA ratio, diabetes, and intensive care unit hospitalization as significant indicators of a worse prognosis ( p < 0.01). Our study emphasizes the initial postoperative 30-day survival challenge in LT using fatty livers. However, with careful donor-recipient matching, for example, avoiding the use of steatotic donors with long cold ischemic time and high BSA ratios for recipients in the intensive care unit, it is possible to enhance immediate GS, and in a longer time, outcomes comparable to those using nonfatty livers, donors after circulatory death livers, or standard-risk older donors can be anticipated. These novel insights into decision-making criteria for steatotic liver use provide invaluable guidance for clinicians.

Gender differences in alcohol drinking among adolescents: a school-based survey in China

BACKGROUND

Alcohol drinking among adolescents is associated with their health development. However, the prevalence of alcohol drinking among adolescents in Southwestern China remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of alcohol drinking, with a particular focus on gender differences, among primary and middle school students in Zigong, a city in Southwestern China. Additionally, we examined the association between alcohol consumption and demographic and family factors.

METHODS

A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in a city in Southwestern China, encompassing a total of 89 360 students from 132 different ordinary schools, including both primary and middle schools. Participants were recruited through cluster sampling. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption was employed to assess alcohol consumption. Gender differences in the prevalence of alcohol drinkers across various schools and grades were analysed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to investigate factors associated with hazardous drinking.

RESULTS

Out of the 89 360 participants, 19.0% reported alcohol drinking, with 2.1% classified as hazardous drinkers. There was a higher prevalence of alcohol drinking among boys compared with girls, as well as hazardous drinking. There were significant gender disparities in alcohol drinking observed across various schools and grade levels. A notable divergence between boys and girls was observed starting from grade 10, with a rising prevalence of hazardous drinking among boys and a decline among girls. Additionally, older age, male gender and being left-behind children were identified as risk factors for hazardous drinking, while belonging to a nuclear family and having parents who do not drink were protective factors against hazardous drinking.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol consumption is prevalent among Chinese adolescents, with some even classified as hazardous drinkers. These findings may offer valuable insights for policymakers and caregivers, guiding them in formulating appropriate interventions and support strategies.

Sleep-Related Predictors of Risk for Alcohol Use and Related Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults

PURPOSE

Growing evidence supports sleep and circadian rhythms as influencing alcohol use and the course of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Studying sleep/circadian-alcohol associations during adolescence and young adulthood may be valuable for identifying sleep/circadian-related approaches to preventing and/or treating AUD. This paper reviews current evidence for prospective associations between sleep/circadian factors and alcohol involvement during adolescence and young adulthood with an emphasis on the effects of sleep/circadian factors on alcohol use.

SEARCH METHODS

The authors conducted a literature search in PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science using the search terms "sleep" and "alcohol" paired with "adolescent" or "adolescence" or "young adult" or "emerging adult," focusing on the title/abstract fields, and restricting to English-language articles. Next, the search was narrowed to articles with a prospective/longitudinal or experimental design, a sleep-related measure as a predictor, an alcohol-related measure as an outcome, and confirming a primarily adolescent and/or young adult sample. This step was completed by a joint review of candidate article abstracts by two of the authors.

SEARCH RESULTS

The initial search resulted in 720 articles. After review of the abstracts, the list was narrowed to 27 articles reporting on observational longitudinal studies and three articles reporting on intervention trials. Noted for potential inclusion were 35 additional articles that reported on studies with alcohol-related predictors and sleep-related outcomes, and/or reported on candidate moderators or mediators of sleep-alcohol associations. Additional articles were identified via review of relevant article reference lists and prior exposure based on the authors' previous work in this area.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the review supports a range of sleep/circadian characteristics during adolescence and young adulthood predicting the development of alcohol use and/or alcohol-related problems. Although sleep treatment studies in adolescents and young adults engaging in regular and/or heavy drinking show that sleep can be improved in those individuals, as well as potentially reducing alcohol craving and alcohol-related consequences, no studies in any age group have yet demonstrated that improving sleep reduces drinking behavior. Notable limitations include relatively few longitudinal studies and only two experimental studies, insufficient consideration of different assessment timescales (e.g., day-to-day vs. years), insufficient consideration of the multidimensional nature of sleep, a paucity of objective measures of sleep and circadian rhythms, and insufficient consideration of how demographic variables may influence sleep/circadian-alcohol associations. Examining such moderators, particularly those related to minoritized identities, as well as further investigation of putative mechanistic pathways linking sleep/circadian characteristics to alcohol outcomes, are important next steps.

Patterns of neuronal activation following ethanol-induced social facilitation and social inhibition in adolescent cFos-LacZ male and female rats

Motives related to the enhancement of the positive effects of alcohol on social activity within sexes are strongly associated with alcohol use disorder and are a major contributor to adolescent alcohol use and heavy drinking. This is particularly concerning given that heightened vulnerability of the developing adolescent brain. Despite this linkage, it is unknown how adolescent non-intoxicated social behavior relates to alcohol's effects on social responding, and how the social brain network differs in response within individuals that are socially facilitated or inhibited by alcohol. Sex effects for social facilitation and inhibition during adolescence are conserved in rodents in high and low drinkers, respectively. In the current study we used cFos-LacZ transgenic rats to evaluate behavior and related neural activity in male and female subjects that differed in their social facilitatory or social inhibitory response to ethanol. Subjects were assessed using social interaction on postnatal days 34, 36 and 38 after a 0, 0.5 and 0.75 g/kg ethanol challenge, respectively, with brain tissue being evaluated following the final social interaction. Subjects were binned into those that were socially facilitated or inhibited by ethanol using a tertile split within each sex. Results indicate that both males and females facilitated by ethanol display lower social activity in the absence of ethanol compared to socially inhibited subjects. Analyses of neural activity revealed that females exhibited differences in 54% of examined socially relevant brain regions of interest (ROIs) compared to only 8% in males, with neural activity in females socially inhibited by ethanol generally being lower than facilitated subjects. Analysis of socially relevant ROI neural activity to social behavior differed for select brain regions as a function of sex, with the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens being negatively correlated in males, but positively correlated in females. Females displayed additional positive correlations in other ROIs, and sex differences were noted across the rostro-caudal claustrum axis. Importantly, neural activity largely did not correlate with locomotor activity. Functional network construction of social brain regions revealed further sex dissociable effects, with 90% interconnectivity in males socially inhibited by ethanol compared to 38% of facilitated subjects, whereas interconnectivity in females inhibited by ethanol was 10% compared to nearly 60% in facilitated subjects. However, hub analyses converged on similar brain regions in males and females, with the nucleus accumbens being a hub region in socially inhibited subjects, whereas the central amygdala was disconnected in facilitated subjects. Taken together, these findings support unified brain regions that contribute to social facilitation or inhibition from ethanol despite prominent sex differences in the social brain network.

A lifetime perspective on risk factors for cognitive decline with a special focus on early events

Both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia are the result of disease processes that typically develop over several decades. Population studies have estimated that more than half of the risk for dementia is preventable or at least modifiable through behavioral adaptations. The association between these lifestyle factors and the risk of dementia is most evident for exposure in midlife. However, habits formed in middle age often reflect a lifetime of behavior patterns and living conditions. Therefore, individuals who, for example, are able to maintain healthy diets and regular exercise during their middle years are likely to benefit from these cognition-protective habits they have practiced throughout their lives. For numerous adult diseases, significant risks can often be traced back to early childhood. Suboptimal conditions during the perinatal period, childhood and adolescence can increase the risk of adult diseases, including stroke, heart disease, insulin resistance, hypertension and dementia. This review aims at summarizing some of the evidence for dementia risks from a life-time perspective with the goal of raising awareness for early dementia prevention and successful aging.

Alcohol and stress exposure across the lifespan are key risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease and cognitive decline

Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD) are an increasing threat to global health initiatives. Efforts to prevent the development of ADRD require understanding behaviors that increase and decrease risk of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline, in addition to uncovering the underlying biological mechanisms behind these effects. Stress exposure and alcohol consumption have both been associated with increased risk for ADRD in human populations. However, our ability to understand causal mechanisms of ADRD requires substantial preclinical research. In this review, we summarize existing human and animal research investigating the connections between lifetime stress and alcohol exposures and ADRD.

Differentiating the association between age of alcohol use initiation and conditional suicidal behaviors among adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Suicide and early alcohol use initiation are public health concerns. Previous studies have explored the associations between age of alcohol use initiation and suicidal behaviors, which progresses from ideation to action. Distinguishing between the various associations can help gain a deeper understanding of suicidal behaviors and aid in developing social suicide prevention strategies.

METHODS

The study utilized the Youth Risk Behavior Survey to investigate this association. A total of 17 209 students were finally included in the study. Conditional suicidal behaviors included no suicidal behavior (NS), suicidal ideation without a plan or attempt (SINPA), suicide plan without an attempt (SPNA) and suicide attempt (SA).

RESULTS

Among 17 209 students, the prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt were 21.4%, 17.3%, and 11.1%, respectively. Moreover, 15.2% of the students used alcohol before age 13, whereas 31.7% of students used alcohol at age 13 or older. Compared to NS, students using alcohol showed significant associations with SA (OR = 2.34, p < .001; OR = 1.29, p < .01), SPNA (OR = 1.68, p < .001; OR = 1.19, p < .05) and SINPA (OR = 1.55, p < .001; OR = 1.40, p < .001). Comparing with SINPA and SNPA, students using alcohol before age 13 were associated with SA (OR = 1.61, p < .001; OR = 1.46, p < .001), whereas those using alcohol at or after the age 13 were not associated with SA (OR = 0.98, p > .05; OR = 1.09, p > .05).

DISCUSSION

This study demonstrated that early alcohol use initiation was significantly associated with suicide attempts among students with suicidal ideations or plans.

Theory of Planned Behavior and alcohol use in adolescents in Ecuador. Structural linear regression analysis

The general aim is to identify the explanatory potential of Alcohol use intentions in drinking behaviors in a sample of adolescents in Ecuador. The method consists of a descriptive, explanatory and cross-sectional study using SEM techniques. The participants were 384 adolescents (57% male and 43% female), aged among 14 and 18 years (M= 16.51; SD= 2.64), who are students attending between the 1st and 3rd year of high school in a public educational institution in Ambato, Ecuador. Like principal results, the presence of Alcohol use intention is moderate; the practice of alcohol use is low and mostly does not represent a risk, although 3.9% of the participants could report significant problems with consumption. Intentionality and drinking covary positively with low and moderate intensity. Drinking intentionality explained 15.3% the variance of drinking. We conclude that the Alcohol use intentions are a predictor of adolescent drinking behaviors.

Ethanol changes Nestin-promoter induced neural stem cells to disturb newborn dendritic spine remodeling in the hippocampus of mice

Adolescent binge drinking leads to long-lasting disorders of the adult central nervous system, particularly aberrant hippocampal neurogenesis. In this study, we applied in vivo fluorescent tracing using NestinCreERT2::Rosa26-tdTomato mice and analyzed the endogenous neurogenesis lineage progression of neural stem cells (NSCs) and dendritic spine formation of newborn neurons in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus. We found abnormal orientation of tamoxifen-induced tdTomato+ (tdTom+) NSCs in adult mice 2 months after treatment with EtOH (5.0 g/kg, i.p.) for 7 consecutive days. EtOH markedly inhibited tdTom+ NSCs activation and hippocampal neurogenesis in mouse dentate gyrus from adolescence to adulthood. EtOH (100 mM) also significantly inhibited the proliferation to 39.2% and differentiation of primary NSCs in vitro. Adult mice exposed to EtOH also exhibited marked inhibitions in dendritic spine growth and newborn neuron maturation in the dentate gyrus, which was partially reversed by voluntary running or inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin-enhancer of zeste homolog 2 pathway. In vivo tracing revealed that EtOH induced abnormal orientation of tdTom+ NSCs and spatial misposition defects of newborn neurons, thus causing the disturbance of hippocampal neurogenesis and dendritic spine remodeling in mice.

Community-Based Prevention of Substance Use in Adolescents: Outcomes Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Santiago, Chile

A primary community prevention approach in Iceland was associated with strong reductions of substance use in adolescents. Two years into the implementation of this prevention model in Chile, the aim of this study was to assess changes in the prevalence of adolescent alcohol and cannabis use and to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the substance use outcomes. In 2018, six municipalities in Greater Santiago, Chile, implemented the Icelandic prevention model, including structured assessments of prevalence and risk factors of substance use in tenth grade high school students every 2 years. The survey allows municipalities and schools to work on prevention with prevalence data from their own community. The survey was modified from an on-site paper format in 2018 to an on-line digital format in a shortened version in 2020. Comparisons between the cross-sectional surveys in the years 2018 and 2020 were performed with multilevel logistic regressions. Totally, 7538 participants were surveyed in 2018 and 5528 in 2020, nested in 125 schools from the six municipalities. Lifetime alcohol use decreased from 79.8% in 2018 to 70.0% in 2020 (X2 = 139.3, p < 0.01), past-month alcohol use decreased from 45.5 to 33.4% (X2 = 171.2, p < 0.01), and lifetime cannabis use decrease from 27.9 to 18.8% (X2 = 127.4, p < 0.01). Several risk factors improved between 2018 and 2020: staying out of home after 10 p.m. (X2 = 105.6, p < 0.01), alcohol use in friends (X2 = 31.8, p < 0.01), drunkenness in friends (X2 = 251.4, p < 0.01), and cannabis use in friends (X2 = 217.7, p < 0.01). However, other factors deteriorated in 2020: perceived parenting (X2 = 63.8, p < 0.01), depression and anxiety symptoms (X2 = 23.5, p < 0.01), and low parental rejection of alcohol use (X2 = 24.9, p < 0.01). The interaction between alcohol use in friends and year was significant for lifetime alcohol use (β = 0.29, p < 0.01) and past-month alcohol use (β = 0.24, p < 0.01), and the interaction between depression and anxiety symptoms and year was significant for lifetime alcohol use (β = 0.34, p < 0.01), past-month alcohol use (β = 0.33, p < 0.01), and lifetime cannabis use (β = 0.26, p = 0.016). The decrease of substance use prevalence in adolescents was attributable at least in part to a reduction of alcohol use in friends. This could be related to social distancing policies, curfews, and homeschooling during the pandemic in Chile that implied less physical interactions between adolescents. The increase of depression and anxiety symptoms may also be related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The factors rather attributable to the prevention intervention did not show substantial changes (i.e., sports activities, parenting, and extracurricular activities).

The Association of Alcohol Use and Child-to-Parent Violence in Mexican Adolescents

Background: Addictions can modify the dynamics, communication, and establishment of assertive relationships in the family nucleus, situations that can cause different types of family violence. A phenomenon of special interest is child-to-parent violence or children's violence toward their parents. This type of violence can be exercised physically (hitting, kicking, shoving), verbally (shouting, blackmailing and insulting) and economically (using a card, stealing money or belongings from the parents). Although is generally supported that child-to-parent violence may be associated with alcohol-induced aggressiveness and lack of control, there is less evidence of a possible differentiation regarding the sex of the parents. Objective: Analyze the relationship and effect of alcohol on child-to-parent violence according to the parents' sex. Methods: This was a predictive study of 265 adolescents between 12 and 19 years of age. Data were collected from social networks using two self-applied instruments (the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Conflict Tactics Scale: Parent-Child Version) programmed with the Survey Monkey® digital platform. Results: Of the adolescents studied, 66.8% had consumed alcohol at some time in their lives; of these, 6.6% had harmful consumption. A positive relationship was found between alcohol involvement scores and economic violence toward the mother and father. The former was supported by regression models where alcohol involvement predicted child-to-parent economic violence directed toward mothers and fathers. Conclusions: It is important to develop activities to prevent alcohol consumption as a risk factor for violence and to promote family integration in adolescents and their families.

Adolescent alcohol drinking interaction with the gut microbiome: implications for adult alcohol use disorder

Reciprocal communication between the gut microbiota and the brain, commonly referred to as the "gut-brain-axis" is crucial in maintaining overall physiological homeostasis. Gut microbiota development and brain maturation (neuronal connectivity and plasticity) appear to be synchronized and to follow the same timeline during childhood (immature), adolescence (expansion) and adulthood (completion). It is important to note that the mesolimbic reward circuitry develops early on, whereas the maturation of the inhibitory frontal cortical neurons is delayed. This imbalance can lead to increased acquirement of reward-seeking and risk-taking behaviors during adolescence, and consequently eventuate in heightened risk for substance abuse. Thus, there is high initiation of alcohol drinking in early adolescence that significantly increases the risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in adulthood. The underlying causes for heightened AUD risk are not well understood. It is suggested that alcohol-associated gut microbiota impairment during adolescence plays a key role in AUD neurodevelopment in adulthood. Furthermore, alcohol-induced dysregulation of microglia, either directly or indirectly through interaction with gut microbiota, may be a critical neuroinflammatory pathway leading to neurodevelopmental impairments and AUD. In this review article, we highlight the influence of adolescent alcohol drinking on gut microbiota, gut-brain axis and microglia, and eventual manifestation of AUD. Furthermore, novel therapeutic interventions via gut microbiota manipulations are discussed briefly.

Parental corporal punishment and adolescent drinking: the protective role of personal growth initiative and gender difference

Introduction

Parenting and peer victimization (PV) are crucial for adolescent drinking. To further explore the cause of adolescent drinking, the present study investigated the role of PV and personal growth initiative (PGI) in the relationship between parental corporal punishment (PCP) and adolescent drinking.

Methods

Present study build moderated mediation models to test the hypothesis, and detailed analysis of gender differences was conducted on the models. The data were collected in a cross-sectional questionnaire study with n = 1,007 adolescents (mean age = 13.16 years, 51.84% girls, n = 522).

Results

Model analysis showed that: (1) PV totally mediated the relationship between PCP and adolescent girls' drinking behavior; (2) The positive association between PV and drinking was only significant for girls with low PGI.

Discussion

These findings underscore the importance of the protective effect of a personality trait characterized by spontaneous self-promotion on adolescent girls' drinking.

Effects of combined exposure to ethanol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence on synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex of Long Evans rats

Significant exposure to alcohol or cannabis during adolescence can induce lasting disruptions of neuronal signaling in brain regions that are later to mature, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Considerably less is known about the effects of alcohol and cannabis co-use, despite its common occurrence. Here, we used male and female Long-Evans rats to investigate the effects of early-life exposure to ethanol, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or their combination on high frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced plasticity in the prelimbic region of the mPFC. Animals were injected daily from postnatal days 30-45 with vehicle or THC (escalating doses, 3-20 mg/kg) and allowed to drink vehicle (0.1% saccharin) or 10% ethanol immediately after each injection. In vitro brain slice electrophysiology was then used to record population responses of layer V neurons following HFS in layer II/III after 3-4 weeks of abstinence. We found that THC exposure reduced body weight gains observed in ad libitum fed rats, and reduced intake of saccharin and ethanol. Compared to controls, there was a significant reduction in HFS-induced long-term depression (LTD) in rats exposed to either drug alone, and an absence of LTD in rats exposed to the drug combination. Bath application of indiplon or AR-A014418, which enhance GABAA receptor function or inhibit glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), respectively, suggested the effects of ethanol, THC or their combination were due in part to lasting adaptations in GABA and GSK3β signaling. These results suggest the potential for long-lasting adaptations in mPFC output following co-exposure to alcohol and THC.

The potential adverse effects of minors' exposure to alcohol-related stimuli via licenced venues: A narrative review

ISSUES

Young people are particularly impressionable when it comes to forming expectations and attitudes around alcohol consumption. Any stimuli that normalise and foster positive expectations around alcohol use may increase the risk of underage alcohol consumption. Alcohol venues that market themselves as being appropriate 'family friendly' establishments for children risk exposing minors to environments that are saturated with alcohol-related stimuli. However, research examining how exposure to licenced venues affects underage people is very limited. The aim of this narrative review was to identify and synthesise relevant evidence to better understand how attending these venues might affect minors.

APPROACH

A narrative review of research published between January 2016 and November 2022 was conducted to investigate the potential effects on underage people of exposure to licenced venues and stimuli encountered in/around these venues. Examined stimuli included alcohol advertising, people consuming alcohol and alcohol outlets.

KEY FINDINGS

The reviewed literature indicates that the risk of alcohol-related harm among minors is likely to increase with greater exposure to alcohol venues due to the associated exposure to alcohol advertising, exposure to others consuming alcohol and higher outlet density. In combination, these factors are likely to normalise alcohol consumption for minors and create positive alcohol expectancies.

IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION

Venues serving alcohol should be discouraged from targeting families and parents should be warned about the risks associated with taking minors to venues where alcohol is sold and consumed.

Early-initiated childhood reading for pleasure: associations with better cognitive performance, mental well-being and brain structure in young adolescence

BACKGROUND

Childhood is a crucial neurodevelopmental period. We investigated whether childhood reading for pleasure (RfP) was related to young adolescent assessments of cognition, mental health, and brain structure.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional and longitudinal study in a large-scale US national cohort (10 000 + young adolescents), using the well-established linear mixed model and structural equation methods for twin study, longitudinal and mediation analyses. A 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis for potential causal inference was also performed. Important factors including socio-economic status were controlled.

RESULTS

Early-initiated long-standing childhood RfP (early RfP) was highly positively correlated with performance on cognitive tests and significantly negatively correlated with mental health problem scores of young adolescents. These participants with higher early RfP scores exhibited moderately larger total brain cortical areas and volumes, with increased regions including the temporal, frontal, insula, supramarginal; left angular, para-hippocampal; right middle-occipital, anterior-cingulate, orbital areas; and subcortical ventral-diencephalon and thalamus. These brain structures were significantly related to their cognitive and mental health scores, and displayed significant mediation effects. Early RfP was longitudinally associated with higher crystallized cognition and lower attention symptoms at follow-up. Approximately 12 h/week of youth regular RfP was cognitively optimal. We further observed a moderately significant heritability of early RfP, with considerable contribution from environments. MR analysis revealed beneficial causal associations of early RfP with adult cognitive performance and left superior temporal structure.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings, for the first time, revealed the important relationships of early RfP with subsequent brain and cognitive development and mental well-being.

Early Family Experiences, Drug Use, and Psychosocial Adjustment across the Life Span: Is Parental Strictness Always a Protective Factor?

Objective: This study analyzes whether parental strictness, which is shared by authoritative parenting (strictness and warmth) and authoritarian parenting (strictness without warmth) styles, always acts as a main protective factor against drug use and psychosocial maladjustment in children. This conclusion has already been stated in numerous classic studies, though emergent research suggests that there are benefits to parental warmth regardless of whether strictness is present or not. Method: Sample were 2,095 Spanish participants (1,227 females, 58.6%), 581 adolescent children (aged 12-18 years, 27.7%) and 1,514 adult children (72.3%). The measures were the main parenting style dimensions (warmth and strictness), drug use, and a set of indicators of psychosocial adjustment. A 4 × 2 × 4 MANOVA was applied for all outcomes with parenting style, sex, and age as independent variables. Results: Indulgent parenting (warmth without strictness) was related to less drug use than parenting without warmth (authoritarian and neglectful). Additionally, indulgent and authoritative parenting styles were related to better scores on psychosocial adjustment than authoritarian and neglectful styles, although the indulgent parenting was the only style related to the optimal scores being equal or even more effective than the authoritative style. Conclusion: Contrary to classical studies, present findings suggest that it is the parental warmth instead of the parental strictness that seems to be effective in protecting against drug use and psychosocial maladjustment.

Social epidemiology of early adolescent alcohol expectancies

PURPOSE

To determine the sociodemographic correlates of alcohol expectancies (i.e., beliefs regarding positive or negative effects of alcohol) in a national (U.S.) cohort of early adolescents 10-14 years old. A second aim was to determine associations between alcohol sipping and alcohol expectancies.

METHODS

We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (N = 11,868; Year 2). Linear regression analyses were conducted to estimate associations between sociodemographic factors (sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, household income, parental education, parent marital status, religiosity) and positive (e.g., stress reduction) and negative (e.g., loss of motor coordination) alcohol expectancies. Additional linear regression analyses determined associations between alcohol sipping and alcohol expectancies, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.

RESULTS

Overall, 48.8% of the participants were female and 47.6% racial/ethnic minorities, with a mean age of 12.02 (SD 0.67) years. Older age among the early adolescent sample, male sex, and sexual minority identification were associated with more positive and negative alcohol expectancies. Black and Latino/Hispanic adolescents reported less positive and negative alcohol expectancies compared to White non-Latino/Hispanic adolescents. Having parents with a college education or greater and a household income of $200,000 and greater were associated with higher positive and negative alcohol expectancies. Alcohol sipping was associated with higher positive alcohol expectancies.

CONCLUSIONS

Older age, White non-Latino/Hispanic race, male sex, sexual minority status, higher parental education, and higher household income were associated with higher positive and negative alcohol expectancies. Future research should examine the mechanisms linking these specific sociodemographic factors to alcohol expectancies to inform future prevention and intervention efforts.

Adolescent social housing protects against adult emotional and cognitive deficits and alters the PFC and NAc transcriptome in male and female C57BL/6J mice

Introduction

Adolescence is a critical period in cognitive and emotional development, characterized by high levels of social interaction and increases in risk-taking behavior including binge drinking. Adolescent exposure to social stress and binge ethanol have individually been associated with the development of social, emotional, and cognitive deficits, as well as increased risk for alcohol use disorder. Disruption of cortical development by early life social stress and/or binge drinking may partly underlie these enduring emotional, cognitive, and behavioral effects. The study goal is to implement a novel neighbor housing environment to identify the effects of adolescent neighbor housing and/or binge ethanol drinking on (1) a battery of emotional and cognitive tasks (2) adult ethanol drinking behavior, and (3) the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex transcriptome.

Methods

Adolescent male and female C57BL/6J mice were single or neighbor housed with or without access to intermittent ethanol. One cohort underwent behavioral testing during adulthood to determine social preference, expression of anxiety-like behavior, cognitive performance, and patterns of ethanol intake. The second cohort was sacrificed in late adolescence and brain tissue was used for transcriptomics analysis.

Results

As adults, single housed mice displayed decreased social interaction, deficits in the novel object recognition task, and increased anxiety-like behavior, relative to neighbor-housed mice. There was no effect of housing condition on adolescent or adult ethanol consumption. Adolescent ethanol exposure did not alter adult ethanol intake. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that adolescent housing condition and ethanol exposure resulted in differential expression of genes related to synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens and genes related to methylation, the extracellular matrix and inflammation in the prefrontal cortex.

Discussion

The behavioral results indicate that social interaction during adolescence via the neighbor housing model may protect against emotional, social, and cognitive deficits. In addition, the transcriptomics results suggest that these behavioral alterations may be mediated in part by dysregulation of transcription in the frontal cortex or the nucleus accumbens.

Adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure alters adult exploratory and affective behaviors, and cerebellar Grin2b expression in C57BL/6J mice

Binge drinking is one of the most common patterns (more than 90%) of alcohol consumption by young people. During adolescence, the brain undergoes maturational changes that influence behavioral control and affective behaviors, such as cerebellar brain volume and function in adulthood. We investigated long-term impacts of adolescent binge ethanol exposure on affective and exploratory behaviors and cerebellar gene expression in adult male and female mice. Further, the cerebellum is increasingly recognized as a brain region integrating a multitude of behaviors that span from the traditional primary sensory-motor to affective functions, such as anxiety and stress reactivity. Therefore, we investigated the persistent effects of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) on exploratory and affective behaviors and began to elucidate the role of the cerebellum in these behaviors through excitatory signaling gene expression. We exposed C57BL/6J mice to AIE or air (control) vapor inhalation from postnatal day 28-42. After prolonged abstinence (>34 days), in young adulthood (PND 77+) we assessed behavior in the open field, light/dark, tail suspension, and forced swim stress tests to determine changes in affective behaviors including anxiety-like, depressive-like, and stress reactivity behavior. Excitatory signaling gene mRNA levels of fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein (FMR1), glutamate receptors (Grin2a, Grin2b and Grm5) and excitatory synaptic markers (PSD-95 and Eaat1) were measured in the cerebellum of adult control and AIE-exposed mice. AIE-exposed mice showed decreased exploratory behaviors in the open field test (OFT) where both sexes show reduced ambulation, however only females exhibited a reduction in rearing. Additionally, in the OFT, AIE-exposed females also exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior (entries to center zone). In the forced swim stress test, AIE-exposed male mice, but not females, spent less time immobile compared to their same-sex controls, indicative of sex-specific changes in stress reactivity. Male and female AIE-exposed mice showed increased Grin2b (Glutamate Ionotropic Receptor NMDA Type Subunit 2B) mRNA levels in the cerebellum compared to their same-sex controls. Together, these data show that adolescent binge-like ethanol exposure altered both exploratory and affective behaviors in a sex-specific manner and modified cerebellar Grin2b expression in adult mice. This indicates the cerebellum may serve as an important brain region that is susceptible to long-term molecular changes after AIE.

General anaesthesia, the developing brain, and cerebral white matter alterations: a narrative review

The potential neurotoxic impact of anaesthetic agents has been the subject of sustained debate and continuing research. White matter, which comprises more than half of the brain volume and largely consists of myelinated axonal bundles, is critical for communication between diverse brain regions and for supporting neurobehavioural function. Evidence points to a correlation between exposure to anaesthesia and white matter alterations, which might underpin the ensuing cognitive and behavioural abnormalities. This review summarises the neuropathological and neuroimaging findings related to anaesthesia-induced white matter alterations in the developing brain. Future research is required to understand the effects of anaesthesia exposure on white matter development.

Alcohol Intake and Academic Performance and Dropout in High School: A Prospective Cohort Study in 65,233 Adolescents

PURPOSE

During the teenage years, many adolescents start drinking alcohol, and binge drinking is prevalent. We investigated the relationship between alcohol intake and academic performance.

METHODS

We conducted a longitudinal cohort study by combining data from the Danish National Youth Study on 65,233 high school students aged 15-20 years, with information on dropout and grade point average. We assessed associations between alcohol intake and academic performance using multilevel Poisson regression and linear regression, accounting for dependency between students from the same school and class.

RESULTS

The average alcohol intake was 10 drinks per week, and 43.6% engaged in binge drinking 3+ times per month. During follow-up, 9.8% of the boys and 6.7% of the girls dropped out. The incidence rate ratio was higher in never drinkers, frequent binge drinkers, and those with a high weekly alcohol intake as compared to those with a low intake. For example, the incidence rate ratio was 1.47 (95% confidence level: 1.24, 1.76) in girls who drank 21-27 drinks per week and 1.29 (95% confidence level: 1.13, 1.48) in girls who never drank as compared to those who drank <7 drinks per week. Alcohol associated with a lower grade point average over the entire span of intake in a dose-dependent manner, and similarly so in boys and girls. Findings were consistent in strata of socioeconomy and individual academic ambition.

DISCUSSION

Alcohol intake has implications for academic performance and poses a threat for the prospects of the individual as well as society. Policies and interventions aimed at lowering the intake among high school students are warranted.

Adolescent alcohol and nicotine exposure alters the adult response to alcohol use

Adolescence through young adulthood is a unique period of neuronal development and maturation. Numerous agents can alter this process, resulting in long-term neurological and biological consequences. In the clinical literature, it is frequently reported that adolescent alcohol consumption increases the propensity to develop addictions, including alcohol use disorder (AUD), during adulthood. A general limitation of both clinical and human pre-clinical adolescent alcohol research is the high rate of co-using/abusing more than one drug during adolescence, such as co-using/abusing alcohol with nicotine. A primary goal of basic research is elucidating neuroadaptations produced by adolescent alcohol exposure/consumption that promote alcohol and other drug self-administration in adulthood. The long-term goal is to develop pharmacotherapeutics for the prevention or amelioration of these neuroadaptations. This review will focus on studies that have examined the effects of adolescent alcohol and nicotine exposure on adult alcohol consumption, the hypersensitivity of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, and enhanced responses not only to alcohol but also to nicotine during adulthood. Again, the long-term goal is to identify potential cholinergic agents to prevent or ameliorate the consequences of, peri-adolescent alcohol abuse.

Adolescent Intermittent Ethanol Drives Modest Neuroinflammation but Does Not Escalate Drinking in Male Rats

During adolescence, the brain is highly susceptible to alcohol-induced damage and subsequent neuroimmune responses, effects which may enhance development of an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Neuroimmune reactions are implicated in adolescent alcohol exposure escalating adulthood drinking. Therefore, we investigated whether intermittent alcohol exposure in male, adolescent rats (AIE) escalated adult drinking via two-bottle choice (2BC). We also examined the influence of housing environment across three groups: standard (group-housed with enrichment during 2BC), impoverished (group-housed without enrichment during 2BC), or isolation (single-housed without bedding or enrichment throughout). In the standard group immediately after AIE/saline and after 2BC, we also examined the expression of microglial marker, Iba1, reactive astrocyte marker, vimentin, and neuronal cell death dye, FluoroJade B (FJB). We did not observe an escalation of adulthood drinking following AIE, regardless of housing condition. Further, only a modest neuroimmune response occurred after AIE in the standard group: no significant microglial reactivity or neuronal cell death was apparent using this model, although some astrocyte reactivity was detected in adolescence following AIE that resolved by adulthood. These data suggest that the lack of neuroimmune response in adolescence in this model may underlie the lack of escalation of alcohol drinking, which could not be modified through isolation stress.

Voluntary alcohol consumption during distinct phases of adolescence differentially alters adult fear acquisition, extinction and renewal in male and female rats

Alcohol use during adolescence coincides with elevated risks of stress-related impairment in adults, particularly via disrupted developmental trajectories of vulnerable corticolimbic and mesolimbic systems involved in fear processing. Prior work has investigated the impact of binge-like alcohol consumption on adult fear and stress, but less is known about whether voluntarily consumed alcohol imparts differential effects based on adolescence phases and biological sex. Here, adolescent male and female Long Evans rats were granted daily access to alcohol (15%) during either early (Early-EtOH; P25-45) or late adolescence (Late-EtOH; P45-55) using a modified drinking-in-the-dark design. Upon adulthood (P75-80), rats were exposed to a three-context (ABC) fear renewal procedure. We found that male and female Early-EtOH rats showed faster acquisition of fear but less freezing during early phases of extinction and throughout fear renewal. In the extinction period specifically, Early-EtOH rats showed normal levels of freezing in the presence of fear-associated cues, but abnormally low freezing immediately after cue offset, suggesting a key disruption in contextual processing and/or novelty seeking brought by early adolescent binge consumption. While the effects of alcohol were most pronounced in the Early-EtOH rats (particularly in females), Late-EtOH rats displayed some changes in fear behavior including slower fear acquisition, faster extinction, and reduced renewal compared with controls, but primarily in males. Our results suggest that early adolescence in males and females and, to a lesser extent, late adolescence in males is a particularly vulnerable period wherein alcohol use can promote stress-related dysfunction in adulthood. Furthermore, our results provide multiple bases for future research focused on developmental correlates of alcohol mediated disruption in the brain.