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Meyers JL, McCutcheon VV, Horne-Osipenko KA, Waters LR, Barr P, Chan G, Chorlian DB, Johnson EC, Kuo SIC, Kramer JR, Dick DM, Kuperman S, Kamarajan C, Pandey G, Singman D, de Viteri SSS, Salvatore JE, Bierut LJ, Foroud T, Goate A, Hesselbrock V, Nurnberger J, Plaweck MH, Schuckit MA, Agrawal A, Edenberg HJ, Bucholz KK, Porjesz B. COVID-19 pandemic stressors are associated with reported increases in frequency of drunkenness among individuals with a history of alcohol use disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:311. [PMID: 37803048 PMCID: PMC10558437 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02577-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Some sources report increases in alcohol use have been observed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among women. Cross-sectional studies suggest that specific COVID-19-related stressful experiences (e.g., social disconnection) may be driving such increases in the general population. Few studies have explored these topics among individuals with a history of Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD), an especially vulnerable population. Drawing on recent data collected by the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA; COVID-19 study N = 1651, 62% women, age range: 30-91) in conjunction with AUD history data collected on the sample since 1990, we investigated associations of COVID-19 related stressors and coping activities with changes in drunkenness frequency since the start of the pandemic. Analyses were conducted for those without a history of AUD (N: 645) and three groups of participants with a history of AUD prior to the start of the pandemic: (1) those experiencing AUD symptoms (N: 606), (2) those in remission who were drinking (N: 231), and (3) those in remission who were abstinent (had not consumed alcohol for 5+ years; N: 169). Gender-stratified models were also examined. Exploratory analyses examined the moderating effects of 'problematic alcohol use' polygenic risk scores (PRS) and neural connectivity (i.e., posterior interhemispheric alpha EEG coherence) on associations between COVID-19 stressors and coping activities with changes in the frequency of drunkenness. Increases in drunkenness frequency since the start of the pandemic were higher among those with a lifetime AUD diagnosis experiencing symptoms prior to the start of the pandemic (14% reported increased drunkenness) when compared to those without a history of AUD (5% reported increased drunkenness). Among individuals in remission from AUD prior to the start of the pandemic, rates of increased drunkenness were 10% for those who were drinking pre-pandemic and 4% for those who had previously been abstinent. Across all groups, women reported nominally greater increases in drunkenness frequency when compared with men, although only women experiencing pre-pandemic AUD symptoms reported significantly greater rates of increased drunkenness since the start of the pandemic compared to men in this group (17% of women vs. 5% of men). Among those without a prior history of AUD, associations between COVID-19 risk and protective factors with increases in drunkenness frequency were not observed. Among all groups with a history of AUD (including those with AUD symptoms and those remitted from AUD), perceived stress was associated with increases in drunkenness. Among the remitted-abstinent group, essential worker status was associated with increases in drunkenness. Gender differences in these associations were observed: among women in the remitted-abstinent group, essential worker status, perceived stress, media consumption, and decreased social interactions were associated with increases in drunkenness. Among men in the remitted-drinking group, perceived stress was associated with increases in drunkenness, and increased relationship quality was associated with decreases in drunkenness. Exploratory analyses indicated that associations between family illness or death with increases in drunkenness and increased relationship quality with decreases in drunkenness were more pronounced among the remitted-drinking participants with higher PRS. Associations between family illness or death, media consumption, and economic hardships with increases in drunkenness and healthy coping with decreases in drunkenness were more pronounced among the remitted-abstinent group with lower interhemispheric alpha EEG connectivity. Our results demonstrated that only individuals with pre-pandemic AUD symptoms reported greater increases in drunkenness frequency since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to those without a lifetime history of AUD. This increase was more pronounced among women than men in this group. However, COVID-19-related stressors and coping activities were associated with changes in the frequency of drunkenness among all groups of participants with a prior history of AUD, including those experiencing AUD symptoms, as well as abstinent and non-abstinent participants in remission. Perceived stress, essential worker status, media consumption, social connections (especially for women), and relationship quality (especially for men) are specific areas of focus for designing intervention and prevention strategies aimed at reducing pandemic-related alcohol misuse among this particularly vulnerable group. Interestingly, these associations were not observed for individuals without a prior history of AUD, supporting prior literature that demonstrates that widespread stressors (e.g., pandemics, terrorist attacks) disproportionately impact the mental health and alcohol use of those with a prior history of problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn L Meyers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
| | - Vivia V McCutcheon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Kristina A Horne-Osipenko
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Lawrence R Waters
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Peter Barr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Grace Chan
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David B Chorlian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Emma C Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Sally I-Chun Kuo
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - John R Kramer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Danielle M Dick
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Samuel Kuperman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Gayathri Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Dzov Singman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Stacey Subbie-Saenz de Viteri
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Jessica E Salvatore
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Laura J Bierut
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Tatiana Foroud
- Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Neuroscience, and Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison Goate
- Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Neuroscience, and Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victor Hesselbrock
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - John Nurnberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Martin H Plaweck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Marc A Schuckit
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Medical School, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Howard J Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kathleen K Bucholz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
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Pandey G, Kuo SIC, Horne-Osipenko KA, Pandey AK, Kamarajan C, de Viteri SS, Kinreich S, Chorlian DB, Kuang W, Stephenson M, Kramer J, Anokhin A, Zang Y, Kuperman S, Hesselbrock V, Schuckit M, Dick D, Chan G, McCutcheon VV, Edenberg H, Bucholz KK, Meyers JL, Porjesz B. Associations of parent-adolescent closeness with P3 amplitude, frontal theta, and binge drinking among offspring with high risk for alcohol use disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken) 2023; 47:155-167. [PMID: 36680783 PMCID: PMC10910630 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parents impact their offspring's brain development, neurocognitive function, risk, and resilience for alcohol use disorder (AUD) via both genetic and socio-environmental factors. Individuals with AUD and their unaffected children manifest low parietal P3 amplitude and low frontal theta (FT) power, reflecting heritable neurocognitive deficits associated with AUD. Likewise, children who experience poor parenting tend to have atypical brain development and greater rates of alcohol problems. Conversely, positive parenting can be protective and critical for normative development of self-regulation, neurocognitive functioning and the neurobiological systems subserving them. Yet, the role of positive parenting in resiliency toward AUD is understudied and its association with neurocognitive functioning and behavioral vulnerability to AUD among high-risk offspring is less known. Using data from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism prospective cohort (N = 1256, mean age [SD] = 19.25 [1.88]), we investigated the associations of closeness with mother and father during adolescence with offspring P3 amplitude, FT power, and binge drinking among high-risk offspring. METHODS Self-reported closeness with mother and father between ages 12 and 17 and binge drinking were assessed using the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism. P3 amplitude and FT power were assessed in response to target stimuli using a Visual Oddball Task. RESULTS Multivariate multiple regression analyses showed that closeness with father was associated with larger P3 amplitude (p = 0.002) and higher FT power (p = 0.01). Closeness with mother was associated with less binge drinking (p = 0.003). Among male offspring, closeness with father was associated with larger P3 amplitude, but among female offspring, closeness with mother was associated with less binge drinking. These associations remained statistically significant with father's and mothers' AUD symptoms, socioeconomic status, and offspring impulsivity in the model. CONCLUSIONS Among high-risk offspring, closeness with parents during adolescence may promote resilience for developing AUD and related neurocognitive deficits albeit with important sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayathri Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - Sally I-Chun Kuo
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kristina A. Horne-Osipenko
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - Ashwini K. Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - Stacey Saenz de Viteri
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - Sivan Kinreich
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - David B. Chorlian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - Weipeng Kuang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - Mallory Stephenson
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - John Kramer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Andrey Anokhin
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yong Zang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Samuel Kuperman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Victor Hesselbrock
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Marc Schuckit
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Danielle Dick
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Grace Chan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Vivia V. McCutcheon
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Howard Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Kathleen K. Bucholz
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jacquelyn L. Meyers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, Brooklyn, USA
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