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Monday, November 26, 2012

Alcohol News - 48/2012


Deccan Herald - Alcohol during pregnancy may alter brain structure in babies
Alcohol exposure during foetal development can change brain structure and metabolism in babies, according to a new study which used various imaging techniques.
BNN News (Latvia) - Experts: illegal alcohol combating brings results
Alcohol excise tax has been collected in the amount of 60.8 million LVL in the last nine months. This is 3% or 1.8 million LVL more than there was collected in the same period of last year. This was affected by both the summer 2012 realized excise tax rate increase of 6% and the stabilization of the consumption of legally produced alcohol.
The Independent (UK) - Cabinet split over plans for levy on alcohol
Moves to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol face a backlash from the drinks industry, economists and even Cabinet ministers.
Newcastle Herald (Australia) - Scipione 'frightened' by number of alcohol-related fatalities
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has hit out after a weekend marred by numerous booze-fuelled incidents, including several deaths in the state.
The FINANCIAL - New test to help heavy drinkers reduce alcohol intake
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have developed a computer-based test that could help heavy drinkers reduce their alcohol consumption.
Wall Street Journal (USA) - Alcohol Firms Go Quirky When Marketing Holiday Gift Sets
Consumers in the market for a nearly $4,000 mixology set, a bottle of wine sold with matching make-up, or even a liquor bottle strapped to a bike are in luck this holiday season, as firms tackle those looking for an unusual gift.
Examiner.com - Alcohol and automotive industries create the most engagement on Facebook
Social media networking platforms like Facebook are an important destination to reach new customers for practically any industry. In recent report released by Socialbakers, an analysis looked at pages with more than 10,000 Fans for the third quarter with Alcohol and Automotive related companies as the leaders for engagement on the site.
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - 'Rising tide' of liver disease due to obesity, alcohol and infections, Prof Dame Sally Davies warns
England is facing a rising tide of fatal liver disease, the Chief Medical Officer has warned, fuelled by obesity, alcohol and preventable infections.
Prague Daily Monitor (Chech Republic) - Police to have new device to check alcohol bottles in field
The Czech police will have a device with which to easily find out in the field whether a bottle may contain poisonous methyl alcohol without opening it, deputy police president Vaclav Kucera said Thursday.
Daily Nation (Kenya) - Alcohol abuse blamed for poor performance in the public service
Alcohol abuse is to blame for poor performance, lack of concentration and safety risk in the public sector, Rift Valley PC Osman Warfa said on Monday.
TopNews United States (Australia) - World’s Biggest Alcohol reduction Project
An ambitious plan, considered to be the largest till date, is said to be most rigorous one when it comes to reducing alcohol consumption in Australia. The project was launched by Kevin Humphries, Minister for Mental Health Minister for Healthy Lifestyles.
South China Morning Post (China) - Drinks makers hit by tainted alcohol claims
All liquor drinks in China contain some levels of toxic plasticisers, China’s leading alcohol association said on Monday, after tests found quantities of plasticiser up to 260 per cent over the recommended limit in a popular brand of Chinese liquor.
TVNZ (New Zealand) - Push for warning labels on alcohol
Coroner JP Ryan's call for all alcohol products to carry health warnings is being supported by Alcohol Healthwatch.
Kyiv Post (Ukraine) - Lawmakers up excise tax on alcohol and cigarettes
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has increased excise tax on beer, alcoholic beverages and tobacco. A total of 234 MPs voted for such a decision on Tuesday.
Herald.ie (Ireland) - Cancer and strokes give Irish women worst health in EU
IRISH women have one of the worst health records in Europe with huge numbers affected by heart disease, cancers and strokes. Females from Ireland are more likely to die from preventable diseases than their counterparts in Europe. And researchers put this down to high alcohol and cigarette consumption among women here.
IcelandReview (Iceland) - Half of Icelandic Teens Never Tried Drugs or Alcohol
More 16-year-olds in Iceland have never tried drugs or alcohol than in other European countries, or 40 percent, according to a new Europe-wide research report. Albania ranked second on the list with 32 percent, Fréttablaðið reports.
3News NZ (New Zealand) - Alcohol groups scoff at industry promotion
Groups wanting tougher alcohol laws say a social media campaign from the alcohol industry is a marketing exercise designed to increase booze sales.
FRANCE 24 (Philippines) - Philippines closer to tobacco, alcohol tax hike
The Philippines has moved closer to raising tobacco and alcohol taxes, the government said on Wednesday after the Senate passed a bill aimed at weaning millions of smokers off the habit.

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Sunday, November 25, 2012

FASD News - 47/2012


NEWS and ARTICLES
EurekAlert - Fetal alcohol exposure affects brain structure in children
Children exposed to alcohol during fetal development exhibit changes in brain structure and metabolism that are visible using various imaging techniques, according to a new study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Los Angeles Times - Pregnant women: Just don't drink, study suggests
After years of confusing and contradictory advice about alcohol consumption during pregnancy, a new study may have the final word: Just don’t drink. The study, published Wednesday in the journal PLoS ONE, reveals that even a few drinks a week by an expectant mother can lead to reductions in a child’s IQ if the child has certain genetic variations impairing their ability to break down alcohol.
Vancouver Sun (Canada) - Paradigm shift in neuroscience sparks new FASD research in B.C
Despite 40 years of research, medicine has little to offer in the way of treatments after FASD prevention fails. Doctors have long held that brain damage caused by alcohol cannot be corrected.
Maple Ridge News (Canada) - Bylaw to help prevent drinking while pregnant
If you’re curious about what’s like to live with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, have a chat with Katrina Griffin. She can explain how her early life began, when she was born at 24 weeks, spent six months in intensive care and 18 months on oxygen and how having FASD hurts her short-term memory and how she’s spent her life dealing with the condition.
University of Bristol - Even moderate drinking in pregnancy can affect a child’s IQ
Relatively small levels of exposure to alcohol while in the womb can influence a child’s IQ, according to a new study, published today in PLOS ONE, by researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Oxford using Children of the 90s study (ALSPAC) data from over 4,000 mothers and their offspring.
The Vancouver Sun - Maternal drinking casts lifelong shadow for children growing up with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Neufeld’s daughter has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). While she grew in the womb, her birth mother drank alcohol. The substance penetrated the placenta and attacked the growing girl, leaving parts of her brain permanently shrunk, scrambled, or simply missing.
Maple Ridge News - Warning about alcohol and pregnancy
The district wants to do its part to get out the message, if you’re expecting and drinking – there is no safe limit. So part of its new business licence bylaw requires bars, restaurants and U-brew stores to post signs reminding people of the above and the dangers of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
UNSW Australia (Australia) - FASD carers carry heavy life-time burden
In an Australian first, researchers have reached out to families and carers affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) to identify gaps in existing services.
Kitchener Post - New strategies discussed at FASD forum
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) affects approximately nine in every 1,000 births, and for those children and adults, traditional methods of teaching and discipline just don’t work, according to Dan Dubovsky, a mental health professional and social worker who spoke at an FASD conference at Bingemans Monday.

RESEARCH
The Journal of Neuroscience - A Longitudinal Study of the Long-Term Consequences of Drinking during Pregnancy: Heavy In Utero Alcohol Exposure Disrupts the Normal Processes of Brain Development
Exposure to alcohol in utero can cause birth defects, including face and brain abnormalities, and is the most common preventable cause of intellectual disabilities. Here we use structural magnetic resonance imaging to measure cortical volume change longitudinally in a cohort of human children and youth with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and a group of unexposed control subjects, demonstrating that the normal processes of brain maturation are disrupted in individuals whose mothers drank heavily during pregnancy.
PLOS One - Fetal Alcohol Exposure and IQ at Age 8: Evidence from a Population-Based Birth-Cohort Study
Observational studies have generated conflicting evidence on the effects of moderate maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy on offspring cognition mainly reflecting problems of confounding. Among mothers who drink during pregnancy fetal alcohol exposure is influenced not only by mother’s intake but also by genetic variants carried by both the mother and the fetus.
Translational Psychiatry - Stem cell therapy: social recognition recovery in a FASD model
To better understand the cellular pathogenetic mechanisms of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and the therapeutic benefit of stem cell treatment, we exposed pregnant rats to ethanol followed by intravenous administration of neural stem cells (NSCs) complexed with atelocollagen to the new born rats and studied recovery of GABAergic interneuron numbers and synaptic protein density in the anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus and amygdala.

MATERIALS and VIDEOS
Second European Conference on FASD
"Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Clinical and Biological Diagnosis Screening and Follow-up"
NeuroDevNet - NeuroDevNet's FASD Project, CAPHC and PHAC Partnered for CAPHC's Webinar Series
Canadian Association of Pediatric Health Centres (CAPHC)'s Canadian Network for Child and Youth Rehabilitation (CN-CYR), in partnership with Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and NeuroDevNet, is facilitating a series of webinars to extend the discussion of FASD to include more in depth information on various areas of interest including diagnosis of FASD, interventions and service delivery models.
Helpful Teaching Techniques for use Students with FASD
NOFAS - Carolyn Szetela on FASD - Southeast Regional FASD Training Center
NOFAS - Jeanne Mahoney of ACOG - OB/GYNs & FASD

UPCOMING
The 5th International Conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
This conference brings together experts from many disciplines to share international research, to discuss the implications of this research, and to promote scientific/community collaboration.
What's Working in FASD? Interventions That Are Making a Difference!
Screening and diagnosis of FASD are important issues, but if we see a positive diagnosis, what then? Join us as we take a look at what the research is telling us about what is working to help children affected FASD.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Ärzte Zeitung (Germany) - Ärzte als Aufklärer gefragt
Alkohol in der Schwangerschaft ist viel gefährlicher als Rauchen. Das Zellgift kann ein Kind bei seiner Entwicklung im Mutterleib schwer und irreversibel schädigen, betroffen ist dabei vor allem das Nervensystem.
L'Impronta L'Aquila (Italy) - Allarme della Società italiana sulla sindrome feto-alcolica, in Italia 30 mila bambini
Il 5 per cento dei bambini che nascono in Italia è affetto da sindrome feto alcolica (Fasd-una patologia legata al consumo di alcol della madre in gravidanza). Una cifra preoccupante visto che si tratta di circa 25-30 mila bambini ogni anno. Non sempre la patologia si manifesta in forma grave, cioè in una vera e propria disabilità cognitiva.
ANSA.it (Italy) - 25 mila bimbi colpiti da sindrome feto-alcolica
Difficolta' nell'apprendimento verbale, nella memoria, nelle abilita' visuo-spaziali e logico-matematiche, nell'attenzione, nella velocita' di elaborazione delle informazioni. Questi gli handicap a cui sono condannati oltre 25 mila bambini colpiti da sindrome feto alcolica in Italia, che nascono cioe' da madri bevitrici o che hanno continuato ad assumere alcol in gravidanza.
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Monday, November 19, 2012

Alcohol News - 47/2012


Baltic Course (Latvia) - Two truckloads bootleg alcohol sold in Latvia daily
The black market for alcoholic beverages in Latvia is about five million liters annually or 2,200 cases of half-liter bottles (40% strong) daily, as Valters Kaze, Latvian Alcoholic Beverage Producers and Distributors Association board member, informed the Nozare.lv portal.
Latvijas Saeima (Latvia) - Defence Committee supports amendments to decrease alcohol consumption among youths
On Tuesday, 13 November, the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee of the Saeima supported in principle amendments to several laws which aim to decrease alcohol consumption among children and youths; amendments also state that individuals purchasing alcohol for youths, as well as sellers of illegal alcohol, will be held accountable.
YLE (Finland) - Dentists: Cut alcohol for healthy mouth
Drinking more than recommended daily levels significantly raises the risk of developing oral cancer, says the Finnish Dental Association.
YLE (Finland) - Fewer drunken drivers on Finnish roads
The daily Helsingin Sanomat reported on Saturday that a fresh police study shows that 11 in every 10,000 drivers on the road in Finland are over the legal limit, less than half the number seen in some past years.
BBC News (Wales) - Alcohol Concern Cymru claims white collar workers at risk
Professional people may be up to four times more likely to develop drink problems than the unemployed or blue-collar workers, campaigners claim.
Chicago Tribune - Even moderate drinking in pregnancy may affect child's IQ
Women who drink even moderate amounts of alcohol while pregnant may risk lowering child's intelligence levels, according to a study by British scientists.
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Alcohol pricing should be set at minimum of 50p per unit
A group of leading medical bodies has called on the Government to set a minimum alcohol price of 50p per unit to tackle ''head on'' the problems caused by cheap drink and protect the next generation.
ABC Online (Australia) - Indigenous alcohol abuse hits 'crisis point'
A forum has been told that alcohol abuse among Indigenous Territorians has hit a crisis point. Stakeholders have met to discuss alcohol policy and its impact on Aboriginal communities.
Food Consumer - Alcoholic beverage consumption may boost recurrence of breast cancer
Alcoholic beverage consumption increases risk of developing breast cancer, which is a fact. Now a study in Cancer Epidemiologgy, Biomarkers & Prevention suggests that drinking some alcohol daily after diagnosis of breast cancer did not seem to increase risk of death from the disease, but may increase recurrence risk, particularly in postmenopausal women.
Scottish Daily Record (Scotland) - Fire figures show alcohol more likely factor than smoking
DRUGS and alcohol were thought to be a factor in twice as many house fires as smoking last year, figures show. The Scottish Government and fire service chiefs have warned people not to cook while inebriated amid figures showing that alcohol and drugs were a factor in one in six house fires.
Medical Xpress - Effects of alcohol on lymphoma, leukemia, and other types of hematological cancers
Many observational epidemiologic studies have found an inverse association between alcohol consumption and hematological cancers (such as lymphoma and leukemia). This study, based on the Million Women's Study in the UK, is large enough to permit an evaluation of associations with various types of such cancers.
Telegraph.co.uk - Why having that one relaxed drink could lead to alcohol problems
People who have a drink to cope with stress could face to potential future drinking problems, a study has suggested.
AllAfrica.com (Zambia) - Minister Raises Red Flag On Alcohol Abuse
Health Minister Joseph Kasonde has urged Zambians to reduce on consumption of alcohol and instead ensure a balanced diet to reduce the risk of contracting non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.
South African Broadcasting Corporation (South Africa) - Anti-alcohol ads campaign still on the cards: Motsoaledi
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has reiterated that a campaign against the advertisement of alcohol in public spaces is still very much on the cards. He was addressing delegates at the 3rd All Africa Environmental Health Congress in Durban.
Metro (UK) - Medical leaders call for alcohol price hike as UK's under 13s hit the bottle
Health chiefs are calling for a minimum alcohol price of 50p per unit to combat the medical problems linked to binge drinking, while a survey has found that the UK's young people are among the most likely to get drunk by 13 years old.
AFP (UK) - Cheap alcohol drives young Britons to drink – report
Young Britons are more likely to have been drunk by the time they reach their teens than their European peers and are spurred on by cheap alcohol promotions, a study says.
Stuff.co.nz (new Zealand) - Police get tough on drink-drivers
Invercargill police have issued a stern warning, after a number of alcohol-related arrests during the weekend. Senior sergeant Maggie Windle said this morning there had been 22 arrests between Friday evening and this morning, including 11 on Saturday night.
CBC.ca (canada) - Should warning labels be required on products other than cigarettes?
The Canadian Cancer Society says that Canada's cigarette package warnings, now covering 75 per cent of the package, rank fourth in the world behind Australia and other countries that prohibit company colours and logos.
Telegraph.co.uk (Russia) - Russia cracks down on drunk air passengers
Russia is cracking down on drunken air passengers by forcing travellers to hand over duty free alcohol for the duration of their flight.
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Monday, November 12, 2012

Alcohol News - 46/2012


Helsinki Times (Finland) - Alcohol sustains high homicide rates
Over 40,000 assaults and attempted homicides were reported to the Finnish police in 2011. The figures represent a 20 per cent increase from 2010 and, according to Helsingin Sanomat, and are chiefly explained by the criminalisation of domestic violence-related minor assaults and new police guidelines.
THL (Finland) - Adolescent smoking and alcohol use declined in 1995-2011, use of other substances on the rise
Finnish 16-year-olds drink less alcohol than their peers in the 1990’s, but the declining trend in binge drinking during 1995-2011 has stopped. The number of young people, who reported combining alcohol with drugs went down during 1995-2007, but has trended upward in 2011.
Stockholm University (Finland) - Even small amounts of alcohol increase cancer risk
Drinking a glass of wine a day is considered healthy, but new research shows that even small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer. In a study published in the British journal Carcinogenesis, researchers at Stockholm University, in a European collaboration project, have examined the damage to the genome that occurs when we drink alcohol, which, in turn, can lead to cancer.
Science Alerts (Denmark) - "No alcohol, no party": An explorative study of young Danish moderate drinkers
Danish youth has for years had the highest alcohol consumption in Europe, however recent surveys show that consumption levels have diminished slightly and that the age of first intoxication has been raised. To explore young moderate drinkers’ attitudes, values, and behaviour in relation to alcohol consumption.
The Age (Australia) - Alcohol abuse is crushing future generations
EVERY Australian should hang their head in shame on hearing how alcohol is permanently damaging Aboriginal children in remote communities. Generations of Aborigines have been soaked in alcohol abuse, leading to alarming rates of violence, neglect, chronic mental illness and premature deaths.
Los Angeles Times (USA) - "Pre-drinking" or "pre-funking" common among young alcohol users
They call it "pre-drinking," "pre-partying" or "pre-funking," and it usually involves chugging cheap alcoholic drinks before heading out to a bar, club or sporting event.
PsychCentral.com - Impulsive College Women at Risk for Alcohol Problems
A negative element associated with gender equality is the observation that during the last three decades, young women have been drinking more.
Reuters (USA) - Liquor costs more at state-owned stores in U.S.: study
U.S. states that have a monopoly over their liquor sales seem to charge slightly more for alcohol than states without such control, the so-called "license states," according to a U.S. Study.
Medical Express - Genetic link between pancreatitis and alcohol consumption
A new study published online today in Nature Genetics reveals a genetic link between chronic pancreatitis and alcohol consumption. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and more than 25 other health centers across the United States found a genetic variant on chromosome X near the claudin-2 gene (CLDN2) that predicts which men who are heavy drinkers are at high risk of developing chronic pancreatitis.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Group buying sites luring under-age drinkers, say experts
PUBLIC health experts have called for a crackdown on websites that promote ''ridiculously cheap'' alcohol, claiming they fuel Australia's drinking problem and appeal to under-age drinkers.
The Age - 'Alarming' alcohol abuse by African youths
A Victorian judge has questioned whether the cheap price of alcohol is contributing to an alarming trend of excessive drinking by youths of African descent.
Medical Express - Environmental factors can mitigate genetic risk for developing alcohol problems
Alcohol use during adolescence is harmful on multiple levels, including an increased risk for developing alcohol use disorders (AUDs) later in life. Recent research suggests that genetic influences are moderated by environmental factors.
The Moscow Times - Airlines Seeking Right to Seize Alcohol From Passengers
Russian carriers are lobbying the government to amend the Aviation Code to allow them to confiscate alcohol from passengers in an effort to stop alcohol-induced violence on flights.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Drink labels don't deter, study finds
ALCOHOL warning labels may increase awareness among adolescents about the dangers of drinking, but are unlikely to curb risky behaviour such as drink-driving and bingeing, Sydney researchers have found.
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Sunday, November 11, 2012

FASD News - 45/2012

NEWS AND ARTICLES
Sen Magazine - Drinking it in
What are fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and how can educators help combat the potentially devastating effects they can have on a child’s life? Carolyn Blackburn explains all.
Sudbury Star - New program to help youth with FASD
A new kind of mentorship program is being developed in Greater Sudbury -- one that reaches out to a segment of the population that doesn't usually get much attention, the executive director of The Human League Association said.
Nanaimo Daily News (Canada) - Council decides to raise awareness of FASD
Nanaimo will craft a bylaw to raise awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The bylaw would call for the installation of signs on public property warning against the consequences of drinking while pregnant.
Vcoice of America (Cambodia) - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome a Risk for Cambodians
When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy she risks giving birth to a child with mental and physical defects called fetal alcohol syndrome, a US-based doctor told “Hello VOA” on Thursday.
Chicago Tribune (USA) - Nevada court mulls abortion for pregnant mentally disabled woman
A Nevada judge could decide whether a mentally disabled woman should be forced to have an abortion despite the wishes of her adoptive parents, who are also her legal guardians. William and Amy Bauer's adopted daughter is 32, although fetal alcohol syndrome left the woman with health problems and the mental capacity of a 6-year-old child, said Jason Guinasso, the Fernley, Nevada, couple's attorney.
Vancouver Sun (Canada) - Maternal drinking casts lifelong shadow
'All of a sudden she was gone. "Boom - no reaction. Her arms and legs started shaking. I called the nurse in. Within the next 10 minutes they were doing a spinal tap without any anesthetic, nothing.' Lydia Neufeld's 13-year-old foster daughter had slipped away like this seven or eight times before, but this was the first time her doctors had seen it. They had no explanation.
Kansas City Star - More and more babies are being born with addictions
The delivery was uncomplicated. But just a few hours after his birth, the tiny baby boy began vomiting and crying inconsolably.
Auckland stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Warning on babies and booze
Jackie Prichard has been told she should have known better than to drink during pregnancy but she says there's not enough information out there warning mums of the risks.
The Age (Australia) - 'Grog' hits indigenous babies
THE nation's first comprehensive study of the impact of excessive drinking on unborn Aboriginal children has revealed devastating rates of intellectual disability.

MATERIALS AND VIDEOS
The Dollars and Sense of Determining FASD Prevalence: A Canadian Responsibility
Hear experts from across the country discuss what we know about the prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Canada.
NOFAS - Sam Mabie and his dad Tom on FASD
The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) is the leading voice and resource of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) community.
NOFAS - Wesley C. Jones on FASD - Midwest Regional FAS Training Center
Fetal Alcohol Network NZ - Youth Social Media Campaign Launched
Alcohol Healthwatch, Well Women and Family Trust and The Rotary Club of Parnell launches the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Youth Social Media Campaign.
Babies + Booze: Simon Rowley – Paediatrician

RESEARCH
Alcoholism - Effect of Predictive Cuing on Response Inhibition in Children with Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Consistent with previous studies of response inhibition, the AE group demonstrated greater frontal and parietal activation when attempting to inhibit prepotent responses than the CON group, despite similar rates of commission errors.
NIH News - Heavy prenatal alcohol linked to childhood brain development problems
Heavy drinking during pregnancy disrupts proper brain development in children and adolescents years after they were exposed to alcohol in the womb, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health. The study is the first to track children over several years to examine how heavy exposure to alcohol in utero affects brain growth over time.
PubMed - Ethical considerations when communicating a diagnosis of a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder to a child
Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy may result in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which is an umbrella term used to describe a range of conditions that are associated with significant neurodevelopmental impairments.
PLOS - Adequacy of Maternal Iron Status Protects against Behavioral, Neuroanatomical, and Growth Deficits in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the leading non-genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disability in children. Although alcohol is clearly teratogenic, environmental factors such as gravidity and socioeconomic status significantly modify individual FASD risk despite equivalent alcohol intake.
BMJ Open - Consensus diagnostic criteria for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Australia: a
modified Delphi study
Participants indicated clear support for use of the UW diagnostic criteria for FAS in Australia. These findings should be used to develop guidelines to facilitate improved awareness of, and address identified gaps in the infrastructure for, FASD diagnosis in Australia.
MJA - Aboriginal women, alcohol and the road to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
I am an Aboriginal woman, with traditional connections to the Bidjara people from central western Queensland and extensive experience in working with Aboriginal women who consume alcohol during pregnancy.
Alcoholism -A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Spatial Working Memory in Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: Contribution of Familial History of Alcohol Use Disorders
Heavy prenatal alcohol exposure leads to widespread cognitive deficits, including problems with spatial working memory (SWM). Neuroimaging studies report structural and functional abnormalities in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), but interpretations may be complicated by the co-occurrence of a family history of alcoholism.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Iltalehti (Finland) - Vauvan terveys päihdeäidin oikeuksien edelle
Raskaana olevan äidin oikeus juoda alkoholia ja käyttää muita päihteitä on Suomen lain mukaan vahvempi kuin lapsen oikeus syntyä terveenä.
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Friday, November 9, 2012

Alcohol and the Hippocampus: An Introduction

In this new e-lab from Science Approach, students explore how neuroscientists design and carry out research on the effects of alcohol on the human brain. Specifically, it focuses on the hippocampus, a brain structure that is involved in memory and spatial navigation. Studies of adult brains have found that the hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to heavy alcohol use. In the e-lab, students address these research questions: "Does alcohol also affect younger brains? If so, does it affect them in the same way?"
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Monday, November 5, 2012

Alcohol News - 45/2012


Science Nordic (Norway) - Abstinent mothers require better support
Drug-abusing mothers who become drug-free during their pregnancy have trouble understanding the needs of their babies. New research suggests they should receive greater follow-up after giving birth.
Reuters (Finland) - The nearer the bar, the greater the chances of risky drinking
Does living near a bar encourage people to overindulge, or do heavy drinkers move to neighborhoods with easy access to alcohol? A new study suggests it may be the former for some people. Researchers in Finland found that of nearly 55,000 Finnish adults followed for seven years, those who moved closer to bars were somewhat more likely to increase their drinking.
Helsinki Times (Finland) - Alcohol is a central source of society’s ills
Heavy alcohol consumption is a central factor of the ills in our society. The problems it causes are reflected far and wide. It is regrettable that achieving open discussion and effective decisions is laborious. According to a number of experts, downplaying the issues caused by alcohol is too common. Too often, alcohol use is considered to be a natural part of everyday life.
The Local (Sweden) - Sweden’s alcohol-free drink label 'misleading'
Most of the alcohol-free drinks sold in Sweden’s state-run liquor store monopoly Systembolaget actually contain alcohol, with experts calling the label “misleading” and a threat to recovering alcoholics.
Reuters - Many HIV patients skip medications to drink: study
About half of HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy skipped their medications whenever they were drinking alcohol, according to a U.S. study - an ill-advised behavior that researchers say could lead to higher viral loads.
PsychCentral.com - Alcohol Abuse Common among Bullies, Victims
A new study suggests both school bullies and their victims are likely to abuse alcohol after a bullying episode.
Tribune-Review (Russia) - Putin cracks down on tobacco, alcohol
Vladimir Putin is waging the biggest public health drive since former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev failed to wean his country off alcohol abuse with a crackdown on tobacco and drink.
Western Herald (USA) - Alcohol affects students’ academic performance, health
With Halloween festivities well underway, many WMU students have had their share of adult beverages in the past several days. What these students may not realize is that if excessively used, these beverages can have a negative impact on performance.
The Australian (Australia) - More tax on booze would benefit us: report
ORDERING a schooner at the pub may cost more if proposed alcohol taxation reforms are taken up by the federal government.
3News NZ (New Zealand) - Alcohol and drug court launched
The first Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court in Auckland aims to help 100 offenders each year deal with underlying addiction issues.
VOA Khmer (Cambodia) - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome a Risk for Cambodians
When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy she risks giving birth to a child with mental and physical defects called fetal alcohol syndrome, a US-based doctor told “Hello VOA” on Thursday.
EurasiaNet - Uzbekistan: Alcohol Sales Drying Up in Tashkent
A month after a law restricting alcohol sales in Uzbekistan came into force, trade in beer, wine and spirits – over the counter at least – has dried up in downtown Tashkent.
Scotsman (Scotland) - Alcohol ban on Scotland’s trains branded a success
SCOTLAND’S largest train operator says its new policy on curtailing alcohol consumption has been a success.
Medical Daily - Heavy Alcohol Use During Pregnancy Shrinks Child's Brain
Heavy alcohol exposure in the womb leads to poor development of the child's brain, says a new study supported by National Institutes of Health. The effects of the brain's poor development remain until later in life.
The Guardian (UK) - Drinks industry refuses to swallow government line on alcohol pricing
Despite general agreement that something must be done about Britain's booze culture, opinions remain divided over plans to introduce a minimum unit price.
Medical Xpress - Alcohol increases activity of the resting brain in social drinkers
Short-term alcohol intake can increase the activity of functional connections across the human brain when it is at rest, according to research published Oct 31 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Panagiotis Bamidis and colleagues from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
The Australian (Australia) - Hard to ban grog supply to kids: inquiry
ONLY parents legally defined as "responsible" should be able to supply their kids with alcohol, a NSW parliamentary inquiry has heard.
The Canberra Times (Australia) - Baseball says no to alcohol sponsorship
When it comes to discouraging alcohol sponsorship in sport, the federal government is putting its money where its mouth is - offering $25 million in replacement sponsorship deals if sporting bodies cut ties with big booze.
The Independent (Russia) - Putin wages war on vodka as lifestyle death toll at 90,000
Vladimir Putin is waging the biggest public health drive since former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev failed to wean his country off alcohol abuse with a crackdown on tobacco and drink.
Herald Scotland (Scotland) - MSPs endorse move for stricter drink-drive limit
MSPs have backed plans for a law change to reduce the drink-drive limit, as a new survey found seven out of ten Scots supported the move.
BBC News (France) - France's beer tax rise: Fears in industry
Taxes on beer are set to increase by more than 160% under a controversial new law being pushed through the French parliament.
Irish Health (Ireland) - Call for minimum pricing on alcohol
Almost 30 charities, community groups and organisations representing medical staff have joined forces to call on the government to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol.
Sydney Morning Herald - The drink twice as deadly for women
Drinking too much too often is twice as fatal for women as men, according to new research that has prompted GPs to call for screening of female patients for excessive alcohol consumption.
Caerphilly Observer (Wales) - Hundreds of lives in Wales saved from drug and alcohol misuse
Hundreds of lives have potentially been saved across Wales in the battle against drug and alcohol misuse in the last year, a report published yesterday (October 31) has suggested.
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