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Sunday, May 31, 2015

FASD News - 21/2015

Benzinga (Canada) - Parliament One Step Closer: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder & The Criminal Code
The Canadian justice system is one step closer to recognising the potential impacts of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. This week the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network (CanFASD) was acknowledged by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights as a 'vital' contributor in its report on Bill C-583, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code.
Scoop.co.nz (New Zealand) - Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Statistics on the Rise
Health and community workers across Northland are concerned at the growing number of young people who are being diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). At a forum on ‘FASD and Justice’ held in Whangarei last Friday, attended by more than 120 people, concerns were raised about the suspected number of children that may be affected by their mothers drinking during pregnancy in the region.
3News NZ (New Zealand) - Judge: NZ courts ill-equipped for foetal alcohol cases
What's Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)? Had our courts known the answer twenty years ago, Teina Pora would have likely led a very different life.
Logan Daily News - Speaking of Your Health: Alcohol and drug-related birth defects
May 10-16 was Alcohol & Drug-Related Birth Defects Awareness Week. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) plays a major and vital role across the US in educating people, especially women, about the dangers of consuming alcohol and using drugs during pregnancy.
Neurology Advisor - Fetal Alcohol Exposure Influences Brain Structure, Gene Function
Alcohol consumed early on in pregnancy may affect gene function in the brains of offspring, findings from a mouse model indicate.
Los Angeles Times (USA) - Raising a foster child damaged by alcohol
In three weeks, Kathryn White's son Chris will turn 18. There will be a little birthday celebration — and a hint of desperation.

MATERIALS
KNOWFASD - KnowFASD
This site introduces the neurobehavioural difficulties that may appear throughout the lifespan of individuals with FASD. It is important to recognize that, being a spectrum disorder, FASD can look different for different individuals.

RESEARCH
PLoS One - Pre- and postnatal exposure to moderate levels of ethanol can have long-lasting effects on hippocampal glutamate uptake in adolescent offspring
The developing brain is vulnerable to the effects of ethanol. Glutamate is the main mediator of excitatory signals in the brain and is probably involved in most aspects of normal brain function during development.
Synapse - Voluntary exercise partially reverses neonatal alcohol-induced deficits in mPFC Layer II/III dendritic morphology of male adolescent rats
Developmental alcohol exposure in humans can produce a wide range of deficits collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). FASD-related impairments in executive functioning later in life suggest long-term damage to the prefrontal cortex (PFC).
PLoS One - Early maternal alcohol consumption alters hippocampal DNA methylation, gene expression and volume in a mouse model
The adverse effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are known, but the molecular events that lead to the phenotypic characteristics are unclear. To unravel the molecular mechanisms, we have used a mouse model of gestational ethanol exposure, which is based on maternal ad libitum ingestion of 10% (v/v) ethanol for the first 8 days of gestation (GD 0.5-8.5). Early neurulation takes place by the end of this period, which is equivalent to the developmental stage early in the fourth week post-fertilization in human.
PLoS One - Placental fatty acid ethyl esters are elevated with maternal alcohol use in pregnancies complicated by prematurity
The accumulation of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium of term newborns has been described as one potential biomarker of maternal alcohol use during pregnancy. FAEEs accumulate in multiple alcohol-exposed fetal tissues and in the placenta.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Predictors of maternal drinking trajectories before and after pregnancy: evidence from a longitudinal study
Little is known about patterns of change in alcohol consumption and predictors of these patterns over the prenatal to postnatal period.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Computer-delivered screening and brief intervention for alcohol use in pregnancy: a pilot randomized trial
Although screening and brief intervention (SBI) for unhealthy alcohol use has demonstrated efficacy in some trials, its implementation has been limited.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Süddeutsche.de (Germany) - Fast jede fünfte Schwangere trinkt Alkohol
Schon kleine Mengen Alkohol während der Schwangerschaft können dem Ungeborenen schaden. Dennoch trinken nach Daten des Robert-Koch-Instituts zufolge fast 20 Prozent der schwangeren Frauen Alkohol.
Side2 (Norway) - Fredriks (16) mor drakk alkohol mens hun var gravid. Det fikk han betale for
Fredrik Langbakk (16) svarer spørsmålet «Hvordan føles det å måtte betale for feilene din mor begikk allerede før du ble født?».
Frankfurter Rundschau (Germany) - Darum ist die Alkoholsucht so gefährlich
Keine Frage, gegen ein schnelles Feierabendbier mit Freunden ist nichts einzuwenden. Doch regelmäßiger Alkoholkonsum sollte auf keinen Fall unterschätzt werden. Aus dem aktuellen Drogen- und Suchtbericht 2015 geht hervor, dass in Deutschland jährlich rund 74.000 Menschen an den Folgen von Alkohol-Missbrauch sterben.
Savon Sanomat (Finland) - Turvallista rajaa ei taida olla
Yksi syntyy riemuun ja toinen murheeseen. Eino Leinon yli satavuotiaan runon sanat ovat ajankohtaiset ja totta synnytyssaleissa kaikkialla nykyajan Suomessa. Syyllinen on alkoholi.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Alcohol News - 21/2015

Medical Xpress - Link between alcohol outlets and assaults
A study exploring the established link between off-premise alcohol outlets and the rate of assaults and injuries in Australia has found that large bottleshops and liquor chains contribute most substantially to trauma risk.
New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - Alcohol advertising ban considered
A possible ban on alcohol advertising on Auckland Council buildings and land will proceed as part of an alcohol harm reduction policy. The governing body has voted today not to address the issue through a bylaw process.
BBC News (UK) - English drink 12 million bottles of wine a week more than estimated
The amount of alcohol people in England drink has been underestimated by the equivalent of 12 million bottles of wine a week, according to new research.
New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder kids 19 times more likely to cause trouble
Youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder are 19 times more likely to get into trouble with the law than other people, a district health board says.
IceNews (Finland) - Alcohol consumption down in Finland
Finns are drinking less alcohol than before, with total consumption in the country falling once more, in line with recent trends.
Telegraph.co.uk (Hungary) - Budapest the cheapest city for alcoholic drinks
Budapest, the Hungarian capital, is the cheapest destination in Europe to buy alcoholic drinks, according to new research by the Post Office.
EurActiv (EU) - Commission set to dump EU alcohol strategy
Vytenis Andriukaitis, the EU's Health and Food Safety Commissioner, said that the executive has no intention of submitting a new strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm in Europe, suggesting that the issue will be tackled as part of a broad range of "risk factors" affecting chronic diseases.
IBNLive - Formula One faces call to end alcohol sponsorship
Formula One was accused of sending out a mixed message on alcohol at the Monaco Grand Prix on Friday by giving extensive publicity to drinks brands while campaigning for road safety.
GlobalPost (Indonesia) - Indonesia might ban alcohol entirely
At a bar in the Indonesian capital, Christine, Hassan and Dilta look at each other and burst into laugher. “No, they wouldn’t do that,” they agree. The three of them are drinking Bintang, the ubiquitous local beer that is to some a national icon.
BizNews (South Africa) - SA set to raise alcohol drinking age limit to 21
South Africa may raise its drinking age and hold beverage companies liable for unlicensed trade in their products, a step to reduce the cost and impact of alcohol abuse.
CBS Local (USA) - Study: Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlocks Effectively Cut Drunk Driving
The Michigan Supreme Court says a new study finds that requiring repeat drunken drivers to use ignition interlocks testing their breath for alcohol is effective in getting them to stay straight.
CBS News - Moderate drinking might harm older people's hearts
"Moderate" drinking might harm your heart if you're a senior citizen, a new study suggests. And women appear to be at greater risk for alcohol-related heart damage than men, the researchers found.


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Alcohol News - 20/2015

3News NZ (New Zealand) - Doctors stand united against alcohol abuse
Doctors are taking a stand against the Government's hands-off approach to tackling alcohol-related harm, saying it's time to look at raising the drinking age back to 20 and bumping up prices.
University Herald - Teen Sleep Patterns Linked To Alcohol, Marijuana Use
New research suggests that teens with sleep problems are more likely to have use drugs and alcohol than teens who have better sleep patterns.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Prison drug and alcohol addiction services for review
Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has commissioned a review of the drugs and alcohol treatment services available to criminal offenders and people on probation.
Medical News Today - Alcohol use in first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy may lead to permanent brain changes in offspring
It is well established that consuming alcohol during pregnancy can cause harm to the fetus. Now, a new study finds that drinking alcohol as early as 3-4 weeks into pregnancy - before many women even realize they are expecting - may alter gene functioning in the brains of offspring, leading to long-term changes in brain structure.
Psychiatry Advisor - Epigenetic Marker May ID Future Alcohol-Use Disorder
The first evidence for an epigenetic marker associated with alcohol consumption and its underlying neurobehavioral phenotype has been uncovered, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting.
The Conversation AU (Australia) - My problem with your drinking: Australia’s hate-love relationship with alcohol
In this year’s annual alcohol poll, 34% of Australians said they drink to get drunk, 43% said they had vomited as a result of drinking and 75% said Australia has a problem with excess drinking or alcohol abuse.
Derry Now - Alcohol is 'killing far too many of us': McLaughlin
Alcohol is “killing far too many of us,” Foyle Sinn Fein MLA Maeve McLaughin has said. Ms McLaughlin, chairperson of the Assembly Health Committee, was commenting on results of a “Drink Think” survey which revealed 68% of 12-17 year olds in Derry have tried alcohol.
Times of India (India) - Indians drinking alcohol up 55% in 20 years
A global study has found out that alcohol consumption in India has risen by 55% over a period of 20 years. More worryingly, the young are getting initiated to alcohol much earlier, while more women are indulging in hazardous and binge drinking.
3News NZ (New Zealand) - Judge: NZ courts ill-equipped for foetal alcohol cases
What's Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)? Had our courts known the answer twenty years ago, Teina Pora would have likely led a very different life.
U.S. News & World Report (USA) - The Dangers of 'Overage' Drinking
"Having another" can often go unnoticed or ignored when it's an older adult who's doing the drinking. After all, Grandpa's lived a long life and shouldn't be denied his own "cough medicine."
YLE News (Finland) - Finland sobering up as alcohol consumption declines
Total alcohol consumption in Finland fell last year, continuing a long-term trend. The drop was 4 percent compared to 2013, with liqueurs, spirits and cider seeing the biggest reduction in popularity. Even beer, Finns’ favourite alcoholic beverage, was a little less favoured than before.
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Countries with the most and least tax on beer and wine
We're among the heaviest drinkers in Europe – yet for every pint, shot and wine bottle drunk in Britain, almost £2 more goes to the taxman than if it was consumed across the channel.
World Health Organization (Serbia) - Serbia to develop a national alcohol programme
In Serbia, per capita alcohol consumption for adults (15 years and older) increased by 37% from 2003–2005 (9.2 L) to 2008–2010 (12.6 L). In the WHO European Region, alcohol consumption decreased by 10% during the same period.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

FASD News - 19/2015

The Inquisitr (Finland) - University Of Helsinki: Alcohol During Early Pregnancy Permanently Damages Babies
Daunting new research out of the University of Helsinki claims that drinking alcohol, even during the early weeks of pregnancy, can cause irreversible damage to an unborn baby. The researchers claim that in the early stages of pregnancy, even before many women realize that they are pregnant, alcohol exposure can cause symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Globalnews.ca (Canada) - Frontline workers trained in growing disability, FASD
Despite more education around the topic, the number of children born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder continues to rise around the world.
CBC.ca (Canada) - Yukon MP Ryan Leef's recommendations on FASD dropped
A parliamentary committee has dropped recommendations proposed by Yukon MP Ryan Leef, which relate to how people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder should be treated by the criminal justice system.
New Vision (Uganda) - Alcohol during pregnancy harmful to the unborn child
ALCOHOL impacts people and societies in different ways and is determined by the volume of alcohol consumed, the pattern of drinking, and, on rare occasions, the quality of alcohol consumed. Alcohol is a psychoactive substance and its harmful use is known to have dependence-producing properties and cause more than 200 diseases among drinkers as well as devastating effects to innocent victims such as unborn children.
Simcoe.com - Bruce/Grey Health Unit launches Alcohol and Pregnancy Don’t Mix campaign
Coasters with the message “Be safe. Have an alcohol-free pregnancy” are being distributed to licensed establishments throughout Grey Bruce this month.
Medical Xpress - Can drinking alcohol harm the child before the mother knows she is pregnant?
Alcohol drunk by a mouse in early pregnancy changes the way genes function in the brains of the offspring, shows the recent study conducted at the University of Helsinki. The early exposure was also later apparent in the brain structure of the adult offspring. The timing of the exposure corresponds to the human gestational weeks 3-6 in terms of fetal development.
HealthNewsDigest.com - Unhealthy Behavior Among Teens Called 'Huge' Problem
Drug and alcohol abuse during pregnancy that leads to serious birth defects is something health care providers have often warned the general public about, but the message often struggles to reach pregnant teens - until now.
The Daily Star - Dealing with congenital anomalies
Congenital anomalies are important causes of childhood death, chronic illness and disability. They are also known as birth defects, congenital disorders or congenital malformations. Congenital anomalies can be defined as structural or functional anomalies that occur during intrauterine life.
Leader-Post - FASD: Understanding the lack of understanding (and making progress)
On Monday, Michelle Stewart, professor at the University of Regina’s Department of Justice, hosted a workshop and training session on FASD for community workers and professionals.
Irish Examiner (Ireland) - Roisin Shortall urges Varadkar to take action on pregnancy drinking
The Government has been accused of doing far too little to tackle alcohol consumption by pregnant women, which causes life-long medical problems for children.

MATERIALS and VIDEOS
Alberta.ca - Register for the 2015 FASD Learning Series sessions today!
An updated schedule for the upcoming Learning Series sessions has been released! As always, you can also check out the previous FASD learning sessions.
SABC Digital News (South Africa) - Concern over high rate of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The rate of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in South Africa is still amongst the most severe in the world. The Western Cape government, farm workers and farm owners met on Tuesday night in Wellington to discuss these concerns.
SABC Digital News (South Africa) - Dangers of drinking while pregnant
Alcohol abuse and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is on the increase in South Africa. The meeting of about 300 delegates of farmers and farm workers in the Wellington area near Cape Town has heard that South Africa has the highest statistics of FAS at 180 per thousand.

RESEARCH
Developmental Psychobiology - Hippocampal neuron populations are reduced in vervet monkeys with fetal alcohol exposure
Prenatal exposure to beverage alcohol is a major cause of mild mental retardation and developmental delay. In nonendangered alcohol-preferring vervet monkeys, we modeled the most common nondysmorphic form of fetal alcohol syndrome disorder with voluntary drinking during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Psychopharmacology - Amphetamine sensitization and cross-sensitization with acute restraint stress: impact of prenatal alcohol exposure in male and female rats
Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are at increased risk for substance use disorders (SUD). In typically developing individuals, susceptibility to SUD is associated with alterations in dopamine and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) systems, and their interactions.
Health Education and Behavior - Maternal drinking and risky sexual behavior in offspring
Teenage mothers are more likely to use drugs, and their children are more likely to use substances and become pregnant during adolescence. Teenage mothers' substance use may play a role in the intergenerational risk for adolescent pregnancy.
Health and Social Care in the Community - Correlates of partner support to abstain from prenatal alcohol use: a cross-sectional survey among Dutch partners of pregnant women
Partners can play an important role, but are often ignored in interventions targeting the prevention of prenatal alcohol use. A better understanding of the correlates of partner support to abstain from prenatal alcohol use can help to make a better use of partner support.
Journal of Psychopharmacology - Chronic ethanol exposure during adolescence through early adulthood in female rats induces emotional and memory deficits associated with morphological and molecular alterations in hippocampus
There is increasing evidence that heavy ethanol exposure in early life may produce long-lasting neurobehavioral consequences, since brain structural maturation continues until adolescence. It is well established that females are more susceptible to alcohol-induced neurotoxicity and that ethanol consumption is increasing among women, especially during adolescence.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health - Prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome in a population-based sample of children living in remote Australia: the Lililwan* Project
Aboriginal leaders concerned about high rates of alcohol use in pregnancy invited researchers to determine the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and partial fetal alcohol syndrome (pFAS) in their communities.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
RP ONLINE (Germany) - Das erste Fläschchen
Jede vierte Frau in Deutschland trinkt während der Schwangerschaft Alkohol. Die Folgen spüren die Kinder ein Leben lang.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Alcohol News - 19/2015

Wall Street Journal - Raise Alcohol Tax to Boost Economic Output, Says OECD
A tax increase that would raise alcohol prices by 10% is among the most effective means of countering excessive consumption, which reduces economic output in most developed countries and contributes to early death and disability, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Tuesday.
Daily Mail (UK) - Britain has the biggest alcohol problem while Australians take the most drugs: Study reveals the world's vices by country for the first time
The world's first comprehensive report on global addictions has revealed Britons have one of the biggest problems with smoking and alcohol, while Australians take the most illegal drugs.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Bill on minimum pricing of alcohol due before Dáil recess
Legislation aimed at reducing Ireland’s significant problem with alcohol will be published before the Dáil summer recess and introduced in the Oireachtas in the autumn, the Minister for Health has confirmed.
ABC Online (Australia) - Alcohol-fuelled violence: Queensland Government tight-lipped on delivering election pledge
Campaigners are calling on the Queensland Government to act on its pledge to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence in entertainment precincts across the state.
Le News - Surprising facts about alcohol and skin damage
After a couple of cocktails everything and everyone around you may look a little better, but it is all just an illusion. The truth is that alcohol doesn’t do us any favours. And we are not just talking about alcohol in drinks. We are also talking about alcohol in skin care.
OnMedica - Alcohol contributing to obesity
I have written numerous times before about the alarming rates of obesity in the UK. Although the intake of processed foods is largely to blame for this, alcohol intake is another contributing factor.
The National (Scotland) - European Court hears minimum alcohol price case from Government
THE Scottish Government will continue to make the case for minimum unit pricing of alcohol at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg today.
Czech Happenings (Czech Republic) - Alcohol widely available in CzechRep, unlike in Europe – expert
Alcohol is sold practically everywhere in the Czech Republic and the law restricting its sale fail to be enforced, unlike in advanced Europe, Czech national anti-drug coordinator Jindrich Voboril told CTK in reaction to a fresh OECD survey whose results are unflattering for the Czechs.
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Auckland alcohol rules to get tougher
Auckland Council on Wednesday approved a new Local Alcohol Policy (LAP), including reducing the hours retailers can sell alcohol and a two-year ban on new off-licences in the central city and areas where the risk of alcohol-related harm is greatest.
The Guardian (UK) - Better-educated women contributing to rise in UK alcohol consumption – OECD
Dangerous drinking among better-educated women has contributed to an increase in alcohol consumption over the last 30 years in the UK, bucking a downward trend in industrialised countries, according to a large international study.
The Local (Sweden) - Spike in 'continental' drinking in Sweden
Alcohol consumption is on the rise in Sweden according to a new report from the Organisation for Economic Development (OECD).

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Alcohol News - 18/2015

Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Australian alcohol consumption at 50-year low, ABS says
Australians appear to be drinking less alcohol now than at any time in the past 50 years, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Alcohol and drug monitoring of offenders 'major infringement of liberty'
Continuous monitoring of the alcohol and drug use of offenders and people on bail is a "major infringement of liberty" and lacks judicial oversight, the Law Society says.
The Independent (UK) - Editorial: Alcohol consumption in area counties disturbing
With a dramatic increase in the legal sale of alcohol in this region in the last 15 years, it should not be too surprising to anyone to learn that area alcohol consumption has increased dramatically in recent years. However, we suspect that most area residents join us in being surprised to learn that alcohol consumption in three area counties — Lawrence, Martin and Elliott — increased at a faster rate than any other counties in the entire nation between 2005 and 2012.
CNBC - Sobering: China and Russia weigh on global alcohol sales
Sales growth in the global alcoholic drinks industry remained sluggish for the second year in a row in 2014, hit by slowing growth in China and a downturn in Russia, according to data released on Tuesday by Euromonitor International.
BBC News (Scotland) - Minimum alcohol pricing: European judges hear Scottish case
The European Court of Justice is to hear evidence from the Scottish government on its case for introducing a minimum unit price for alcohol.
Medical Daily - The Effects Drinking Alcohol On An Empty Stomach Have On Your Body
Total DUI, an organization that provides information to people recently arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, put together this infographic to illustrate how alcohol travels through the body. With no food in the stomach, alcohol travels straight to the bloodstream. And as blood alcohol concentration rises, the loss of control increases.
University of Bristol - Glass shape influences speed at which we drink alcohol
The speed at which we drink alcohol could be influenced by the shape of the glass, and markings on the glass might help us drink more slowly, according to new research from the University of Bristol, presented today at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in Liverpool.
Daily Mail (UK) - Football fans set to face alcohol breath tests before games in bid to stop drunken supporters ruining matches for others
Football fans are to be breathalysed before games in a crackdown on drunken rowdy supporters at matches.
New Vision (Uganda) - Adverts drawing teenagers into drinking
Advertisements promoting alcohol consumption are drawing Ugandan teenagers into drinking and exposing them to HIV, a study conducted by the Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL) and Georgia State University in the US shows.
The Guardian (Australian) - Alcohol research finds Australians support greater restrictions on industry
Four out of five Australians believe pubs, clubs and bars should close by 3am, while more than half believe governments are not doing enough to reduce alcohol-related harms, a comprehensive annual alcohol poll has found.
YLE News (Finland) - Finnish peacekeepers facing closer scrutiny over alcohol use
Finnish peacekeepers on active duty may be slapped with an alcohol ban if they continue to violate standing regulations. According to the regional daily Keskisuomalainen, the number of alcohol-related offences committed while on duty has more than doubled during the past year.
Science 2.0 - Most People Don't Think About The Calories Of Alcohol
Fiona Sim, Chair of the UK Royal Society for Public Health, writes that while adults who drink may be getting as much as 10% of their daily calories from alcohol, most people are unaware drinking contributes to their energy intake.
Daily Mail - How thermal cameras could be used to catch drink drivers: Algorithm spots changes in the face caused by an 'alcohol flush'
Memories of drunken escapades may make us blush, but now a computer can use similar facial flushes to recognise people who have had one drink too many.
Medical Daily - Social Impact Of Drinking May Damage Your Life More Than Alcohol's Physical Effects
Drinking can damage your health and your life, but in how many ways? A new study from CU-Boulder’s Institute of Behavioral Science explores the social and psychological impact of drinking.
Irish Medical Times (Ireland) - Government provides €1m for alcohol awareness
The Government is to provide €1 million in funding to increase public awareness of alcohol-related harm, Irish Medical Times reports.
Irish Medical Times (Ireland) - Ireland can lead the world on alcohol control
Lloyd Mudiwa summarises the RCPI Policy Group on Alcohol’s detailed Submission on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015, which urges the Government to blaze the trail in the global fight against alcoholism.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

FASD News - 17/2015

Juneau Empire - FASD strategies: A needs and strength-based Focus
It is natural for Mary Katasse and her family to look lovingly upon a child in the community who is behaving in a way that others may judge negatively. She understands at a deep level the possible struggles of both the child and parents; and she continues to educate us all about difference and the importance of unconditional love.
Regina Leader-Post - Boy's death exposes gaps in support for those with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Despite concerns raised about support for those with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) after the death of a young boy, a group that hoped to help expand its services was stymied in its bid to get additional money from the provincial budget.
Mail & Guardian Online (South Africa) - 'I gave my children booze - and now I fear for their future'
Tammy-Ann Julies* remembers “feeding” her eldest son alcohol for the first time about two years ago. It was a late Friday afternoon and the then eight-year-old Owen* and his mother shared a 750ml bottle of Black Label beer.
mirror.co.uk (UK) - Hundreds of children left brain damaged by their mums drinking during pregnancy
World Health Organisation research suggests at least one in 100 babies – the equivalent to about 7,500 – are born in the UK affected by their mother’s drinking every year.
CBCNews (Canada) - The Mothering Project aims to break cycle of addiction
Two years ago, when Stephanie Wesley walked through the doors of The Mothering Project, she was at rock bottom.

MATERIALS and VIDEOS
ITV - The Impact Of Drinking During Pregnancy Documentary 2015
This documentary investigates the impact of drinking during pregnancy, meet four people affected by foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, a condition present in roughly one in 100 babies born in Britain each year.
PHRP - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Australia – the future is prevention
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are increasingly recognised throughout Australia as important, but preventable, disorders that result in lifelong problems with health and learning, mental health, behaviour and substance misuse. The role of this article is to highlight current efforts, which are in their infancy, to recognise and prevent FASD in Australia.
FASCETS Canada - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Consultation Education and Training Services
FASCETS Canada’s work is based on the neurobehavioural approach to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) developed by Diane Malbin, MSW, founder of FASCETS in Portland, USA. FASCETS Canada and its two founders have been endorsed by FASCETS.
Alcohol-Free Pregnancy - NOFAS Webinar: When Someone with an FASD is Arrested: What You Need to Know
Though not everyone with an FASD gets in trouble with the law, research shows that these incidents occur far too frequently. This webinar will discuss research on how commonly troubles with the law occurs for people with FASD, and how many of the cognitive difficulties that occur in FASD can lead to problems when interacting with police, attorneys, and judges.
HealthINFONet - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder resources for the justice system
Researchers at the Telethon Kids Institute have developed a range of new resources to help lawyers, judicial officers and other justice professionals better deal with people who are impacted by Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).

RESEARCH
International Journal of Molecular Sciences - In utero exposure to low-dose alcohol induces reprogramming of mammary development and tumor risk in MMTV-erbB-2 transgenic mice
There is increasing evidence that prenatal exposure to environmental factors may modify breast cancer risk later in life. This study aimed to investigate the effects of in utero exposure to low-dose alcohol on mammary development and tumor risk.
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth - Decision-making and evidence use during the process of prenatal record review in Canada: a multiphase qualitative study
Prenatal records are potentially powerful tools for the translation of best-practice evidence into routine prenatal care. Although all jurisdictions in Canada use standardized prenatal records to guide care and provide data for health surveillance, their content related to risk factors such as maternal smoking and alcohol use varies widely.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Verbal learning and memory impairment in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Previous studies using the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version (CVLT-C) to examine effects of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure on verbal learning and memory have reported impaired information acquisition (i.e., encoding), rather than retrieval, as the primary mechanism underlying learning and memory impairment.
Frontiers in Neuroscience - Eye movements reveal sexually dimorphic deficits in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
We examined the accuracy and characteristics of saccadic eye movements in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) compared with typically developing control children.
Developmental Dynamics - Using optical coherence tomography to rapidly phenotype and quantify congenital heart defects associated with prenatal alcohol exposure
The most commonly used method to analyze congenital heart defects involves serial sectioning and histology. However, this is often a time-consuming process where the quantification of cardiac defects can be difficult due to problems with accurate section registration.
Maternal and Child Health Journal - Partner's influences and other correlates of prenatal alcohol use
To investigate the influence of partners on alcohol consumption in pregnant women within the context of other factors. A Dutch nationwide online cross-sectional study among 158 pregnant women and their partners was conducted.
Frontiers - Genetics and epigenetics of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Women drinking during pregnancy can result in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which features neurodevelopmental deficit, facial dysmorphology, growth retardation, and learning disability.
Epidemiol Community Health - Alcohol consumption during pregnancy and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes
Lack of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence of risk and, in this case, no evidence of harm does not mean evidence of no harm; subsequently, no amount of alcohol during pregnancy can be considered safe based on research evidence.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
EuNews - Alcol: il Parlamento propone di indicarne le calorie sulle etichette
Una nuova strategia europea sull’alcool vuole informare il consumatore sul contenuto nutrizionale delle bevande alcoliche concentrandosi soprattutto sui minori e la guida in stato di ebrezza.
Ant1iwo (Greece) - Υποχρεωτική πια η αναγραφή των θερμίδων στα αλκοολούχα
Προτάσεις για τη σήμανση περιεχομένου θερμίδων των αλκοολούχων ποτών θα πρέπει να υποβάλει η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή, το αργότερο το 2016, τόνισε το ΕΚ χθες Τετάρτη.