The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The DRAM, Vol. 5(10) – New data for an old debate: Does moderate alcohol intake really lower the risk of adverse health outcomes?

The harmful effects of heavy alcohol drinking are well documented (e.g., World Health Organization, 2004). Recent research, however, suggests that there are potential health benefits associated with moderate alcohol intake (e.g., physical functionality, reduced disability and mortality: Cawthon et al., 2007; Karlamangla et al., 2009; Lang, Guralnik, Wallace, & Melzer, 2007). However, these studies have not fully controlled for variables that might account for the apparent relationship between alcohol and health. This week, the DRAM reviews a longitudinal study that explores the possibility of a causal relationship between alcohol intake and physical mobility among older adults, controlling for multiple lifestyle... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 14(9) - Turning rats into gamblers: Modulating gambling behavior using laboratory animals.

Animal models of human behavior help scientists to understand pathology and develop new drugs. This week’s The WAGER reviews a study that examines an animal model of gambling behavior (Zeeb, Robbins, & Winstanley, 2009). Zeeb et al. sought to determine if rats are capable of “playing the odds” and if altering their brain chemistry (e.g., to mimic the neurochemistry of human gamblers) changes the rats’ decision-making, which according to the authors was a proxy for gambling strategy. Method Investigators trained rats (N = 32) to choose between four trays (P1 – 4) to nose-poke for food (see Figure 1). Each... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 5(9) – Can marijuana use protect adolescents from brain damage associated with binge drinking?

Studies link abnormalities in the white matter of the brain among alcohol-dependent adults with impairment of executive functioning, working memory, and attention (Chanraud et al., 2007; Pfefferbaum et al., 2000). However, few studies have investigated white matter abnormalities in sub-clinical alcohol users, particularly adolescents. The effect of binge drinking, which is common among adolescents, coupled with marijuana use also has been largely ignored. This week’s STASH reviews an imaging study by Jacobus et al., which examined white matter abnormalities in adolescents with histories of sub-clinical binge drinking and binge drinking + marijuana use (Jacobus et al., 2009). Methods Forty-two youths... Read more →

Addiction & the Humanities, Vol. 5 (9) - “Putting the monster in the box”: Mental illness, substance abuse, and self-medication in Carrie Fisher’s "Wishful Drinking"

Although Carrie Fisher is best known for her iconic portrayal of Princess Leia in the Star Wars films, she is also a successful novelist and screenwriter. In 2008 she published Wishful Drinking, a history of her life, first as the child of celebrities, and then as a celebrity in her own right. In it, she candidly (and comically) details her ongoing struggle with substance abuse and mental illness. In this week’s Addiction and the Humanities, we discuss how Fisher’s thoughtful description of her substance abuse and mental illness brings to life accumulated scientific knowledge related to the tendency for people... Read more →