Results
Scan derived volumetric measurement data was acquired from the analysis team from the University of Pennsylvania and were analyzed for test and control group members. The differences in alcohol dependence(AD) test versus non-alcohol dependence(non-AD) control group means in total(combined), right , and left hippocampal mean volumes, respectively were compared and assessed for statistically significant differences using the t-test of the means for samples with different variances. The significance level was set to 95 percent, making any difference with a p-value lesser than 0.05 statistically insignificant.
A secondary analysis using multiple linear regressions to include potential variables was conducted. These included the total
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Two subjects, one from each group were removed from the study because anatomic abnormalities on the MRI scans that were not related to alcohol use and that needed clinical attention(evidence of previous anoxic injury and congenital malformation). The two subjects were Caucasians; dropping the did not affect age or ethnic difference distribution. The final group of analyzed subjects were 16, 8 from each group.
Subjects
The mean subject age was equivalent between groups: AD test group 47.25 + 10.71 years, and non-AD control group 47.25 + 10.78 years. There were 7 caucasians and 1 african american in each group. 392 + 259 standard drinks were the reported average number of drinks in the 30 days before the study entry. On average, all drank 19 + 7 standard drinks on those days when they drank. On the other hand, the control group reported an intake of 24 standard drinks on for the previous 30 days before study entry, an average of 3.0 + 3.3 standard drinks each for the entire month, or about 0.75 + 0.8 standard drinks per person each week. The range was 0 to 8 drinks during the month. Of the 8 test subjects, 1 of the test subjects met the SCID criteria for current cannabis abuse but not dependence; 1 of the test subjects met the SCID criteria for current stimulant abuse but not dependence; and 1 met the criteria for current cocaine dependence. None of the non-AD control group met
Now, obviously these two groups have a big gap in between them, but both types of drinkers are still affected by alcohol consumption. Neuroimaging has helped scientists study the structure and functions of the brain (Squeglia 1). Blobs of gray matter in the brain and connections for communication between the lobes, and white matter connect the gray matter. Sometimes, when alcohol is in the brain, white matter quality cannot reach the full density resulting in an abnormality. Reduction of gray matter also occurs and the unwanted connections are demolished between the prefrontal and temporal lobes because of alcohol usage (Paturel 1).
The pathophysiology of alcoholism begins after alcohol the ingestion of alcohol. It is absorbed and unaltered through the stomach and intestines. Next it is distributed throughout the body through the blood and absorbed by all tissues and fluids (Huether, 2012, p. 72). Furthermore, in the liver the alcohol blood content is metabolized into acetaldehyde by the enzymes process of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS), and catalase (Huether & McCance, 2012). Next, the metabolizing effects the central nervous system (CNS) and exhibits a depressant action. It is first expressed in the subcortical structures of the brain. This has an effect of disorientation of motor skills and intellect. With an increase in blood alcohol concentration, the medullary centers become depressed and as a result affects respiration (Huether & McCance, 2012). In addition, the effects of alcoholism encourage hepatic and gastric changes. The hepatic effect is caused by acetaldehyde, in which, induces inflammation, fatty deposits and enlargement of the liver (Huether & McCance, 2012).
Classifying someone as an alcoholic can be hard because the physiological features of an alcoholic and someone who drinks a lot can be the same. To identify an alcoholic, often it is necessary to judge the negative impact heavy drinking has on the person's quality of life compared with the perceived benefits the alcoholic is receiving. There are always instances where it is difficult to establish whether or not a person is an
There is no doubt that there is a prevalence of substance abuse throughout several age groups. To a certain extent, a society is faced with the reality of controlling substance abuse. Or allow it run rampant throughout the community. Often times, we hear and read about the level of substance abuse among teen, young adults and mid-aged
The user can no longer make rational decisions on where and how much he or she should consume. “This may be the point where an alcohol or drug user is nearing full blown addiction” (Fleeman, 2004).
“Changes in self-reported frequency of drug and alcohol use and in Drug Abuse Screening Test scores
As a college student, alcohol is a very real and prevalent temptation. It is a normal occurrence for a Friday night to be filled with friends, a bonfire, and alcohol out on the lake. Unfortunately, not many students know the effects of alcohol on their brain. I took a personal interest in this subject because alcoholism runs deep in my family. I want to know what effects my personal consumption of alcohol have on my brain and how they will affect my life if I continue to drink or choose to stop.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates substance abuse, whether it is smoking, alcohol abuse or illicit drugs, costs the nation over 700 billion dollars annually, (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2015). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that, ” In the United States, 6.6% of persons aged 12 or older (an estimated 17.3 million individuals) in 2013 were dependent on or abused alcohol within the year prior to being surveyed”. Out of that 6.6% men had a higher rate of dependence or abuse with 8.7% being male and 4.6% being female. In the same survey it
At the beginning of the 21st century, it was estimated that the annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking exceeded 100,000 in the United States alone (“Alcoholism”). In fact, in 1995, 140 million Americans were using alcohol is an abusing way (Ammerman, Ott, and Tarter). “It is a chronic and progressive illness that involves the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol” (“Alcoholism”). Equally, it can be characterized as an emotional and many times, physical dependence on alcohol. It is thought to come from a combination of a wide range of physiological, social, and genetic factors (“Alcoholism”). Even
The paper was supported by resources from the US Department of Health and Human Services, the NIAAA, the Medical Research Service of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation.
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs in the United States today. Sixty-three percent of Americans over the age of 18 said they have consumed alcohol at least once in the past year, (National, 2001). A survey, conducted by the Core Institute, of 55,026 college students, ranging from freshmen to seniors to non-seeking degree students, from across the United States showed that 84.1% of students consumed alcohol at least once a year and that 72.1% of students
Over several years, the scientific research of alcohol and its affects on the human body and brain have gradually progressed. Most people who indulge in alcoholic beverages do not think of the consequences it may have on their bodies over time. Alcohol can affect the nervous system, as well as the peripheral nervous system, which controls the nerves throughout your entire body. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol over an extended period of time can lead to a series of problems that impair the muscle tissue and brain. Neuroimaging and advanced technology has shown changes in blood flow in and around the brain, the brains metabolism, and the neurophysiological measures in the brain. Alcohol remains a poisonous toxin that affects the nerves
The effects associated with alcohol are produced by the ethanol in the alcohol. The severity of these effects is reflected by the concentration of alcohol in an individual’s blood, which is dictated by the amount of alcohol ingested, the volume of blood, the individual’s metabolism, and amount of time since ingestion. In large doses, alcohol acts as a depressant of the central nervous-system. A blood alcohol level of 0.1% affects some of the motor areas of the brain associated with speech, balance and manual dexterity. A blood alcohol level of 0.2% depresses all motor functions and the area concerned with emotions is depressed. At a blood alcohol level of 0.45% the entire section of the brain that handles perception is depressed and the individual becomes comatose. At a blood alcohol level of 0.7% the parts of the brain that control the heartbeat and breathing are depressed and the individual
In alcoholic beverage users, there was at least a ten percent decline. Significant neuropsychological deficits are
The objective of this chapter is to describe the procedures used in the analysis of the data and present the main findings. It also presents the different tests performed to help choose the appropriate model for the study. The chapter concludes by providing thorough statistical interpretation of the findings.