Biomarkers in Alcohol Misuse: Their Role in the Prevention and Detection of Thiamine Deficiency

In Western countries alcohol misuse is the most frequent cause of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency (TD) and consequent neuro-impairment.

Studies have demonstrated that between 30 and 80% of alcoholics are thiamine deficient, and this puts them at risk of developing the Wernicke–Korsakoff (WK) syndrome.

The relative roles of alcohol and TD in causing brain damage remain controversial and it is important to try to determine the role played by each factor.

Animal studies support an additive effect of alcohol exposure and TD, and indicate the potential for interaction between alcohol and TD in human alcohol-related brain damage.

Early diagnosis of alcohol-related TD is therefore an important aspect of effective intervention and treatment.

Alcohol biomarkers provide a direct and indirect way of estimating the amount of alcohol being consumed, the duration of ingestion and the harmful effects that long-term alcohol use has on body functions.

Appropriate use of these markers is very helpful when considering a diagnosis of alcohol-related TD.

Research report; Rosanna Mancinelli, and Mauro Ceccanti. Biomarkers in Alcohol Misuse: Their Role in the Prevention and Detection of Thiamine Deficiency. Alcohol and Alcoholism 2009 44(2):177-182;

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• 12-Step Treatment More Effective than Alternative
• AA Offers Recovery Not Religion
• AA and Treatment Work Better Together

I’ll Quit Tomorrow: A Practical Guide to Alcoholism Treatment

Injury Risk Highest Among Binge Drinkers

Binge drinkers have a higher risk of alcohol-related injury than chronic, heavy drinkers, the Health Behavior News Service reported Feb. 22.

Binge-drinking women who otherwise drink in moderation had seven times the risk of injury as nondrinkers, while binge-drinking men increased their injury risk sixfold.

“It’s not only the amount of alcohol consumed that shapes the risk for injury, but also the usual consumption pattern,” said study author Gerhard Gmel of the Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems. “At highest risk are those who usually consume moderately but sometimes binge drink. This is true for both sexes.”

The study was based on records from 8,736 people admitted to hospital emergency departments; researchers examined the relationship of injuries to average weekly alcohol consumption, binge-drinking episodes, and the amount of alcohol consumed prior to admission.

Gmel warned against prevention that focuses only on chronic drinkers, saying that many binge drinkers will be missed.

The research appears in the March 2006 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. From; Join Together Online

• See also;
• Abstinence Solves Thinking Problems
• Adolescents have deficits in frontal brain activation
• Brain Damage & Cirrhosis

 Study Examines Link Between Stress RelapseA new animal study finds that a stress-related gene and brain chemical may play a role in addiction relapse, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).Researchers from NIAAA and Camerino University in Italy found that rats that showed a preference for alcohol were more sensitive to stress. Those more prone to relapse under stress were examined for genetic patterns that might offer clues to this trait. Researchers found that these rats had higher expression levels of Crhr1, a gene that encodes the stress-related corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRH-R1).”Our findings demonstrate that the Crhr1 genotype and its expression interact with environmental stress to reinstate alcohol-seeking behavior in this animal model of excessive drinking,” said study leader Anita Hansson, Ph.D., a fellow at NIAAA’s Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies.”This finding helps untangle the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors that influence relapse,” added NIAAA Director T-K Li, M.D. “It also points to potential approaches for treating individuals at risk for relapse.”The research appears in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

Research Reference: Hansson, A.C., et al. (2006) Variation at the rat Crhr1 locus and sensitivity to relapse into alcohol seeking induced by environmental stress. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.

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