The occurrence of partner physical aggression on days of alcohol consumption: a longitudinal diary study

The likelihood of partner physical aggression on days of male partners' alcohol consumption, during a 5-month period, was examined for men entering a domestic violence treatment program (n = 137) and domestically violent men entering an alcoholism treatment program (n = 135). For men entering the domestic violence treatment program (alcoholism treatment program odds in parentheses), the odds of any male-to-female physical aggression were more than 8 times (11 times) higher on days when men drank than on days of no alcohol consumption. The odds of severe male-to-female physical aggression were more than 11 times (11 times) higher on days of men's drinking than on days of no drinking. These findings support the proximal effect model of alcohol use and partner violence.     

Sexual versus nonsexual workplace aggression and victims' overall job satisfaction: a meta-analysis

A meta-analytic approach was used to examine whether sexual and nonsexual forms of nonviolent workplace aggression (both verbal and nonverbal) share equivalent or differential relationships with victims' overall job satisfaction. When the meta-analytic comparison was restricted to all-female samples to hold victims' gender constant, nonsexual aggression was found to share a significantly stronger negative relationship with victims' overall job satisfaction than was sexual aggression. In addition, nonsexual aggression was found to share a stronger negative link with women's level of job satisfaction than with men's.     

Alcohol and suicidal behavior.

Alcohol dependence and alcohol intoxication are important risk factors for suicidal behavior. However, the mechanism for the relationship remains unclear. This review presents a conceptual framework relating alcohol to suicidal behavior. Distal risk factors create a statistical potential for suicide. Alcohol dependence, as well as associated comorbid psychopathology and negative life events, act as distal risk factors for suicidal behavior. Proximal risk factors determine the timing of suicidal behavior by translating the statistical potential of distal risk factors into action. The acute effects of alcohol intoxication act as important proximal risk factors for suicidal behavior among the alcoholic and nonalcoholic alike. Mechanisms responsible for alcohol's ability to increase the proximal risk for suicidal behavior include alcohol's ability to: (1) increase psychological distress, (2) increase aggressiveness, (3) propel suicidal ideation into action through suicide-specific alcohol expectancies, and (4) constrict cognition which impairs the generation and implementation of alternative coping strategies. Moreover, the proximal risk factors associated with acute intoxication are consistent with Baumeister's (1990) escape theory of suicide. Suggestions for additional research are discussed, including the possibility that a nonlinear cusp catastrophe model characterizes the relationship between alcohol intoxication and suicidal behavior.     

Health behaviors and endothelial function

An unhealthy lifestyle, including excess caloric intake, lack of exercise, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption, increases one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the exact mechanisms by which these behaviors influence the development and progression of CVD have yet to be determined. Endothelial function (EF) has been shown to be a potent predictor of CVD, yet the effects of health behaviors on EF are not clear. The literature assessing the role of four health behaviors, obesity (a proxy of excess caloric intake), smoking, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption, on the development of endothelial dysfunction is reviewed. Potential mechanisms through which these behaviors may influence EF are discussed. Smoking, being overweight or obese, and physical inactivity are all associated with decreased EF. A direct causal relationship between these measures and EF is suggested by the fact that improvements in these behaviors leads to parallel improvements in EF. The influence of alcohol consumption is somewhat more contentious, with some studies indicating a dose−response relationship such that those with greater consumption have poor EF. However, other studies have shown that those who drink moderately have the best EF. Although there is a growing body of literature implicating poor health behaviors in the development of endothelial dysfunction, more work is needed to establish the exact mechanisms by which this occurs. To our knowledge, there are no studies that have assessed the impact of multiple health behaviors or the interaction of health behaviors on EF.     

The mediterranean lecture: wine and thrombosis--from epidemiology to physiology and back

The protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption on the risk of cardiovascular disease has been consistently shown in many epidemiological studies. Antiatherogenic alterations in plasma lipoproteins, particularly increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol,are considered as the most plausible mechanism of the protective effect of alcohol consumption on coronary artery disease (CHD). Other potential mechanisms contributing to the cardio-protective effects of moderate alcohol consumption include anti-thrombotic down regulation of blood platelet function, as well as of the coagulation and fibrinolysis balance. Since the proposal of a "French paradox" in the early Nineties, the possibility that consuming alcohol in the form of wine might confer a protection against CHD above that expected from its alcohol content, has made the topic"wine and health" increasingly popular. Many epidemiological studies have explored such a possibility, by comparing specific alcoholic beverage types (wine,beer, liqueur) in respect to their relative capacity to reduce the risk of CHD. In parallel, experimental studies have been done, in which wine and wine-derived products have been tested for their capacity to interfere with molecular and cellular mechanisms relevant to the pathogenesis of CHD. Wine might indeed conceivably have other ethanol unrelated beneficial effects. The biological rationale for such a hypothesis has been linked to the enrichment in grape-derived, non-alcoholic components, that possibly make it peculiar in respect to other alcoholic beverages. In fact, while the mechanisms underlying the effects of alcohol on cardiovascular disease have been limited to lipid metabolism and the haemostatic system, those related to wine consumption have also been extended to specific anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and nitric oxide related vaso-relaxant properties of its polyphenolic constituents. The effect of wine consumption has been carefully investigated to account for potential confounding of several conditions (inappropriate use of abstainers as control population, correlation between wine or total alcohol consumption and markers of healthy lifestyle and socioeconomic factors, diet, etc.). Strong evidence indicates that moderate wine consumption rather than confounders reduces both fatal and non fatal CHD events. In spite of the fact that the healthy effect of moderate intake of wine is by now well accepted, important issues remain to be resolved about the relationship between wine, alcohol and alcoholic beverages, the (possibly different) optimal amount of alcohol intake in men and women, the individual or environmental modulation of the alcohol related effect and the pattern of drinking. Some of these issues have been recently addressed in a large meta-analysis, in which the relationship between wine or beer consumption and CHD risk was quantitatively evaluated. We shall summarize here the experimental and epidemiological studies with wine or wine-derived products aimed at finding biological explanations for the supposed superior cardio-protective effects of wine consumption and to discuss some open questions about wine and vascular disease as approached in epidemiological studies.     

Interaction of birth order, handedness, and sexual orientation in the Kinsey interview data

Recent evidence indicates that 2 of the most consistently observed correlates of men's sexual orientation--handedness and older brothers--may be linked interactively in their prediction of men's sexual orientation. In this article, the authors studied the relationship among handedness, older brothers, and men's sexual orientation in the large and historically significant database originally compiled by Alfred C. Kinsey and his colleagues (A. C. Kinsey, W. B. Pomeroy, & C. E. Martin, 1948). The results demonstrated that handedness moderates the relationship between older brothers and sexual orientation. Specifically, older brothers increased the odds of homosexuality in right-handers only; in non-righthanders, older brothers did not affect the odds of homosexuality. These results refine the possible biological explanations reported to underlie both the handedness and older brother relationships to men's sexual orientation. These results also suggest that biological explanations of men's sexual orientation are likely relevant across time, as the Kinsey data comprise an older cohort relative to modern samples.     

Association between Alcohol Consumption and Serum Cortisol Levels: a Mendelian Randomization Study

BackgroundSeveral studies have reported conflicting results regarding the relationship between alcohol consumption and cortisol levels. However, the causality between alcohol consumption and cortisol levels has not been evaluated.MethodsThis study examined 8,922 participants from the Dong-gu Study. The aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) rs671 polymorphism was used as an instrumental variable for alcohol consumption. The association between the genetically predicted alcohol consumption and cortisol level was evaluated with Mendelian randomization (MR) using two-stage least squares regression.ResultsAlcohol consumption was positively associated with the serum cortisol level in both sexes in the observational analysis. In the MR analysis, the genetically predicted alcohol consumption was positively related to the cortisol level in men, with cortisol levels increasing by 0.18 µg/dL per drink per day. However, there was no relationship in women in the MR analysis.ConclusionThe predicted alcohol consumption according to the ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism was positively related to the cortisol levels, suggesting a causal relationship between alcohol consumption and cortisol levels.     

Minority stress,repetitive negative thinking,and internalizing symptoms in sexual minorites: Does cognitive content matter?

Background

The Psychological Mediation Framework theorizes that repetitive negative thinking (RNT) mediates the relationship between minority stress and mental health, and this theory has been consistently supported by previous research. Yet, it is unclear whether the process or content of RNT is more important in the development of internalizing symptoms in sexual minorities. Consequently, the goal of the current study was to use structural equation modeling to determine whether there are significant indirect effects of repetitive negative thought content in the relationship between minority stress and internalizing psychopathology.

Methods

Measures of RNT, internalizing symptoms, and proximal minority stress were completed online by 205 cisgender sexual minority adults. Structural equation modeling was used to examine indirect effects of proximal stress on internalizing symptoms through content-independent RNT, depressive rumination, and sexual orientation-related rumination.

Results

Significant direct effects of proximal minority stress on internalizing symptoms were observed. Indirect effects of proximal stress on internalizing symptoms were observed for content-independent RNT and depressive rumination, but not sexual orientation-related rumination.

Conclusions

The current study provides evidence that the process and affective valence of RNT contributes more to internalizing symptoms in sexual minorities when compared with sexual orientation-related content. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.     

Alcohol-induced impairment and enhancement of memory: a test of the interference theory

Many studies have found cognitive deficits related to alcohol consumption. However, few studies have studied cognitive performance when alcohol was administered after the to-be-remembered information was presented with memory testing occurring when participants are once again sober. The present study examined effects of alcohol on cognitive performance using a prose recall task during acute intoxication and a post-trial recall task for prose passages that had been presented before intoxication. Fifty-one men were given either 2.0 g/kg of 100 proof (50% absolute ethanol) vodka or a placebo. In the present study, evidence was found of acute alcohol impairment in prose memory, along with alcohol facilitation of memory on a post-trial task.     

Alcohol use and hippocampal volume deficits in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with hippocampal volume deficits, but the effects of alcohol use on hippocampal volume in PTSD are unclear. We meta-analytically examined the relationship between alcohol use, PTSD, and hippocampal volume deficits. Studies were initially searched through electronic databases. Twelve studies reporting data for the right hippocampal volume and 11 studies with data for the left hippocampal volume met initial inclusion criteria. In the meta-analysis of the studies in which subjects had no lifetime history of alcoholism, both the left and right hippocampal volumes were smaller in PTSD subjects compared to controls. Meta-regression using a continuous trial-level covariate showed that a lifetime history of alcoholism further moderates left and right hippocampal volume in PTSD. PTSD is associated with hippocampal volume deficits independent of a lifetime history of alcoholism, but alcoholism further contributes to the hippocampal volume deficits associated with PTSD.     

Childhood abuse and premilitary sexual assault in male Navy recruits

Three samples of male U.S. Navy recruits (N = 7,850) were surveyed to determine whether a history of childhood physical abuse (CPA) or childhood sexual abuse (CSA) was predictive of premilitary rape of women and whether these relationships were mediated by alcohol problems and number of sex partners. In the 3 samples, 11.3%, 11.6%, and 9.9% of men reported committing premilitary rape. When demographic factors were controlled for, both CPA and CSA were independently and additively predictive of rape in each sample, with men who experienced both forms of abuse showing the highest risk of committing rape. Additional analyses revealed that alcohol problems and number of sex partners significantly mediated the relationship between childhood abuse (CPA and CSA) and rape perpetration.     

Reproductive history in relation to plasma hormone levels in healthy post-menopausal women

OBJECTIVES: We sought to examine the relationship between reproductive history and measures of selected gonadotrophins and steroid hormones among post-menopausal women. Previous studies have suggested that there is a negative correlation between parity and post-menopausal serum estrogens, which may be a mechanism by which pregnancies protect women from the development of breast cancer. METHODS: We analyzed women who experienced a natural menopause within the Healthy Women Study cohort both 1 and 8 years after menopause. Lifetime reproductive history was obtained and blood was assayed for estrone, estradiol, androstenedione, testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) at 1 year post-menopause and for many of these steroid hormones at 8 years post-menopause. Also at 8 years post-menopause, a hip bone mineral density measure was obtained. RESULTS: Age at menopause related to a modest increase in estrone at 1 year but a decrease in estrone and estradiol at eight years. Adjustment for body mass index (BMI), oral contraceptive use, alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and education had little impact on these findings. There were no other internally consistent relationships between reproductive variables and steroid hormones or hip-bone mineral density. CONCLUSIONS: These observations do not support the hypothesis that parity acts to diminish endogenous levels of post-menopausal estrogens.     

Laboratory models of alcoholism: treatment target identification and insight into mechanisms

Laboratory models, including animal tissues and live animals, have proven useful for discovery of molecular targets of alcohol action as well as for characterization of genetic and environmental factors that influence alcohol's neural actions. Here we consider strengths and weaknesses of laboratory models used in alcohol research and analyze the limitations of using animals to model a complex human disease. We describe targets for the neural actions of alcohol, and we review studies in which animal models were used to examine excessive alcohol drinking and to discover genes that may contribute to risk for alcoholism. Despite some limitations of the laboratory models used in alcohol research, these experimental approaches are likely to contribute to the development of new therapies for alcohol abuse and alcoholism.     

Where is the syndrome? Examining co-occurrence among multiple problem behaviors in adolescence

The authors examined co-occurrence among a wide range of adolescent problem behaviors: alcohol, smoking, marijuana, hard drugs, sexual activity, major and minor delinquency, direct and indirect aggression, and gambling. Using a large self-report survey of high school students, confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the problem syndrome model proposed by problem behavior theory. A 3-factor model provided better overall fit than did a single problem syndrome factor model. Contingency table analyses were used to examine the co-occurrence of problem behaviors at different levels of involvement within individuals, as well as relative risk ratios. Analyses offered modest support for a limited problem syndrome encompassing the report of high-risk involvement with alcohol, minor delinquency, direct aggression, and, to a lesser extent, marijuana. For each problem behavior, the majority of adolescents did not report high-risk involvement, and only a minority reported any involvement with multiple behaviors.     

Prevalence and consequences of adult sexual assault of men: review of empirical findings and state of the literature

Male victims of adult sexual assault (ASA) are understudied as compared with female victims. Further, commonly-held myths about sexual assault suggest that men cannot be victims or that, if men are victims, they are relatively physically and emotionally unharmed by sexual assault. The goal of this paper was to systematically review the empirical literature on ASA among men to evaluate the veracity of these myths. This paper also sought to examine the methodological quality of the body of research in this area, identify limitations and gaps in the current literature, and suggest directions for future research. Eighty-seven relevant studies were identified through a systematic review of the literature. The reported prevalence of men's sexual aggression varied widely depending on the methods used and the population studied; some populations (e.g., veterans, prison inmates, and gay and bisexual men) reported higher rates of ASA than men in the general population. Few studies have systematically examined the consequences of male ASA; however, those that have suggest that ASA can have notable adverse physical and psychological consequences for some men.     

Computer-delivered interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: meta-analysis and meta-regression using behaviour change techniques and theory

The current aim was to examine the effectiveness of behaviour change techniques (BCTs), theory and other characteristics in increasing the effectiveness of computer-delivered interventions (CDIs) to reduce alcohol consumption. Included were randomised studies with a primary aim of reducing alcohol consumption, which compared self-directed CDIs to assessment-only control groups. CDIs were coded for the use of 42 BCTs from an alcohol-specific taxonomy, the use of theory according to a theory coding scheme and general characteristics such as length of the CDI. Effectiveness of CDIs was assessed using random-effects meta-analysis and the association between the moderators and effect size was assessed using univariate and multivariate meta-regression. Ninety-three CDIs were included in at least one analysis and produced small, significant effects on five outcomes (d₊?=?0.07–0.15). Larger effects occurred with some personal contact, provision of normative information or feedback on performance, prompting commitment or goal review, the social norms approach and in samples with more women. Smaller effects occurred when information on the consequences of alcohol consumption was provided. These findings can be used to inform both intervention- and theory-development. Intervention developers should focus on, including specific, effective techniques, rather than many techniques or more-elaborate approaches.     

The role of anxiety sensitivity and drinking motives in predicting alcohol use: a critical review

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a cognitive, individual difference variable that refers to the fear of arousal-related bodily sensations. Persons with high AS fear these sensations because they believe the sensations are signs of impending catastrophic events. AS has been linked to increased alcohol consumption and also risky drinking motives, including coping and conformity motives. This paper summarizes statistical modeling studies and experimental research on the functional relationships between AS and drinking motives and alcohol consumption. AS functions as a risk factor that sets the stage for negative reinforcement by alcohol use. Whether alcohol use becomes a method of coping with AS depends on multiple risk factors and motivations. We propose an integrated model to account for the observed relationships and to guide future research. In addition, we identify key methodological limitations and directions for future research.     

The compound relationship of smoking and alcohol consumption with obesity.

The purpose of this study was to examine 1) whether the relationship between smoking and obesity was linear or non-linear (specifically U-shaped), and 2) if this relationship was proved to U-shaped, whether it was due to the interaction of the effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on obesity. The present study was performed using cross sectional data taken from the medical records of 400 male patients. Data was analyzed using linear and curvilinear estimation, Fisher's exact test, and two-way ANCOVA. The relationship between smoking intensity and BMI was able to be explained significantly by a quadratic model, rather than by linear model. As has been shown in other studies, this relationship was parabolic (or U-shaped), though it was not particularly remarkable. This U-shaped relationship appeared to be due to the interaction of the effects of smoking intensity and alcohol consumption on BMI. On the other hand, the relationship between smoking intensity and the percentage of body fat was able to be explained significantly by a linear as well as a quadratic model. Additionally, the interaction effect between smoking intensity and alcohol consumption did not influence the percentage of body fat significantly. In conclusion, there is no doubt that smoking and obesity are both serious health hazards. Based on the results of this and other studies, it can be confirmed that heavy smoking has a positive relationship with obesity. Therefore, the health benefits of smoking cessation, as well as the correction of unhealthy habits such as alcohol consumption should be clearly emphasized.     

Alcohol and nutrient intake: mechanisms of reinforcement and dependence

Alcohol is not only a drug of abuse but is also a food. This combination has a significant impact on the development and consequences of alcohol abuse and dependence. Understanding the neurobiological and behavioral processes that mediate them is perhaps best approached from the perspective of ingestive behavior. Research from the Hoebel laboratory has provided innovation and leadership in understanding that feeding neuropeptides plays a significant role in alcohol intake. The research reviewed here shows that galanin and other feeding peptides increase intake and also motivate abuse and the development of dependence. In addition, the consequences of long term alcohol abuse and dependence alter nutritional systems and drinking behavior. A major challenge is understanding the role of alcohol's dual properties and feeding neuropeptide in the motivation to drink.     

The effects of prenatal stress, and of prenatal alcohol and nicotine exposure, on human sexual orientation

BACKGROUND: Studies of rats have shown that mothers who are subjected to stress during pregnancy are more likely than mothers who are not stressed during pregnancy to have male offspring who exhibit female-typical sexual receptivity postures (lordosis) in the presence of other males following the onset of puberty. More recent animal experiments have indicated that prenatal exposure to alcohol affects the sexual preferences of male offspring in ways that are similar to the effects of prenatal stress. Research with human subjects have thus far yielded inconsistent findings regarding the effects of prenatal stress on male sexual orientation, and no research has yet addressed the possible involvement of prenatal exposure to alcohol or other widely used recreational drugs, such as nicotine. PURPOSE: The present study was undertaken to determine if prenatal stress could be one of the causes of variations in sexual orientation in humans, both singularly and in conjunction with prenatal exposure to alcohol and nicotine. METHODS: Over 7500 offspring and their mothers provided information regarding the offspring's sexual orientation and the mother's stressful experiences and use of alcohol and nicotine during pregnancy. RESULTS: Findings indicate that prenatal stress has a modest but significant effect on the sexual orientation of male offspring, particularly when the stress occurred during the first trimester of pregnancy. Regarding prenatal exposure to alcohol, no evidence was found to suggest that it impacted offspring sexual orientation of either males or females. Prenatal nicotine exposure, however, appears to significantly increase the probability of lesbianism among female offspring, especially if the exposure occurred in the first trimester along with prenatal stress in the second trimester. CONCLUSION: The present study is consistent with animal models suggesting that prenatal stress disrupts the typical sex hormonal milieu within which male fetal brains are sexed, thereby feminizing/demasculinizing the male's sexual orientation. However, little support was found for similar effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. In the case of prenatal nicotine, this study is the first to suggest that this drug has masculinizing/defeminizing effects on the sexual orientation of female offspring.