Volume 10, Issue 2 Is Now Available!

NIAAA Spectrum is an online Webzine published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It includes feature-length stories, new research findings from the field, image and data analyses, and interviews with NIAAA staff members and prominent alcohol researchers. The latest issue is now available. The full table of contents is presented below.

NIAAA Spectrum Volume 10 Issue 2 Spring 2018 home page image

In This Issue

New Prevalence Estimates of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Range from 1 to 5 Percent in U.S. Communities

A study of more than 6,000 first-graders across 4 U.S. communities has found that a significant number of children have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), with conservative rates ranging from 1 to 5 percent in community samples. The new findings represent more accurate prevalence estimates of FASD than prior research. More...

Brain Studies Point to Perils of Adolescent Alcohol Use

The brain takes longer to develop and mature than any other organ in the body. Beginning in the third week of gestation and extending into the mid-20s, an ongoing interplay of genetic and environmental factors results in the mature human brain, a structure composed of more than 100 billion neurons. More...

By the Numbers

Alcohol misuse can be hazardous to your health, a fact spotlighted by a new study of U.S. emergency department (ED) visits.

News From the Field

Rehabilitating the Addicted Brain With Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Recent studies have highlighted the potential of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as an innovative, safe, and cost-effective treatment for alcohol and other substance use disorders.

Behavioral Interventions That Address Alcohol Use Help People Living With HIV/AIDS

Alcohol misuse is a significant concern for people living with HIV/AIDS because it contributes to risky sexual behavior, reduces adherence to HIV medication regimens, and exacerbates other health conditions.

MicroRNAs May Have Therapeutic Potential for Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury

In two recent studies, NIAAA-supported researchers identified two miRNAs that may help protect against alcohol-induced liver injury.

Hunger Hormone Affects Alcohol Intake

A new study by NIAAA researchers provides further evidence that a hormone produced in the stomach influences alcohol consumption in humans.

Steep Increase in Alcohol-Related Emergency Department Visits

The rate of alcohol-related visits to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) increased by nearly 50 percent between 2006 and 2014, according to a new study conducted by NIAAA researchers.