Feature
Brain Research: A Focus on Childhood Trauma and Alcohol Misuse
News reports of college drinking tragedies, and concerns about increased access to alcohol in the home during the pandemic, make clear that COVID-19 has provided no reprieve from the problems of underage drinking. A perennial public health priority, alcohol misuse by young people increases the likelihood of myriad serious consequences, including altered brain development, academic problems, unsafe sexual behavior, physical and sexual assault, traffic crashes, injuries, overdoses, and alcohol use disorder (AUD).
News From The Field
Emotional Responses to Alcohol May Predict Alcohol-Related Problems
Alcohol can induce temporary positive feelings such as elation and happiness and reduce negative feelings like distress. These emotional responses to alcohol are believed to contribute to drinking behaviors that lead to alcohol use disorder or that make abstaining from drinking more difficult for some people.
News From The Field
Insights on Alcohol-Related Brain Inflammation, and Hints About How to Reduce It
Research suggests that long-term alcohol exposure leads to inflammation and damage to tissue in the brain and other organs—and inflammation could also potentially be involved in alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Spotlight
NIAAA Expands Its Social Media Presence to Facebook
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recently launched a new Facebook page. This expansion of the Institute’s social media footprint allows NIAAA to reach the rich diversity of Facebook users—particularly individuals, families, educators, and other adults who could benefit from NIAAA’s resources and health messages.
Spotlight
Racial Equity and Inclusion in Biomedical Research—and the NIH UNITE Program
This past March, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the UNITE initiative to address structural racism at NIH, NIH-supported institutions, and anywhere NIH research activities take place.
Noteworthy
NIAAA Announces New Extramural Research Division
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recently introduced the Division of Treatment and Recovery (DTR), formed from the merger of the Institute’s Division of Medications Development and Division of Treatment and Recovery Research.
Noteworthy
NIAAA Intramural Scientists Named to Cell Mentor’s List of Inspiring Black Scientists in America
The Cell Mentor website is a dedicated resource provided by Cell Press to help individuals build the skills necessary for a successful career in science. Cell Mentor collects blog posts, video interviews, experimental tutorials, handbooks, and Cell Press journal articles to empower and inspire early career researchers.