The prevalence of overweight and obese children is increasing, a tendency that can be expected to increase the risk of adverse outcomes in adulthood. The aim of this study was to determine if prenatal exposure to alcohol, cigarettes, and street drugs would be associated with differences in body mass index (BMI) in childhood and adolescence in offspring from families at high and low genetic risk for developing alcohol dependence. Annual follow-up of offspring (N =288) provided 1200 height and weight assessments for analysis. Maternal substance use data were available for 235 offspring from families stratified for familial/genetic risk for alcohol dependence (high or low risk), providing the opportunity to assess prenatal exposure and familial/genetic risk in relation to BMI in the offspring. When data were grouped by the presence or absence of any prenatal cigarette exposure, a significant difference in offspring BMI was seen for 8-to 11-year-olds. Significant group differences were also seen at ages 12-15 and 16-18 years. A dose-response relationship between cigarette use by the mother and offspring BMI was also seen. With the strong tendency for individuals who are overweight in childhood and adolescence to become overweight adults, prenatal exposure to nicotine may be a harbinger of increased risk for numerous adultonset, weight-related health problems.

Patient awareness of medical conditions may influence treatment seeking and monitoring of these conditions. Accurate awareness of hypertension reported to clinicians evaluating patients for whom clinical history is limited, such as in emergency care, can aid in diagnosis by revealing whether measured hypertension is typical or atypical. Measurement of blood pressure in a laboratory study was assessed at rest, immediately before phlebotomy, and within 10 minutes after. The resting measure was used to determine the accuracy of self‐reported hypertension in 283 adults. Parametric analyses were conducted to identify potential variables influencing accuracy of self‐reported hypertension. Sensitivity, specificity, and the kappa coefficient of agreement were calculated to determine the influence of alcohol dependence (AD), sex, age, and cigarette smoking on hypertension awareness. Self‐report was mildly sensitive, correctly identifying individuals with hypertension in approximately 37% of the cases, but was highly specific (95%) in identifying individuals without hypertension. Similar sensitivities were found in analyses separated by sex. Sensitivity was greater in those over age 55 (53%) in comparison with those <54, as well as in those who were not smoking. Comparison of those with and without a history of AD revealed that both groups show similar accuracy in reporting hypertension. Absence of hypertension can be accurately determined with self‐report data in those without hypertension. A significant proportion of those with measured hypertension report an absence of hypertension.

Association between familial loading for alcohol use disorders (AUD) and event-related potentials (ERPs) suggests a genetic basis for these oscillations though much less is known about epigenetic pathways influenced by environmental variation. Early life adversity (ELA) influences negative outcomes much later in life. The stress-activated neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) contributes to the deleterious effects of ELA on brain structure and function in animals. Accordingly, we hypothesized that ELA would be related to cortical thickness and electrophysiological characteristics through an epigenetic effect on CRH receptor type-1 (CRHR1) methylation. A total of 217 adolescent and young adult participants from either multiplex alcohol dependence or control families were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T and cortical thickness was determined. Longitudinal follow-up across childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood provided developmental ERP data and measures of adversity. Blood samples for genetic and epigenetic analyses were obtained in childhood. Cortical thickness and visual ERP components were analyzed for their association and tested for familial risk group differences. Visual P300 amplitude at Pz and cortical thickness of the left lateral orbitofrontal region (LOFC), were significantly related to risk group status. LOFC cortical thickness showed a negative correlation with CRHR1 methylation status and with childhood total stress scores from the Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory (LISRES). Stress scores were also significantly related to P300 amplitude recorded in childhood. The present results suggest that early life adversity reflected in greater total LISRES stress scores in childhood can impact the methylation of the CRHR1 gene with implications for brain development as seen in cortical thickness and electrophysiological signals emanating from particular brain regions.

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to be a major public health problem. Vulnerable populations include older individuals with presumed weakening of the immune response. Identification of factors influencing COVID-19 infection could provide an additional means for protecting such individuals. Methods: Members of a family study previously interviewed as middle aged individuals were re-contacted and asked to participate in extended phone interview (2-3 hours) covering past and current mental health issues, physical health diagnoses, use of alcohol and drugs, and exposure to anyone with COVID-19. The average follow-up period was 32 years. Detailed medication use was collected to confirm medical diagnoses and to reveal possible protective effects of particular drug classes currently prescribed for the participant by their physician. Serology was available for red cell antigens (ABO, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, Rhesus) and HLA subtypes. Analyses were conducted to contrast COVID-19 + and COVID-19 - individuals for physical and mental health diagnoses, use of alcohol and drugs, and red cell and HLA serology. Additionally, analyses were conducted to contrast these groups with a group reporting known exposure but absence of COVID-19 symptoms or diagnosis by a health professional. Results: Interviews were completed between September 2020 and November 2021. A total of 42 of the 90 individuals interviewed had been vaccinated at the time of interview. At the time of interview, 11.1% reported having developed COVID-19. Using quantity per occasion (QPO) and quantity by frequency (QXF) totals in the past month by type of alcohol consumed, we found a significant association between QPO for liquor (p=0.017) and marginal effects for QXF for liquor consumption (p=0.06). Exposed individuals who were COVID-19 negative tended to drink more liquor than those who were positive, an average of about one drink per day. Beer and wine consumption were not statistically significant. A diagnosis of alcohol use disorder at baseline evaluation was not a significant predictor of being COVID positive or negative. Self-reported current depression or depression in the past only was not a predictor of COVID-19 status based on a single question "Are you depressed currently or only in the past?". In contrast, completion of a clinical interview designed to elicit depressed mood and concurrent symptoms for determination of the lifetime presence or absence of a depressive episode did reveal a significant effect. Comparison of responses at baseline to follow-up showed those most resilient to developing COVID-19 were those without evidence of a depressive episode by lifetime history at both points in time. Physical health issues were analyzed for those that were frequently occurring in our sample such as hypertension but not found to be significant. BMI was analyzed and found to be statistically non-significant. Analysis of HLA variation across the whole sample did not reveal a significant association but among males two variants, A1 and B8, did show significant variation associated with COVID-19+ and COVID-19- status. Analyses of the red cell antigens revealed one significant red cell effect; Kidd genotypic variation was associated with COVID-19 status. Interpretation: We tentatively conclude that use of specific types of alcohol, namely liquor, is associated with reduced frequency of COVID-19. However, the amount is low, averaging about 1 drink per day. Enlarged samples are needed to confirm these results. The finding that past history of alcohol use disorder does not increase likelihood of developing COVID-19 is important. It should be noted that the 34 individuals diagnosed with AUD at baseline had survived an average of 32 years in order to participate in the current interview suggesting they may be especially resilient to adverse health conditions. The finding that a single question designed to elicit the presence or absence of depressed mood either currently or in the past was not a risk factor for COVID-19 in contrast to report of a clinically significant past history of a depressive episode based on more extensive examination using DSM criteria is important. Results for the KIDD blood group are novel and warrant further investigation.