Stress vulnerability and alcohol use and consequences: From human laboratory studies to clinical outcomes

Abstract

It is well known that vulnerability to stress is a risk factor for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Chronic alcohol use can result in neuroadaptations in cortico-striatal pathways and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function that are manifested in altered behavioral and cognitive control functions contributing to alcohol craving, compulsive motivation, consumption and consequences. This symposium brings together studies utilizing novel approaches to help improve our understanding of stress – past, acute and chronic - on alcohol seeking and consumption and related outcomes using a combination of human laboratory models, neuroimaging and clinical measures. Examining factors that determine vulnerability as well as resilience to stress are of particular interest in the study of AUD because, in addition to increasing our understanding of the risk factors for AUD, such knowledge can be used to develop more effective treatments. Dr. Stangl presented a novel human experimental model that demonstrates, for the first time, stress-induced increases in alcohol self-administration in binge drinkers using a guided imagery paradigm combined with intravenous alcohol self-administration (IV-ASA). Dr. Blaine presented data demonstrating that glucocorticoid response to stress drives compulsive alcohol motivation and intake in binge/heavy drinkers. Dr. Plawecki presented data examining sex differences in the effect of two distinct stress paradigms – mood induction and abstinence – on IV-ASA in moderate drinkers. Dr. Schwandt presented clinical data providing a new perspective on the relationship between childhood trauma and AUD by suggesting possible underlying mechanisms that confer resilience, rather than vulnerability, to severe early life stress exposure.

Psychological Impact of a Pandemic Widespread in Healthcare Workers: The Italian and Swiss Perspective Early After of CoVid-19 Outbreak

“…A smaller, but signi cant proportion of people reported an increase in alcohol consumption. All these behavioral changes can be considered stress symptoms [25,26]. In our study, a strong correlation was found between the above-mentioned symptoms and the need for psychological support.…”

Effects of cortisol administration on craving during in vivo exposure in patients with alcohol use disorder

“…Even though there is extensive evidence that stress increases alcohol craving and the vulnerability for relapse [47][48][49][50][51] , findings from animal and human studies are heterogeneous regarding the involvement of cortisol in mediating these stress effects [52][53][54] . Another explanation for the differential effects may come from the adaptation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function through chronic alcohol use and AUD 47,[55][56][57][58] . Thus, it might be possible that changes in the HPA axis depend on the severity of AUD and therefore lead to differential responses to external glucocorticoids.…”

Potential mechanisms linking psychological stress to bone health

“…increased blood pressure) reactions, causing an individual to implement certain health behaviours to attenuate the reactions 94 . Some of the common stress-coping behaviours include unhealthy eating habits 95 , alcohol drinking 96 and cigarette smoking 97 . In the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2012), high calorie and alcohol intake, as well as cigarette smoking were associated with psychological stress and distress in both men and women 98 .…”