Alcohol Abuse Health Center

News and Features Related to Alcohol Abuse

1. Beer's Taste May Trigger Urge to Get Drunk
   

   By Barbara Bronson Gray HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, April 15 (HealthDay News) -- Just as the smell of freshly brewed coffee may compel you to pour a steaming cup of java, a small taste of beer may activate part of your brain's reward system and trigger the urge for more, a new study suggests. Researc

   Read Full Article
2. Mother's Drinking May Raise Risk of Infant's Death
   

   By Kathleen Doheny HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Children of women who are diagnosed with an alcohol disorder during pregnancy or within a year after giving birth have a three-fold higher risk of dying from SIDS -- sudden infant death syndrome -- compared to babies whose mo

   Read Full Article
3. First-Time Teen Alcohol, Drug Use Peaks in Summer
   

   July 3, 2012 -- Teens are much more likely to try alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs for the first time during the summer months, according to a new survey. Researchers found first-time use of these substances, as well as marijuana and hallucinogens, peaks during June and July, with thousands more

   Read Full Article
4. Chinese Herb Kudzu May Help Drinkers Cut Down
   

   May 17, 2012 -- An extract from the Chinese herb kudzu may help drinkers cut down on drinking, according to a new pilot study. "It didn't stop the drinking," says researcher David M. Penetar, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School. "They still drank, but

   Read Full Article
5. The Truth About Toxicology Tests
   

   On television crime shows, the results of toxicology tests are spewed out at warp speed, sometimes available even before the autopsy is complete. In real life, toxicology test results take much longer. "Some of the tests take days, weeks, months," says Alan Hall, MD, a board-certified toxicologist a

   Read Full Article
6. Why Is Alcohol Addictive? Study Offers Clues
   

   Jan. 11, 2012 -- We know alcohol makes many people feel good, and that it affects the brain, but new research goes a step further by tightening the focus on areas of the brain most likely affected by alcohol. The new brain imaging research may lead to a better understanding of alcohol addiction and

   Read Full Article
7. CDC: 1 in 6 U.S. Adults Is a Binge Drinker
   

   Jan. 10, 2012 -- About 1 in 6 U.S. adults binge drinks, according to a new CDC report. That's 38 million people who overindulge. They do so an average of about four times a month, sometimes downing eight drinks at a sitting. "Binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks on one occasion

   Read Full Article
8. Energy Drinks Send Thousands to the ER Each Year
   

   Nov. 22, 2011 -- There's been a big spike in the number of people who need emergency medical attention after they guzzle popular caffeinated energy drinks, according to a new government report. The report shows a more than a tenfold increase in the number of emergency room visits tied to the use of

   Read Full Article
9. As Economy Goes Down, Drinking Goes Up
   

   Oct. 13, 2011 -- When the going gets tough, it seems that a lot of us may go drinking. Along with higher unemployment and bankruptcy, an economic recession brings increased drinking of alcohol, a study suggests. The increased use of alcohol includes binge drinking, problem drinking, and driving unde

   Read Full Article
10. 4 Million in U.S. Admit Drunk Driving
    

    Oct. 4, 2011 -- Four million Americans admit driving when they've had too much to drink, a CDC survey finds. Just counting those who admit drunken driving -- certainly an underestimate of the true number -- alcohol-impaired drivers were on the road an estimated 112 million times last year. That's do

    Read Full Article