Alcohol
Research Papers
Sleep, sleep homeostasis and arousal disturbances in alcoholism
The effects of alcohol on human sleep were first described almost 70 years ago. Since then, accumulating evidences suggest that alcohol intake at bed time immediately induces sleep [reduces the time to fall asleep (sleep onset latency), and consolidates and enhances the quality (delta power) and the quantity of sleep]. Such potent sleep promoting activity makes alcohol as one of the most commonly used “over the counter” sleep aid. However, the somnogenic effects, after alcohol intake, slowly wane off and often followed by sleep disruptions during the rest of the night. Repeated use of alcohol leads to the development of rapid tolerance resulting into an alcohol abuse. Moreover, chronic and excessive alcohol intake leads to the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Alcoholics, both during drinking periods and during abstinences, suffer from a multitude of sleep disruptions manifested by profound insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, and altered sleep architecture. Furthermore, subjective and objective indicators of sleep disturbances are predictors of relapse. Finally, within the USA, it is estimated that societal costs of alcohol-related sleep disorders exceed $18 billion. Thus, although alcohol associated sleep problems have significant economic and clinical consequences, very little is known about how and where alcohol acts to affect sleep. In this review, a conceptual framework and clinical research focused on understanding the relationship between alcohol and sleep is first described. In the next section, our new and exciting preclinical studies, to understand the cellular and molecular mechanism of how acute and chronic alcohol affects sleep, are described. In the end, based on observations from our recent findings and related literature, opportunities for the development of innovative strategies to prevent and treat AUD are proposed.
View Full Paper →LORETA Neurofeedback for Addiction and the Possible Neurophysiology of Psychological Processes Influenced: A Case Study and Region of Interest Analysis of LORETA Neurofeedback in Right Anterior Cingulate Cortex
Introduction. This case study explores the efficacy of low-resolution electromagnetic tomographic (LORETA) neurofeedback (LNFB) in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a method for addiction treatment and examines the frequency specific effects of this training in eight other regions of the cortex identified as playing an important role in substance use disorders. Methods. This case study was completed with one right-handed, 28-year-old female participant with 3 years of continuous abstinence from polysubstance abuse; her drugs of choice were heroin and alcohol, and she reported an 8-year history of alcohol abuse and a 4-year history of heroin use (IV). She completed 25 sessions of LNFB training in which she increased 14-18 Hz activity in the right ACC. We utilized electrophysiological measures to assess the increase or decrease in eight regions of interest (ROI): the right hippocampus, the right amygdaloid complex, the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the right occipital lobe, the right insular cortex, the right uncus, and two regions in the left prefrontal cortex and compared them using complex linear mixed model and partial correlation procedures. Results. The data indicate significant associations between these limbic and cortical regions. The linear increase in the right ACC was in the desired direction; however, this will require more than 25 sessions to reach significance. The effects of training in the right ACC show significant increase and decrease for all frequencies in specific regions of interest.Conclusion. This is the first study of its kind to explore the relationship between these nine ROI as influenced by LNFB in the right ACC. The data suggest that these regions may play an intricate role in behaviors and characteristics involved in addiction; specific changes in the alpha frequency in limbic regions and increases in associations between regions in the theta frequency may influence personality and other behaviors associated with addictive traits. This case study illustrates the possible neural mechanisms involved in the negative self-reference associated with addiction even after a significant period of abstinence and possibly offers insight into antecedents to the onset of substance use disorders.
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