1st Edition

Alcohol and Alcoholism Effects on Brain and Development

    304 Pages
    by Psychology Press

    304 Pages
    by Psychology Press

    This is the first volume that focuses on the lifespan neurobehavioral factors likely to determine susceptibility to alcohol abuse and its consequences. The chapters offer careful analysis of the effects of ethanol on the fetus, the infant, the adolescent, and the adult. The authors include behavioral neuroscientists and clinical neuropsychologists. Their topics range from the neurochemical and neuroanatomical consequences of prenatal alcohol to the cognitive consequences of prenatal alcohol on preschool and school-age children. The impact of genetics on sensitivity to alcohol is considered in terms of analytic tests using techniques of behavioral genetics and molecular biology. The consequences of exposure to alcohol during breastfeeding are described in experiments with human infants. The alcoholism that develops in adulthood is analyzed through the experimental study of relapse from alcohol deprivation and assessment of neuropsychological impairments and treatment for alcoholics. Drawing on extensive research that has applied techniques from molecular neurobiology and tests of learning and memory to the clinical assessment and treatment of alcoholics.

    The volume answers recent questions raised by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute of Drug Abuse about the role of early experience in susceptibility to later abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Although epidemiological studies can describe the problem, solutions in terms of mechanisms that mediate these effects will be found only with the kinds of experimentally oriented approaches the chapter authors describe.

    Contents: J.H. Hannigan, L.P. Spear, N.E. Spear, Introduction: How Research on Alcohol and Alcoholism Has Informed Research on Developing Brains. T.M. Roebuck, S.N. Mattson, E.P. Riley, Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol: Effects on Brain Structure and Neuropsychological Functioning. W-J.A. Chen, J.R. West, Alcohol-Induced Brain Damage During Development: Potential Risk Factors. J.H. Hannigan, D.E. Saunders, L.M. Treas, M.A. Sperry, Modification of Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Neuroplasticity. C.R. Goodlett, T.B. Johnson, Temporal Windows of Vulnerability Within the Third Trimester Equivalent: Why "Knowing When" Matters. A.M. Allan, D.P. Savage, III, Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Alters the Modulation of the GABAA(last "A" should be a subscript "A") Receptor-Gated Chloride Ion Channel in Adult Rat Offspring. B.C. Dudek, T. Tritto, K.A. Case, B.J. Caldarone, J. Clarke, Genetics, Psychomotor Stimulant Effects of Ethanol, and Ethanol Absorption in Mice. D.L. McKinzie, W.J. McBride, J.M. Murphy, L. Lumeng, T-K. Li, Rat Lines Selectively Bred for Alcohol Preference: A Potential Animal Model of Adolescent Alcohol Drinking. C.J. Heyser, G. Schulteis, G.F. Koob, The Alcohol Deprivation Effect: Experimental Conditions, Applications, and Treatment. J.A. Mennella, The Transfer of Alcohol to Human Milk: Sensory Implications and Effects on Mother-Infant Interaction. J.C. Molina, H.D. Domínguez, M.F. López, M.Y. Pepino, A.E. Faas, The Role of Fetal and Infantile Experience With Alcohol in Later Recognition and Acceptance Patterns of the Drug. J.E. Smith, R.J. Meyers, V.A. Waldorf, Covering All Bases: Engaging and Treating Individuals With Alcohol Problems. C.R. Goodlett, Future Research on Alcohol and Development: Forging a Merger of Discovery and Application.

    Biography

    John H. Hannigan (Edited by) ,  Linda P. Spear (Edited by) ,  Norman E. Spear (Edited by) ,  Charles R. Goodlett (Edited by)

    "...this is a very well integrated book that comprehensively surveys an important field. It could easily serve as the basis for a graduate seminar, but it is written clearly enough that undergraduates could also use it profitably. Bench scientists and clinicians will also find it helpful."
    Journal of Studies on Alcohol

    "This book gives a comprehensive account of studies of the effect of alcohol on the developing brain. Every chapter is clearly written with a good summary which explains the current status of knowledge related to the topic....provides a complete review on the current animal models for studies in alcoholism. It is a useful reference for those interested in the field and it provides useful information for physicians who manage patients with problems of drug abuse."
    Le Journal Canadien Des Sciences Neurologiques

    "There are many original thoughts and ideas in this book which readers will find stimulating. Some chapters, such as those on genetics and alcohol and lactation, will be of particular interest to groups of health workers. There is much general information in the book which covers specific aspects of treatment and management of alcohol problems and this would benefit clinical personnel."
    Drug and Alcohol Review

    "This book will be of value to those engaged in animal or human research on the effects of alcohol on the developing brain. It has a wealth of information for those interested in the fetal alcohol syndrome and less severe effects of alcohol on the fetus."
    Alcohol And Alcoholism

    "The book as a whole is quite useful, representing a good overview of the various approaches researchers have taken to understand the effects of prenatal and early postnatal exposure to alcohol. It serves as a helpful entry to the study of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects. I would recommend this book for both clinical practitioners who are interested in getting a concise overview of the current state of the art and for researchers already in the field who wish to follow studies of their colleagues' advances in other arenas of prenatal alcohol research."
    Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society