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Immune system suppression may be related to problem drinking

Date:
February 2, 2017
Source:
Research Society on Alcoholism
Summary:
Cytokines are small proteins in the immune system that act as chemical messengers between cells. Prior research suggests that pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are dysfunctional during alcohol dependence and may contribute to the progression from healthy to problem drinking. This study compared social and non-dependent problem drinkers on the impact of alcohol-related changes in the body’s immune response to stress, alcohol-cue induced craving and anxiety, motivation to drink, and alcohol consumption.
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Cytokines are small proteins in the immune system that act as chemical messengers between cells. Prior research suggests that pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are dysfunctional during alcohol dependence and may contribute to the progression from healthy to problem drinking. This study compared social and non-dependent problem drinkers on the impact of alcohol-related changes in the body's immune response to stress, alcohol-cue induced craving and anxiety, motivation to drink, and alcohol consumption.

Researchers studied 26 (21 male, 5 female) problem drinkers and 38 (26 male, 12 female) social drinkers. During three consecutive days, all participants were exposed to three personalized five-minute imaging sessions that represented stressful (S), relaxing (R), and alcohol cues (C), followed by an "alcohol taste test" (ATT) to measure alcohol motivation and intake. Additional measures were obtained at baseline, post-imagery, and at alcohol-cue presentation during ATT.

The study showed that problem drinkers who are at risk for AD had a dampened biological response at baseline -- specifically, suppressed pro- and anti-inflammatory markers -- compared to social drinkers. The immunologic changes seen in problem drinkers were associated with elevated levels of stress and cue-induced alcohol craving and anxiety. The changes also predicted alcohol craving, the motivation to drink, alcohol intake and the severity of problem drinking. Based on these findings, the authors concluded that selective immunosuppression may contribute to problem drinkers' motivation to drink.


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Materials provided by Research Society on Alcoholism. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Verica Milivojevic, Emily Ansell, Christine Simpson, Kristen M. Siedlarz, Rajita Sinha, Helen C. Fox. Peripheral Immune System Adaptations and Motivation for Alcohol in Non-Dependent Problem Drinkers. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2017; DOI: 10.1111/acer.13317

Cite This Page:

Research Society on Alcoholism. "Immune system suppression may be related to problem drinking." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 February 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170202090459.htm>.
Research Society on Alcoholism. (2017, February 2). Immune system suppression may be related to problem drinking. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170202090459.htm
Research Society on Alcoholism. "Immune system suppression may be related to problem drinking." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170202090459.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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