CONTENTS

NIAAA Budget

The FY 2003 omnibus appropriations bill was signed on February 21, 2003.  Congress provided NIAAA with an appropriation of $416,051,000, an 8.6 percent increase over FY 2002.  Included in the FY 2003 appropriation is support for 192 competing research project grant awards, which reflects a success rate of 29.3 percent.  The FY 2003 appropriation allows for funding of fifteen research centers, the same number as in FY 2002.  NIAAA will also provide support for 247 full-time training positions within the research training mechanism, slightly higher than in FY 2002 and incorporating a 4 percent stipend increase.

Summary of the FY 2004 President’s Request

	FY 2002 Actual	FY 2003 Appropriation	FY 2004 President’s Request
Extramural Research:
Grants and Contracts…..............................	$316,922	$342,710	$357,332
Research Training (NRSA).............……...	9,482	10,492	10,166
Intramural Research...................................	37,259	41,358	41,110
Research Management and Support……..	19,537	21,491	21,513
Total, NIAAA (including AIDS)...............	383,200	416,051	430,121
Percent increase over prior year.................		8.6%	3.9%
AIDS(not added).......................................	(23,950)	(25,718)	(26,944)
FTE’s……………......................................	244	245	241

Institute Highlights

Hope Taft, First Lady of Ohio, Newest Council Member

Mrs. Hope Taft’s career spans more than 25 years of community service, organization, and coalition building on the issues of substance abuse prevention.In , she co-founded Cincinnati’s Citizens Against Substance Abuse and she founded Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth, the Ohio Alcohol and Drug Policy Alliance, and Ohio’s Family and Children First Initiative. In all of these activities, she has been a strong advocate for using science-based prevention strategies to achieve results.Last year, she spoke before more than 400 groups to promote alcohol and substance abuse prevention.She has testified numerous times before Congressional committees and was credited with being a primary force in the passage of national legislation on substance abuse.In 1999, when NIAAA and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation developed Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free, Mrs. Taft was the first Governors’ spouse asked to co-chair the national initiative.Through her dedication and leadership, the national initiative has garnered the support of 33 Governors’ spouses.

Mark Goldman New NIAAA Associate Director

Mark S. Goldman, Ph.D., has joined NIAAA as Associate Director.  Dr. Goldman comes to NIAAA from the University of South Florida, where he served since 1985 as Distinguished Research Professor and Director of the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Research Institute.  Dr. Goldman recently co-chaired the NIAAA Task Force on College Drinking under the auspices of NIAAA’s National Advisory Council.  Among his responsibilities at NIAAA will be the integration of the institute’s behavioral and biomedical research and the development of an initiative parallel to the college drinking effort but aimed at underage drinkers 9-15 years old.  Dr. Goldman’s major research interest is in alcohol expectancies and cognitive mediators of alcoholism risk and the development of drinking and risk for drinking in children, adolescents, and young adults.  He received a MERIT award from NIAAA in 1992. 

Surgeon General Joins with Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free

The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, has agreed to an active partnership with Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free.  On April 28, Dr. Carmona met with Dr. Li, Dr. Mary Dufour, NIAAA Deputy Director, Charles Curie, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator, Leadership co-chairs Columba Bush (FL), Lori Hauser Holden (MO), Mary Easley (NC), and Hope Taft (OH), and emeritus spouses Sharon Kitzhaber (OR) and Theresa Racicot (MT).  Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Zucker, and NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni also joined the meeting. 

Dr. Carmona has responded positively and enthusiastically to the following five requests by the Leadership: 

1.      Include childhood drinking prevention in his discussions and presentations around the country by emphasizing the importance of environmental prevention approaches. 

2.      Involve Governors’ spouses in his 50 State/50 School tour, in which he has stressed the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices.

3.      Partner with Governors’ spouses in creating a PSA.

4.      Agree to undertake a Surgeon General report on childhood drinking.

5.      Agree to a direct and ongoing link between the Leadership initiative and the Surgeon General. 

HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson has also expressed his support for the Leadership initiative. 

National Alcohol Screening Day

This year’s National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD) on April 10 was the most successful ever in terms of numbers of participating sites.  A total of 4,624 sites offered screening, brief intervention, and referral as a part of this year’s NASD.  The theme for the event was “Alcohol and Your Health:  Where Do You Draw the Line?”  Preliminary data on participation indicates that more than one-third of U.S. colleges participated and the number of sites on military installations nearly tripled from last year.  USA Today, Parade, Dear Abby, Annie’s Mailbox, and Hints from Heloise were among scores of media outlets and features that reported on NASD.  NIAAA and SAMHSA fund the event.  This year, several new professional and advocacy organizations co-sponsored NASD, including the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the American Academy of Emergency Physicians, the American College of Nurse Midwives, the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, the Association of Black Psychologists, and the International Nurses Society on Addictions.  Dr. Faye Calhoun, Director of NIAAA’s Office of Collaborative Affairs, Peggy Murray, and Dr. Anton Bizzell coordinated this activity. 

Helping Patients with Alcohol Problems: A Health Practitioner’s Guide

NIAAA’s newly revised 22-page Guide was completed and sent to thousands of sites nationwide for use by medical staff on National Alcohol Screening Day. Also in April, the NIAAA collaborated with the American Medical Association (AMA) to issue a nationwide mailing of the Guide to 40,000 AMA members. Accompanied by a 4” x 4.5” pocket guide, the publication reached one in four AMA members in adult primary care specialties in the United States. The physicians received encouragement to incorporate alcohol screening and intervention into their practices in a cover letter signed by the NIAAA Director, Dr. Li, and the chair of the AMA’s Board of Trustees, Dr. J. Edward Hill. The AMA also promoted the Guide on its website and in its weekly print and electronic newsletters.  Plans are under way to distribute the Guide through other professional association channels as well.  In addition, the Guide has been posted and featured on the NIAAA website in both HTML and PDF formats. Calls are now coming from medical colleges and universities, associations, substance abuse centers, and health plans for orders in the range of 30 to 200 copies for use in training medical staff and counselors.  Maureen Gardner in the Scientific Communications Branch, Office of Scientific Affairs, NIAAA, prepared the guide. 

NIAAA Participates in Observing 50^th Anniversary of DNA’s Discovery

NIAAA joined six other institutes in recognizing the 50th anniversary of Watson and Crick’s initial paper on DNA by sponsoring a scientific symposium at NIH on “Genes, Brain, Behavior:  Before and Beyond Genomics” April 16.  NIAAA grantee Dr. Howard Edenberg of Indiana University discussed research on risk factors for alcoholism, part of NIAAA’s Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA). 

In another event recognizing the anniversary, NIAAA joined the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Human Genome Research Institute in co-sponsoring the symposium “Genetic Variation and Gene Environment Interaction in Human Health and Disease,” also on April 16 at NIH.  NIAAA grantee Dr. David Crabb of Indiana University spoke at the symposium. 

Director’s Activities

Dr. Li made a number of presentations on alcohol-related issues and research to various constituent organizations, including the following:  

Association of Academic Health Centers  Dr. Li joined NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni and other Federal and Congressional speakers to address members of the Association of Academic Health Centers in Washington, DC on March 24.  The Association represents more than 100 member institutions that include the nation’s primary resources for education in the health professions, biomedical and health services research, and many aspects of patient care.  Among the speakers at the meeting were Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Mark McClellan and Institute of Medicine President Dr. Harvey Fineberg.  Dr. Li’s address included an overview of the harmful impact of underage drinking, how research is providing insights into the genetic underpinnings of individual variability in the response to alcohol, and strategies for reducing alcohol abuse among the young. 

NIH Council of Public Representatives  NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni invited Dr. Li to address the NIH Council of Public Representatives (COPR) as part of their spring 2003 meeting on April 24.  Dr. Li recapped National Alcohol Screening Day 2003 and gave an update on the Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free.  He conducted a 20-minute question and answer session following his talk.  Among the areas COPR members asked about were FAS research, collaborative research efforts, public service announcements and outreach, addressing health disparities, genetics research, and research on family history and risk of alcoholism.  Several members commended the College Drinking Prevention Task Force materials. 

National Hispanic Medical Association   Dr. Li gave a plenary session address on March 22 at the Association’s meeting in Washington, DC.  The talk was entitled “Hispanic Health Disparities Related to Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.”

National Leadership Forum XIII of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) in Washington, DC  Dr. Li gave a plenary address entitled “Science at the Heart of Prevention in Communities” on February 12 at a major 2-day meeting in Washington, DC.

Wine Institute  On May 5, Dr. Li presented an invited talk in Washington, DC to members of the Wine Institute, a group that represents California wineries and affiliated businesses.  Dr. Li spoke about NIAAA’s research mission and gave an overview of what research can reveal about individual variability in the response to alcohol, both in terms of short- and long-term consequences.   

Honorary Doctor of Science from Indiana University  Dr. Li received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Indiana University at Commencement, May 11.  In presenting the degree, Dr. Gerald Bepko, interim president of Indiana University, noted that Dr. Li exemplifies “the highest standards of professional excellence, and an unswerving commitment to the aims of scientific research and the public good.” 

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)  Dr. Li was invited to give a presentation on gene-alcohol interactions to NIEHS in North Carolina on June 2. 

NIAAA in the Media

Hispanic Radio Network  Dr. Judith Arroyo in NIAAA’s Office of Collaborative Research gave an interview in Spanish about National Alcohol Screening Day for “Bienvenidos a América,” a Spanish-language, one hour talk show hosted by nationally recognized news anchor Mario Sol.  The interview aired April 2. 

Governor’s Spouses Serve as Honorary Chairs for Alcohol Awareness Month  As part of a partnership between the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) and the Governor’s spouses, representatives of Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free conducted 20 national and local radio interviews to raise awareness of childhood drinking in connection with Alcohol Awareness Month in April.  The interviews reached an audience estimated at nearly 1.6 million and participating radio stations reported positively on audience interest in the topic. 

Governor’s Spouses Author Washington Times Op-Ed Piece  An op-ed article by first ladies Mary Easley (NC) and Hope Taft (OH) appeared in the Washington Times on April 27.  Mrs. Easely and Mrs. Taft expressed their concern about a recently published study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that indicated that 25 percent of all 9th graders—14- and 15-year-olds—admitted they had engaged in binge drinking (five or more drinks in one session) in the past month.  Mrs. Easley and Mrs. Taft encouraged the media to join parents, educators, law enforcement, and public leaders to report and portray the negative consequences associated with underage drinking and promote positive images of non-use. 

NIAAA News Releases  NIAAA has issued three news releases since the February 2003 Council meeting.  Two focused on intramural research (details in the section of this report on science):  “Alcohol Researchers Identify a Genetic Basis of Pain Response,” and Alcohol Researchers Relate a Genetic Factor to Anxiety in Women.”  The third release, on National Alcohol Screening Day, was issued jointly with SAMHSA.  The release announced the screening day effort and cited data from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey indicating that one-third of American adults are “risky” drinkers. 

Workshops/Symposia

NIAAA staff organize or participate in numerous symposia, satellite sessions, and workshops during the year.  The following are some examples of the range of recent activities. 

Smoking Cessation Pharmacotherapy  In collaboration with the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), NIAAA co-organized a  Satellite Symposium for the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Annual Meeting, "Smoking Cessation Pharmacotherapy:  Accelerating Discovery-to-Delivery.”     The goal of the February 19 meeting, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, was to share recent findings in the fields of nicotinic receptor biology and central nervous system neurochemical systems and help devise a strategy to stimulate the development of new pharmacological agents to treat nicotine addiction.  Contact:  Dr. Joanne Fertig, 301-443-0635, jfertig@niaaa.nih.gov.

Spirituality and Health  NIAAA’s Office of Collaborative Research co-sponsored a meeting with other NIH institutes organized by the International Center for the Integration of Health and Spirituality and held at NIH’s Natcher Conference Center on April 1-3, 2003.  Contact:  Dr. Thomas Gentry 301-443-6009, tgentry@niaaa.nih.gov.

Core Assessment Methodology for Clinical Trials of Medications to Treat Alcohol Disorders  NIAAA held a two-day workshop on April 9-10 with the goal of developing a standardized battery of core assessments for use in future clinical trials of medications to treat alcohol disorders.  Contact:  Dr. Margaret Mattson, 301-443-0638, mmattson@niaaa.nih.gov. 

Alcohol and the Cardiovascular System:  Research Challenges and Opportunities  NIAAA and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute cosponsored a two-day workshop on May 6-7 in Bethesda to review the most recent evidence detailing the impact of alcohol on the cardiovascular system, identify unresolved issues, and make recommendations for future research.  Contact:  Dr. Diane Lucas, 301-443-8744, dlucas@mail.nih.gov.

Public Representation/Liaison Activities 

Fact-Finding Forum on Drug Testing:  A Review of Legal, Scientific, and Implementation Issues  NIAAA’s Dr. Gayle Boyd was one of 25 invited participants at this forum, convened February 19 in Washington, DC by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and NIDA.  Following a June 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that expanded the scope of allowable school drug testing, the DOE was asked to allocate additional funds to include a drug testing initiative in its budget for FY 2004.  The purpose of the meeting was to bring together top experts to spend a day discussing what is known about drug testing from multiple perspectives. 

Alcohol Policy 13  New council member Hope Taft—first lady of Ohio, and co-chair of the Leadership initiative—was a keynote speaker at the Alcohol Policy 13 conference held in Boston on March 13-14.  The conference brought together top national and international policy experts and prevention specialists.  Mrs. Taft shared what she had learned as first lady and from past experiences in the substance abuse prevention field. 

Highway Safety and Alcohol  On March 19 and 20, NIAAA joined the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and SAMSHA in co-sponsoring a meeting in Washington, D.C., “Improving Interventions/Treatment for those Arrested for Driving Impaired by Alcohol.”  The meeting was attended by experts in the fields of highway safety and alcohol treatment, as well as members of the judicial system and law enforcement. 

Demand Treatment Institute  Demand Treatment! is a nationwide project organized by the advocacy group Join Together and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  The aim is to increase the number of people who receive alcohol and drug screenings, brief interventions, and quality treatment in their communities.  The three-day institute, cosponsored by NIAAA and NIDA, took place April 2-5 in San Francisco, CA.  NIAAA Office of Program Policy and Public Liaison staff helped develop workshops to inform representatives of Join Together and their partner organizations about alcohol-related diseases. 

PRIDE Youth Programs  For the second year in a row, NIAAA co-sponsored PRIDE’s 26th Annual Conference, April 9-12 in Pittsburgh, PA.  PRIDE is America’s largest youth organization.  Thousands of young people, primarily in grades 9-12, use peer to peer education to support safe, alcohol and drug free lifestyles in their schools and communities.  The PRIDE Conference is the largest gathering of young people, adults and key stakeholders committed to reducing alcohol and drug use and violence across the country.  It allows youth to interact with prevention professionals, researchers, AOD treatment counselors, educators, law enforcement, grassroots volunteers and high level government officials.  NIAAA provided science-based information and accurate statistics on alcohol use and abuse to all 3000 conference participants. 

Dialogue Four Corners:  Mental Health  NIAAA was one of several institutes participating in a three day regional public outreach conference which focused on Native American and Hispanic populations who suffer disproportionately from alcoholism, depression, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.  The conference included field visits, a federal grant information workshop, and a meeting to provide an opportunity for dialogue between community health providers, stakeholders, and researchers. On April 13 Dr. Charlene Le Fauve presented an overview of NIAAA funding opportunities and represented the institute in the community discussions. 

New Multi-Media Products from NIAAA

New Pamphlets for Alcohol Screening Day  Sites participating in this year’s Alcohol Screening Day received two new pamphlets from NIAAA:  A Family History of Alcoholism—Are You at Risk? and Harmful Interactions:  Mixing Alcohol with Medicines.  The first pamphlet provides easy-to-read facts along with resources for more information to help anyone concerned about a family history of alcoholism.  The pamphlet on medications addresses the risks of mixing alcohol with medications or herbal preparations and features a user-friendly chart listing common medicines and their possible reactions with alcohol. 

PSA on Underage Drinking  A new public service announcement, The Party’s Over, is aimed at 14-year-olds and depicts a teen party host welcoming guests who arrive with soft drinks, food, and CD’s, but firmly turning away a guest bringing beer.  The spot is available in 60-, 30-, 20-, and 15-second segments.  The PSA will be submitted to the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Media Match program and disseminated to other media outlets as well. 

NIAAA Newsletter  NIAAA is launching a newsletter that will be available in print and on-line, covering items of interest to our external audiences, including institute activities, publications, and program announcements.  Print copies will be available at the upcoming Research Society on Alcoholism meeting. 

Alcohol Research & Health  An issue of Alcohol Research & Health on “Genetic Technology in Alcohol Research” has been printed.  The new issue covers a wide spectrum of research in animal models and human subjects and both genomics and proteomics.  An issue on “Women and Alcohol: An Update,” is at the printers.  

Alcohol Alert  The latest Alcohol Alert provides an update on underage drinking, its causes and consequences as well as research on prevention. 

Plain Language Awards  Two NIAAA staffers won 2002 NIH Plain Language Awards.  Dr. Jan Howard, Prevention Research Branch, Division of Clinical and Prevention Research, won for her contribution to a trans-NIH team-written document Points to Consider When Planning a Genetic Study That Involves Members of Named Populations.  Diane Miller, Scientific Communications Branch, Office of Scientific Affairs, won for Frequently Asked Questions About Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse.

New on the NIAAA Website:

• The newly revised 22-page Helping Patients with Alcohol Problems: A Health Practitioner’s Guide and the accompanying 4x4 inch pocket guide with the screening and intervention algorithm and a standard drink chart.  
• The two new pamphlets described above:  A Family History of Alcoholism—Are You at Risk? and Harmful Interactions: Mixing Alcohol with Medicines
• The 33-page booklet, Alcohol & AIDS: A Guide to Research Issues and Opportunities.
• A new set of Web pages consolidating information about AIDS-related research.  Visitors can now access RFA’s, publications, contact information, and links to additional resources. 
• Work is underway to revise the organization and labeling of information in screen layouts on the NIAAA website in response to usability testing conducted by UserWorks, Inc. 

Updates on Key Programs 

COMBINE  Recruitment for this multisite cooperative agreement is almost complete, with the remaining patients to be entered by September making a full cohort of over 1250 patients.  Patient follow-up will be completed over the next year, with outcome analyses beginning in 2004.  At the May 1, 2003, meeting of the Data Safety and Monitoring Board, the members reviewed the conduct of the trial and the safety monitoring report, and endorsed the continuation of the trial.  Three major publications are in press that report on two pilot studies, and summarize the rationale and methods of the study.  In preparation are manuals on the two behavioral interventions used in the trial, as well as more detailed methodologic reports.  The project officer for COMBINE is Dr. Raye Litten, and the staff collaborator is Dr. Margaret E. Mattson, both of the Treatment Research Branch, Division of Clinical and Prevention Research.

Advances/Significant Papers

The following are examples of recent papers by NIAAA staff and grantees. 

Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research

Immunology and Hepatitis   An intramural team led by Dr. Bin Gao reported findings that provide a detailed picture of the interplay of immune cells and cytokines—cellular messengers—involved in a much-studied but not yet fully understood mouse model of hepatitis.  Injection of the plant protein Con A into mice induces liver damage by setting off a chain of immune cell activity and cytokine release.  In defining the steps in this cascade, these investigators found that a central feature is the activation and mutual inhibition of two cytokine-induced signaling proteins, STAT1 and STAT3.  STAT1 induces liver cell death, while STAT 3 protects against liver injury.  An understanding of the immune mechanisms involved in this form of liver damage—which shares key features with human disease—should provide clues to treatment approaches through manipulating these immune responses.  The report was mentioned in an editorial highlight in the same journal issue.  (Hong, F. et al, Journal of Clinical Investigation 110(10):1503-13, 2003) 

Cannabinoid Receptor  Research on cannabinoids and the mechanisms of their psychoactive and physiologic effects has wide-ranging implications.  There is therapeutic potential, for example, in their ability to lower blood pressure.  Another paper by intramural scientists in Dr. George Kunos’ lab reported evidence that supports the existence in vascular lining of a cannabinoid receptor that is distinct from the two previously identified receptors, CB1 and CB2.  Identification of this receptor provides a more complete picture of the mechanism by which the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide acts on blood vessel walls.  An editorial in the same journal issue details the significance of this finding.  (Offertáler, L. et al, Molecular Pharmacology 63(3):699-705, 2003)

Genotype Influences Response to Pain  Individual variation in response to pain is genetically influenced and helps shape susceptibility to psychiatric and other complex diseases, including alcoholism.  Researchers in Dr. David Goldman’s lab have linked a common genetic variation in a major brain enzyme to susceptibility to pain.  The enzyme metabolizes the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine.  Individuals with a variation that results in a less efficient form of the enzyme—about 16 percent of the population—are more susceptible to pain.  NIAAA issued a press release on this advance February 20 and it was the subject of a capsule on health agency science in JAMA (vol. 289, p. 1368).  (Zubieta, J.-K., et al, Science 299:1240-1243, 2003) 

Genotype and Anxiety in Women  Drs. Mary-Anne Enoch and David Goldman and colleagues on NIAAA’s intramural staff also found that the same genetic enzyme variant discussed in the previous advance appears to influence anxiety in women.  Women from two disparate populations—but not men—in the study who had the enzyme variant scored higher on measures of anxiety, and exhibited an EEG pattern associated with anxiety disorders and alcoholism.  NIAAA issued a press release on March 1 on this finding.  (Enoch, M.A., et al, Psychiatric Genetics 113:33-41, 2003)

Defective Membrane Repair  Comparison of mice with and without a functioning gene for dysferlin—a protein in which mutations are known to cause two forms of muscular dystrophy—demonstrated that these muscle diseases can result from a disruption in the mechanism that enables repair of the membrane surrounding muscle fibers.  Insight into the cause of these muscle-wasting diseases may offer avenues for future therapy.  This paper, on which intramural scientist Dr. Steven Vogel was a coauthor along with scientists at several collaborating centers, appeared in the journal Nature with an accompanying commentary in the same issue.  The cover of the issue featured a photograph from this research.  (Bansal, D. et al, Nature 432:168-172, 2003)

Division of Biometry and Epidemiology

Prevalence of DSM-IV Alcohol Use  This study, by NIAAA’s Dr. Barbara Smothers and colleagues, provides the first prevalence estimates of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), alcohol use disorders based on a structured, diagnostic instrument administered to a national sample of U.S. general hospital admissions.  The prevalence of alcohol abuse or dependence in current-drinking admissions was substantial (24.0 percent), suggesting that hospitalization offers a unique opportunity to identify alcohol use disorders.  (Smothers, B.A., et al, Archives of Internal Medicine 163(6):713-9, 2003)

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Dementia  In a recent issue of JAMA, NIAAA grantees led by Dr. Kenneth Mukamal at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center in Boston reported on the results of their investigation of how alcohol consumption affects the incidence of dementia. This was a nested case-control study of 373 cases with incident dementia and 373 controls, who participated in the Cardiovascular Health Study, a prospective, population-based cohort study of 5,888 adults 65 years and older in 4 U.S. communities.  Compared with abstention, consumption of 1 to 6 drinks a week was associated with a lower risk of incident dementia.  Heavier alcohol consumption (7 or more drinks) may be associated with increased risk particularly among men and those with an apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele.  The results were similar for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.  (Mukamal, K.J., et al, Journal of the American Medical Association 289(11):1405-1413, 2003)

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Young Adult Drinking  This study evaluated prenatal alcohol exposure as a risk factor for the development of alcohol problems in offspring of mothers who consumed alcohol while pregnant.  Dr. Ann Streissguth at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and colleagues found that prenatal alcohol exposure is significantly associated with alcohol problems at 21 years of age and that the relationship is independent of family history of alcohol problems, nicotine exposure, other prenatal exposures, and postnatal environmental factors including parental use of other drugs. (Baer, J.S., et al, Archives of General Psychiatry: 60(4):377-85, 2003)

Definitions of Alcohol Relapse   This study compared four operational definitions of alcohol relapse in a clinical sample of adolescents. The results showed that relapse definitions make a difference in estimates of rates (range 50% to 74%) and times to first relapse (range 26 to 90 days). The authors, Dr. Steve Maisto at Syracuse University and colleagues, also found that the occurrence of at least one relapse is predictive of later functioning in a clinical sample of adolescents.  (Maisto, S.A., et al, Addictive Behaviors 28(3):449-59, 2003)

Division of Basic Research

Growth Factors and Neuronal Cell Survival   Alcohol-induced neuronal cell death, which is linked to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), varies in severity among brain regions and neuronal populations within these regions.  These researchers, led by Dr. Daniel Bonthius at the University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City, examined the cell survival promoting characteristics of several growth factors in a well characterized in vitro model.  The study demonstrated that these factors differ in the mechanisms by which they promote cell survival and their reliance on a specific pathway involving nitric oxide (NO), an intracellular chemical mediator.  The NO signaling pathway plays a critical role during brain development in neuroprotection against ethanol involving several growth factors.  An understanding of these growth factors offers insight into the development of, and possible therapeutic targets for, FAS.  (Bonthius, D.J., et al,  Developmental Brain Research 140(1):15-28, 2003)

Neural Systems and Alcohol Use   To develop treatments for alcoholism, it is important to identify neural systems underlying pathological patterns of alcohol use.  The present study confirmed the importance of a specific brain structure—the Edinger-Westphal (EW) nucleus—and its major forebrain projection site, the lateral septum, in alcohol preference.  Earlier studies by this team revealed that voluntary and involuntary alcohol administration induced neuronal stimulation in cells of the EW nucleus.  These EW cells contain the neuropeptide urocortin, which is structurally and functionally similar to the stress hormone, corticotrophin releasing factor.  Alcohol preferring mice had higher urocortin immunoreactivity in the EW and more urocortin-postive lateral septum processes than alcohol avoiding mice.  Alcohol preference in offspring of crosses of a high and low alcohol preferring strain was positively correlated with urocortin immunoreactivity.  This work, led by Drs. Tamara Phillips and Andrey Ryabinin at the Oregon Health and Science University and Portland Alcohol Research Center,  illustrates the successful use of neuronal mapping techniques to identify new mechanisms of alcohol preference which may be eventually lead to the development of medications for alcohol abuse. (Bachtell, R.K., et al, The Journal of Neuroscience 23(6):2477-87, 2003)

Genetic Imprinting and Risk for Alcohol Dependence  Alcohol enhances the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.  In this study, investigators with NIAAA's Collaborative Study on Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) demonstrated that the GABAA receptor genes α5 and β3 are associated with alcohol dependence.  It has been shown previously that these two GABAA receptor genes were expressed exclusively from the paternal chromosome 15.  These findings suggest that the association between GABAA receptor genes and alcohol dependence is modulated by genetic imprinting--a phenomenon in which a gene may be expressed differently in offspring depending on whether it was inherited from the father or mother.  (Song, J., et al, American Journal of Medical Genetics 117B(1):39-45, 2003)

Gene May Contribute to Alcohol Preference  Animal models provide an important means of searching for genes related to alcoholism.  Scientists at the Indiana University Alcohol Research Center reported on the identification of a gene that is differentially expressed in brain regions of inbred alcohol-preferring (iP) and nonpreferring (iNP) rats.  The a–synuclein gene was found to be within a region on chromosome 4 that has been identified as a quantitative trait locus, a chromosomal site associated with alcohol consumption.  These results suggest that α-synuclein--which has been shown to be involved in neurotransmission--may contribute to alcohol preference in the iP rates.  (Liang, T., et al, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A. 100(8):4690-5, 2003)

Division of Clinical and Prevention Research

Preventing Underage Drinking   A major paper by Dr. Cheryl Perry and colleagues at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health on the long-term outcomes of Project Northland received the Douglas Leathar Award for best paper in 2002 in the journal Health Education Research.   Project Northland was a multi-site randomized trial to test a comprehensive intervention to prevent underage drinking in a single cohort of students, beginning in grade six and continuing through high school.  This paper compared intervention and control group drinking across three distinct project periods: grades six through eight when intervention activities were underway; grades nine and ten during which there was little intervention; and grades 11 and 12 when intervention activities were resumed.  Growth rates for a composite measure of alcohol use and intention to use and for drinking five or more drinks on a single occasion were lower in the intervention communities during phase 1; higher during the interim period when intervention activities ceased; and lower again during phase 2 when intervention activities resumed.  This study highlights the importance of continuing intervention activities beyond middle school and demonstrates that drinking by high school students is not intractable. (Perry, C.L. et al, Health Education Research 17:117-132, 2002)

AUDIT Validation  In this study, by Dr. Katharine Bradley and colleagues, at the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, a standard and a gender specific version of AUDIT-C—a diagnostic instrument using questions 1 through 3 of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test or AUDIT—both proved to be effective screening tests for identifying cases of females engaged in risky drinking behavior.  Both instruments exhibited high sensitivity and high specificity.  Moreover, a single gender-specific question about binge drinking (modified AUDIT question 3) exhibited moderate sensitivity and very high specificity in identifying cases.  These findings are salient for general medical practice because the low sensitivity of other commonly-used alcohol screening tests among women probably contributes to the lower rate at which alcohol abusing women are successfully identified in brief screening episodes, compared to men.  (Bradley, K., et al, Archives of Internal Medicine 163(7):821-829, 2003)   

Problems Associated with Early Drinking  These authors, led by Dr. Phyllis Ellickson at RAND in Santa Monica, California,  compared adolescent non-drinkers, experimenters, and drinkers on their respective rates of problem behavior outcomes over a ten-year period, at grades 7 and 12 and at age 23 using data from a longitudinal survey of more than 6,500 persons initially recruited as seventh graders in 1985 from 30 schools in California and Oregon representing a wide range of socioeconomic status and racial and ethnic composition.  By grade 12 adolescent who had been drinkers in grade 7 were 2.5 times more likely to be weekly or binge drinkers, 2 to 3.5 times more likely to engage in criminal behavior, and 1.5 to 2 times more likely to experience early parenthood and pregnancy than non-drinkers; experimenters also exhibited elevated prevalence rates of such behaviors compared to non-drinkers.  At age 23, early drinkers were 2.7 times more likely to be daily smokers, 2 to 3 times more likely to have been arrested, and 2 to 3 times more likely to engage in hard or polydrug use or to have received drug or alcohol treatment since age 18.  The authors concluded that “early drinkers do not necessarily mature out of a problematic lifestyle as young adults.”  (Ellickson, P.L., et al, Pediatrics 111(5):949-955, 2003)

Staff Transitions/Awards

Office of Collaborative Research

Angelica Maria Rubio will be working as a summer intern for the Office of Collaborative Research through the Summer Minority Internship program coordinated by NIH’s National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities.  Ms. Rubio will be assisting Dr. Judith Arroyo in compiling a bibliography of Hispanic alcohol related research, following up a recommendation by participants in the June 2002 NIAAA-sponsored Workshop on Treatment Research Priorities and Health Disparities.  She completed her undergraduate degree at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM, majoring in political science with an emphasis on U.S./Mexican relations.  She has worked as an intern in the Washington, DC office of Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and, since graduation, for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. 

Division of Clinical and Prevention Research

Katherine Harris, Ph.D., of the Health Services Research Branch has left NIAAA to join the staff of the Office of Applied Studies at SAMHSA.

Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research

Steven S. Vogel, Ph.D., was appointed as an Investigator, Tenure-Track, and Chief, Section on Cellular Biophotonics, Laboratory of Molecular Physiology (LMP).  As Chief, Section on Cellular Biophotonics, LMP, his goal will be to develop a research program focused on understanding basic mechanisms of signal transduction and synaptic physiology.  Prior to joining LMP (1997-2003), Dr. Vogel held the post of Associate Professor (tenured 2002), Department of Medicine and Director, Cell Imaging Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia. 

The John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation has renewed its grant in support of the research of Richard L. Veech, M.D., for two years, at a funding level of $314,250. The original two-year grant, awarded in 2001 and totaling $301,900, was to support research on novel therapeutic approaches in neurodegenerative diseases.  This is a prestigious funding source and a substantial grant, recognizing very promising and important research findings.  

Srinagesh V. Koushik, Ph.D., was appointed as a Research Fellow in the Section on Cellular Biophotonics, LMP.  Dr. Koushik received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Georgia, Athens.  Subsequently, Dr. Koushik served in two post-doctoral fellowships at the Institute of Molecular Medicine & Genetics, University of Georgia.  In LMP, Dr. Koushik will be involved in conducting research on the molecular signaling pathways that couple exocytosis and compensatory endocytotic membrane retrieval. 

Abdolreza Momenan, D.Sc.E.E., was appointed as a staff scientist in the Section on Brain Electrophysiology and Imaging, Laboratory of Clinical Studies (LCS).  Dr. Momenan received his doctorate in electrical engineering from George Washington University, Washington, DC.  After serving as a postdoctoral fellow in LCS from March 1990 to April 1991, Dr. Momenan founded MedData Research, Inc., which was involved in the development and implementation of imaging processing algorithms and data analysis.  During his appointment as a staff scientist in LCS, Dr. Momenan will support the long-term research program of Dr. Daniel Hommer, Senior Investigator, BEI. 

Melanie L. Schwandt, Ph.D., was appointed as a postdoctoral Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Fellow (02/10/03–02/09/05) in the Primate Unit, Section of Neurochemistry & Neurophysiology, LCS.  Dr. Schwandt received her Ph.D. in physical anthropology from Arizona State University.  Prior to joining LCS, Dr. Schwandt served as Senior Research Assistant (1999-2003), Primate Foundation of Arizona.  During this fellowship, Dr. Schwandt will be taught the requisite skills for assessing rhesus macaque CNS serotonin function, social behavior, and psychopathology with the aim of conducting research that attempts to link nonhuman primate behavioral differences with interindividual CNS serotonin function, alcohol consumption, and impaired impulse control.

Patricia Ortiz-San Miguel, Post-Baccalaureate Intramural Research & Training Award Fellow, has been selected to participate in the Neuroscience Ph.D. Program of the NIH-Karolinska Institute (KI) commencing fall 2003.  This program provides the opportunity for graduate students from both the United States and Sweden to divide their training for a doctoral degree between the two participating institutes thereby broadening their scientific experience.  Students are selected based on academic excellence, sophistication of their scientific background, research experience, and commitment to research.  The Karolinska Institute will grant the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree upon program completion. 

Christopher Thaler, Ph.D., was appointed as a postdoctoral IRTA Fellow in the Section on Cellular Biophotonics, LPM.  Dr. Thaler received his Ph.D. in neurobiology and behavior from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.  Subsequently (2000-03), Dr. Thaler served as a Post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, where he studied two splice isoforms of the N-type Ca channel expressed in the nervous system but that differ in the II-III intracellular linker.  During this fellowship, Dr. Thaler’s research will focus on molecular signaling pathways that couple exocytosis and compensatory endocytotic membrane retrieval. 

Advisory Committee Appointments

Four new members have joined NIAAA’s Board of Scientific Counselors, which advises NIH and NIAAA on the intramural research program:

John W. Commissiong, Ph.D. (2003 - 2007)
President and Chief Scientific Officer
Laboratory of Cell Biology
Prescient NeuroPharma, Inc.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Kathleen A. Grant, Ph.D. (2003 - 2006)
Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 

Patricia E. Molina, M.D., Ph.D. (2003 - 2006)
Associate Professor
Department of Physiology
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans

James M. Ntambi, Ph.D.  (2003 - 2007)
Professor of Biochemistry and Nutritional Sciences
University of Wisconsin, Madison

New RFA’s/PA’s

Treatment of Adolescents with Alcohol Use Disorders (PA-03-88)  This program announcement seeks research grant applications designed to further develop, assess, and improve the efficacy of behavioral and pharmacological treatments for adolescents with alcohol use disorders (AUDs).  The PA is available at the following website: https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090506042246/http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-088.html.

Epidemiology of Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-Related Problems in Older Persons (PA-03-061)  NIAAA and the National Institute on Aging are inviting applications for research aimed at studying patterns of alcohol consumption in older populations and the distribution and risk and protective factors for alcohol-related problems, elucidating disparities among racial/ethnic groups with respect to alcohol consumption among older persons.  More information is available at https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090506042246/http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-061.html.

Multidisciplinary Research on Children Exposed to Violence (PAR-03-096)  Several NIH components and other Federal agencies joined in issuing this program announcement seeking research grant applications that will enhance our understanding of children exposed to domestic and community violence, war, and terrorism.  More information is available at https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090506042246/http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-03-096.html.


What's Ahead

Executive Function: Current Knowledge and Future Research Opportunities  NIAAA will co-sponsor this 2 ½ day symposium with other NIH institutes at the annual meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, New York City, New York, June 15-17, 2003.  Contact:  Dr. Ellen Witt, 301-443-6545, ewitt@willco.niaaa.nih.gov.

High-Throughput Proteomics for Alcohol Research  NIAAA is sponsoring this symposium on June 21 in connection with this year’s Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  Contact:  Dr. Lisa Neuhold, 301-443-4344, lneuhold@willco.niaaa.nih.gov. 

Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS)  NIAAA’s APIS will be formally presented to the scientific community at RSA on June 22.  APIS will provide researchers and others with authoritative, detailed, and comparable information on a wide range of alcohol-related laws and regulations, in all the States and at the national level, on both a cross-sectional and longitudinal basis.  Contact:  Gregory Bloss, 301-443-3865, gbloss@niaaa.nih.gov.

Research-to-Practice Forum  NIAAA is presenting the forum “Treating Your Clients’ Alcohol Problems:  Lessons from the Latest Research” June 21 in Fort Lauderdale, just before the RSA meeting.  Contact:  Dr. Harold Perl, 301-443-0788, hperl@willco.niaaa.nih.gov. 

Prepared: July 2003