Researchers led by Karen Ersche of the Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute at Cambridge University in Britain studied pairs of biological siblings – one an addict, the other with no history of alcohol or drug abuse – and compared the brains of both siblings with the brains of other healthy people.

The results of the study indicated that addicted and non-addicted siblings shared abnormalities in the parts of the brain that are associated with controlling behavior, called the fronto-striatal systems. Ersche shared: “It has long been known that not everyone who takes drugs becomes addicted, and that people at risk of drug dependence typically have deficits in self-control… Our findings now shed light on why the risk of becoming addicted to drugs is increased in people with a family history:… Parts of their brains underlying self-control abilities work less efficiently.”

The next step, Ersche shared, is to conduct further studies on how the siblings who did not have problems with substance abuse overcome their abnormality. This will provide scientists with a better understanding into what protects these siblings from substance abuse, despite their abnormalities, and may contribute to the development of more effective therapies to combat addiction.

Paul Keedwell, a consultant psychiatrist at Cardiff University, who was not involved in the research, shared: “If we could get a handle on what makes unaffected relatives of addicts so resilient we might be able to prevent a lot of addiction from taking hold.”

The results of Ersche’s study were published in the journal Science.

The Coalition is one of 22 organizations based in Ohio to receive such a grant, which is given out in order to bring down the number of teen alcohol parties hosted by parents. Over the past 20 years, the Coalition for a Drug-free Clermont County has worked with the community to promote drug-free environments for the youth, and raise awareness regarding the angers of abusing alcohol and drugs.

The grant money will be used by the Coalition for education and awareness activities on drug and alcohol abuse in the spring, to coincide with the high school graduation and prom season.

The program “Parents Who Host Lose the Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking” was developed by Drug Free Action Alliance. The program, which is recognized nationwide, raises awareness among parents regarding the health and safety risks associated with underage drinking, as well as underage drinking laws in the state of Ohio. Serving as Honorary Chair for the program is college basketball commentator and former NBA superstar Clark Kellogg.

Funding for the “Parents Who Host Lose the Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking” program is available with support from the Ohio Department f Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, as well as the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Around 80 to 100 teens and their parents attended the activity. The event was held in response to the results of a recent Prevention Needs Assessment survey, which indicated that rates for alcohol abuse and binge drinking among Pelham teens surpassed the national average.

Characters in the documentary “American Teen” included a jock, beauty queen, geek, rebel, and heartthrob, and deals with the pressures that today’s American teens face, including alcohol and drug abuse, sexting, and bullying.

While the documentary was being shown, teens were give a questionnaire and encouraged to text their comments.

Daragh Murphy, JLP president, shared: “We did get lots of texts… I think it was a great way to communicate with the audience, certainly with a group of this age. They seemed to be all engaged in the interaction.” Murphy shared further that some of the text messages they received indicated that the teens felt that the movie was similar to life in Pelham.

After the screening, a question and answer session was held with PGC director Cheryl Bobe. The high school group “Kids Helping Kids” then performed a scene from their anti-bullying play. Bobe shared: “This was our first time doing something like this and we had tremendous participation from the kids… “I think they learned that they’re in a similar situation. They learned about what each other felt.”

As of Tuesday, there were 134 respondents to the survey which can be accessed at www.powaytownhall.com yielding results that suggest the need for the implementation of random drug testing among athletes, more effective crackdown on “party buses” which transport teens, and transparency on drug-related issues in school campuses.

According to Steve Vaus who initiated the community forum, respondents were given the following choices in answering questions to the online survey: absolutely, possibly, undecided, and no way. Comments were also welcomed along with their answers.

It was no surprise that 90% of those who took the survey favored drug testing for school athletes, 67% saying “absolutely” and 23% said “possibly.”

There were also 86% who said that they wanted to be informed about drug or alcohol offenses on campus, 75% saying “absolutely” and 11% choosing “possibly.”

With regards to “party buses,” 82% said they wanted to have a total ban on such vehicles that transport teens to events which often carry drugs and liquor too.

Interesting comments gathered from the online survey include one participant stating parents should stop allowing their kids to use their credit cards to reserve party buses. Others also added that they have not heard of reports of student arrests or anything about substance abuse from campuses.

Comments like “when kids get caught, don’t sweep it under the rug,” and “withhold names, but publish everything about arrests and anything/everything that has to do with substance abuse,” and “how about parents stop letting their kids use their credit cards to reserve party buses. Parents, step up and get tough,” only prove that people are concerned about issues affecting the youth.

Parents should be warned about this trend and they should be always on the lookout if their kids are into this type of situation. Recent studies from the American College Health Association have shown that 31% of students are already diagnosed for alcohol abuse and 6% are already alcohol dependents.

It has also been noted that most girls who drink have another reason for becoming victims of drunkorexia. Data results confirmed that 16% of women student drinkers have eating disorders and alcohol habits, in the hopes of losing more calories and shed the weight.

The dangers of alcohol abuse are very alarming, and combining them with eating disorders is a sure way of creating very disastrous conditions. The long-term and short-term effects of such habits could affect not only the physical development of a child but could very well hit the cognitive abilities of a student, which is often manifested through poor academic performance.

As high school is a highly stressful phase, drunkorexia can yield tragic results especially when body image and peer pressure are put on a spotlight. This is why it is very important to not only put a stop to alcohol, but to guide teens on how to cope with their problems and the stresses that they encounter.

Researchers were able to come up with the result by analyzing data gathered from women participants that consume alcohol. All other factors that affect breast cancer risks were taken into consideration, such as age, family history, diet, and smoking habits in the analysis of their findings.

Results showed that alcohol may have an independent and direct effect in developing breast cancer regardless of the other risk factors of the disease. Scientists though are still continuing their studies on the subject, incorporating lifestyle and personal characteristics in the relationship between alcohol and breast cancer.

Reports have also been noted as to the amount of alcohol consumed that could trigger risks of breast cancer in women. When a woman drinks at least 2 to 5 drinks in a day, breast cancer risks could increase by about 40% more compared to non-drinkers. This information is very vital as women with a family history of breast cancer, without considering the alcohol factor, already have increased risks of up to 50% for the disease.

The period when a woman started drinking is also considered in understanding risks of the deadly disease. It is said that drinking before the age of 30 can increase risks of breast cancer rather than present drinking habits. Yet there are some reports that also support current drinking patterns as the main reason why breast cancer risks dramatically go up.

Previous studies made on the same subject have presented figures of substance abuse among elders. In 2005, there were 184,400 individuals aged 50 and above placed under drug rehabilitation programs. Earlier in 2001, there were 143,000, which means an increase of roughly 8% in just a few years.

Below are some facts on elderly substance abuse we need to be familiar about:

1. Interventions are considered more of a necessity for elderly substance abuse cases. Senior citizens don’t often admit to having problems as they are afraid of what other people might say about them. This is why intervention should be done as early as possible for such cases.

2. The most common type of substance abuse at this level is alcohol abuse. Yet at present, the trend is increasing towards prescription drug abuse in this age group.

3. The bright side of it all is that when senior citizens are placed under rehab, they usually are more successful compared to other age groups. They are highly motivated to finish the program and they can easily adapt especially when the treatment program is designed for them.

4. Other types of drug abuse such as heroin or cocaine use seldom happens for senior citizens.

It is very important that elderly addicts be separated from their younger counterparts. There is a big difference between a younger addict and an elderly addict. Unlike younger people with substance abuse problems, senior citizens don’t behave as extreme as those of other age groups. They even prefer to be on a treatment program which gives them more time to be on their own rather than interacting with others on the same situation.

Binge drinking happens at least four times in a month for an average adult. Surprisingly, most binge drinkers are not alcoholics, but the government is still worried as this kind of habit may promote an increase in the number of alcohol-related incidents such as vehicular accidents and violence.

The CDC report attributes 80,000 deaths each year in the US alone due to alcohol, and losses reaching to $223.5 billion were recorded in 2006 for such incidents.

A binge drinker consumes four or more drinks in one sitting in less than two hours which is enough to shoot one’s blood-alcohol level way above the set legal limit.

Dr. Fulton Crews from the Center for Alcohol Studies at the University of North Carolina says most people are not aware of the harmful effects of binge drinking.

The new study puts young adults aged 18 to 34 with a household income of at least $75,000 annually as among the most common participants in binge drinking activities. Yet there are also people 65 years or older who also get into the habit and even consume more drinks than young adults do.

Dr. Mark Galanter from the New York University School of Medicine says that binge drinking paves the way for alcohol dependence among young people.

The study was conducted in 2010 with almost 50,000 Americans contacted by telephone and asked about their alcohol habits.

For those who have long been battling their addiction to alcohol, the American Psychiatric Association offers some useful tips on how to overcome such type of addiction. Getting over an alcohol addiction is never easy, and it could take some time before a person can be completely sober again.

The steps involved in the long-term treatment goals for alcohol abuse are very vital if an individual is serious in having a healthy life. The first treatment step is all about reducing alcohol intake, or if possible, the complete abstinence of alcohol by the addicted person. Once he distances himself with the substance, the better is his chances for recovery.

The next step — dealing with relapses — may prove to be the hardest part. This is why one must be ready for it. The last step is a person’s commitment to adopt a healthy lifestyle, including eating right and having enough exercise to get back in shape.

The steps mentioned are recommended by both doctors and nurses who are constantly helping alcoholics to get better. They may seem very hard at a glance, but they have been proven to be attainable by so many who were once alcohol-addicted but now lives free from the substance.

It is also ideal to seek the help of a personal doctor to be one’s guide in the journey to recovery. Situations may arise when a person in recovery will be thrust in an environment that entails alcohol, or when cravings simply attack, and so it is necessary to plan ahead on how to deal with such conditions.

It is true that quitting is hard, but admitting to having an alcohol problem may prove tougher. A new year’s resolution to quit the habit is a good way to start one’s path to a healthier life.

To talk about alcohol during the adolescent stages of children, parents can choose from among the many ways or approaches on how to deal with the subject, depending on where they can be most comfortable with.

It’s best to start by setting your expectations from your kids and explaining why you do so. Teenagers are very inquisitive, and telling them what to do and what not to do won’t be enough. You have got to have underlying reasons that will encourage them to follow the dos and discourage them from the don’ts. This is where family values play the greatest roles.

Remind your kids that not everything they see or hear about alcohol is true. Television ads can be very enticing and can make it hard for them to say no to alcoholic drinks. During their adolescent years, teens have the strongest desire to belong. This is what advertisers capitalize on to sell their products.

Share stories about drunk-driving teens and point out the consequences of these actions. If you have your own learning experiences to share to your kids, don’t be afraid to let them know about it because as a parent, you should be the first person to share important life lessons to them. You don’t need to do it regularly, but at least try to be consistent.

It pays to know your child’s circle of friends and their activities. Teens are often much attached to their peers that sometimes, this attitude could lead them to complicated situations. As the parent, it is your responsibility to keep your child safe, as well as his friends who also have concerned parents like you.