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Prenatal exposure to alcohol and its impact on reward processing and substance use in adulthood …this is the first study demonstrating that even moderate levels of alcohol drinking during pregnancy have long-lasting effects on brain function and risk of cannabis use in the offspring. Therefore, our study has critical implications for public health messaging on possible harms related to drinking during pregnancy.
Abstract: Heavy maternal alcohol drinking during pregnancy has been associated with altered neurodevelopment in the child but the effects of low-dose alcohol drinking are less clear and any potential safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy is not known. We evaluated the effects of prenatal alcohol on reward-related behavior and substance use in young adulthood and the potential sex differences therein…Maternal alcohol drinking was assessed during mid-pregnancy and pre-conception. Brain response to reward anticipation and reward feedback was measured using the Monetary Incentive Delay task and substance use in young adulthood was assessed using a self-report questionnaire. We showed that even a moderate exposure to alcohol in mid-pregnancy but not pre-conception was associated with robust effects on brain response to reward feedback (six frontal, one parietal, one temporal, and one occipital cluster) and with greater cannabis use in both men and women 30 years later. Moreover, mid-pregnancy but not pre-conception exposure to alcohol was associated with greater cannabis use in young adulthood and these effects were independent of maternal education and maternal depression during pregnancy. Further, the extent of cannabis use in the late 20 s was predicted by the brain response to reward feedback in three out of the nine prenatal alcohol-related clusters and these effects were independent of current alcohol use. Sex differences in the brain response to reward outcome emerged only during the no loss vs. loss contrast. Young adult men exposed to alcohol prenatally had significantly larger brain response to no loss vs. loss in the putamen and occipital region than women exposed to prenatal alcohol. Therefore, we conclude that even moderate exposure to alcohol prenatally has long-lasting effects on brain function during reward processing and risk of cannabis use in young adulthood.
Conclusions: Overall, our findings, based on 30 years’ worth of data on a prenatal birth cohort, suggest that even relatively moderate exposure to alcohol during pregnancy, a critical sensitive period for brain development, might alter neural reward processing in the offspring and contribute to the intergenerational transmission of risk for substance use disorders. This is the first prospective longitudinal study testing the impact of prenatal and pre-conception exposure to alcohol on brain response to reward processing and substance use in young adulthood. While a number of studies reported altered neurodevelopment and behavior in FASD, this is the first study demonstrating that even moderate levels of alcohol drinking during pregnancy have long-lasting effects on brain function and risk of cannabis use in the offspring. Therefore, our study has critical implications for public health messaging on possible harms related to drinking during pregnancy. (Sources: Translational Psychiatry (nature.com)
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Summary of key findings:
Universities and schools are being urged to join a growing movement in Ireland and the UK that seeks to drive out the alcohol industry from any influence on public health advice on alcohol use and harm.
A campaign in Ireland has led to educational programmes funded by the alcohol industry being removed from schools. But industry backed groups still provide alcohol education in UK schools, including a theatre group funded by alcohol giant Diageo – the Smashed program.
Universities are also targeted: Drinkaware, an alcohol industry front group funded by major alcohol producers and retailers, venues, and restaurant groups, funds freshers’ education materials, including a free cup to measure alcohol units.
The public health community is calling for an Ireland-style ban on materials by industry associated charities because they normalise alcohol use, are poorly evaluated, and take up space that otherwise could be filled by truly independent and more evidence-based initiatives.
Alcohol industry funded “education” programs do not treat alcohol as a harmful substance, normalise alcohol use, and take up space that otherwise could be filled by programs that do not cause harm and provide independent, evidence-based information.
Following Ireland’s lead
Ireland’s clear stance on removing the alcohol industry from schools and universities follows a campaign led by the Irish Community Action on Alcohol Network (ICAAN), set up in 2021 out of a collective desire to eradicate industry influence from education.
ICAAN wrote to 700 schools across Ireland asking for information about Drinkaware in Ireland’s education programme but received no replies. Neither teachers nor Drinkaware were able to provide programme materials for scrutiny by independent experts. The Department of Education in Ireland said it had not seen the resources or evaluated the programme.
- 15 000 Irish students had been through an alcohol industry funded, school based, education programme
- But parents had never seen the programme or been asked to give permission
The ICAAN campaign got Ireland’s prime minister and the Department of Education to issue a statement telling school principals not to allow Drinkaware into schools.
(Source: For complete article go to Movendi Science Digest)
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Macular Disease Foundation warns more than one drink a day can lead to vision loss
Aussies who consume more than one glass of wine or beer a day are putting themselves at serious risk of developing a debilitating disease. #alcoholawareness #soberinspiration
A couple of beers after work or a half-bottle of wine at dinner is a beloved Aussie tradition, but new findings from a leading eye vision organisation suggests that second glass of booze could put Australians at greater risk of suffering serious health issues.
The Macular Disease Foundation says consuming more than 12g of alcohol a day, which is less than one large glass of wine or a large beer, is linked to a larger risk of age-related macular degeneration or irreversible vision loss.
More than 1.5 million Australians are affected by AMD and the foundation led a systematic review of alcohol consumption, dietary patterns, food and nutritional supplements linked to the disease.
It found a second beer or wine had a “detrimental effect” on AMD and likely increased the probability of developing the disease.
Excessive alcohol intake can contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, the foundation states, which are believed propel the development and progression of AMD.
Macular Disease Foundation chief executive Kathy Chapman recommends consumers cut back on their booze intake.
“We know that cutting back on alcohol has many benefits, including reducing the risk of developing liver disease, high blood pressure, certain cancers, as well as positive effects like boosting mood, keeping a healthy weight and saving money,” she said.
“But what our review is telling us – and what many people don’t realise – are the significant benefits drinking less alcohol has on maintaining healthy eyes and lowering the risk of developing or progressing AMD.”
(for more Source: news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site)
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Heavy drinking is an important risk factor for depression and suicide…Reducing alcohol consumption (both total consumption as well as binge drinking) is arguably the most important modifiable way to promote cognitive and neurological health and prevent or reduce brain harms.
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FASD & Me – Teens Peer Mentoring Program: In an inspiring initiative that addresses the complex needs and celebrates the strengths of children and youth living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Adopt4Life has launched the bilingual program “FASD & Me: Strengthening My Community.” This innovative program is a beacon of hope and support for hundreds of families navigating the challenges of obtaining accurate diagnoses and developing strategies for long-term success for their children affected by FASD.