Alcohol abuse, alcohol intolerance, alcohol dependence and other alcohol-related disabilities are some of the most challenging public health problems facing our modern-day society. The purpose of this comprehensive monograph is to review the available knowledge concerning the pharmacogenetic basis of alcohol sensitivity and its physiolgical implications and to synthesize the bulk of existing knowledge regarding metabolic features and biomedical disturbances related to alcoholism. The chapters cover a broad array of disciplines including an overview of historical and epidemiological aspects, biochemistry and molecular genetics of enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism, biochemical and neuropsychopharmacological effects of alcohol. Major emphasis is placed on the role of genetic factors in alcoholism. The experimental details are summarized and a comprehensive bibliography is included.

The report provides an overview of alcohol consumption and harms in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Chapter 1) presents global strategies action plans and monitoring frameworks (Chapter 2) gives detailed information on: the consumption of alcohol in populations (Chapter 3); the health consequences of alcohol consumption (Chapter 4); and policy responses at national level (Chapter 5). In its final chapter 6 the imperative for reducing harmful use of alcohol in a public health perspective is presented. In addition the report contains country profiles for WHO Member States and appendices with statistical annexes a description of the data sources and methods used to produce the estimates and references.

Since 1982, our ever-expanding group of investigators has been meeting in exotic parts of the world to discuss aspects of three enzyme systems. The 1996 meeting was no exception. Nearly 90 scientists from 15 countries met in the small city of Deadwood, South Dakota, for four days of stimulating talks and posters and incredible scenery. Once more this meeting reflected the changing trends in biochemical research. At the 1982 meeting most of the speakers discussed isolating new enzymes and trying to characterize them. At this meeting many speakers discussed interpretations of three-dimensional struc ture or regulatory elements of the genes controlling for the tissue-specific expression of the enzyme. Hopefully, readers will find the proceedings of the meeting to be of interest. Though they reflects the scientific information that was presented at the meeting, they do not indicate the level of personal interactions that went on during the meeting. Once again, the willingness of the participants to discuss unpublished data and to share thoughts about the future directions of their research helped make this, like our previous seven meetings, a special scientific experience for those who attended.

Psychology of Health - Biopsychosocial Approach is based on the bio-psychosocial model of health, which aims to examine how biological, psychological, and social factors influence people's behavior regarding their health status. This book reflects the application of the bio-psychosocial model of health in many disciplines such as public health, psychology, psychiatric, mental health, community health, and nursing education. All the authors of this book have demonstrated how the bio-psychosocial model played an important role in addressing mental disease, tuberculosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obesity. This is an important book for students, academics, policy-makers, and community health practitioners.

This book presents state-of-the-art, accessible reviews of the science of alcohol treatment and guidance for the management of clinical situations.

This volume provides an in-depth look at the genetic influences that contribute to the development of alcoholism. Part I: Epidemiologic Studies contains five chapters that examine the various approaches employed in the study of the genetics of alcoholism. It provides a historical perspective and details all the essentials of this subject. Part II: Selective Breeding Studies highlights the results of research involving the selective breeding of rodents. This type of research has produced homogenous strains exhibiting specific behavioral responses considered significant in the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence. The studies presented in Part III: Phenotypic Studies investigate and analyze phenotypic markers that serve as correlates to the genotypic determinants of alcoholism. Through its broad scope, this volume provides for the first time a panoramic view of the knowledge available on the hereditary influences of alcoholism.

Most of us eat (or incorporate into our bodies) quite a bit of stuff that does not look, act or function even remotely like us. Unless our food mysteriously disappears inside of us, this must mean we change its molecular structure in some way. In fact, we are constantly modifying our molecules through chemical reactions, which together constitute our Metabolism. At any given moment, we transform (metabolize) millions of molecules within our bodies, building new ones, breaking down others, and exchanging them with the world around us. Metabolism is much more than the reason you gain weight when you overeat, it is a process that is so central for life that it defines what a living being is. We will explore what metabolism is, how these chemical reactions that constitute Metabolism are organized and how they are regulated (including the effects of hormones). We will follow the transformations of each type of nutrient (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) within our bodies and cells, from the mouth, through our intestines and then within the different organs in our body. We will discuss metabolic and evolutionary reasons why so many people today struggle with excessive weight gain, and why some (rarer) people find it hard to gain weight, even when eating large amounts. We will also discuss changes in metabolism with diseases such as diabetes and heart attack, as well as conditions such as exercise and aging.

This is a comprehensive review of the pharmacological effects of alcohol and the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of alcoholism. The book draws on general pharmacology, neuropharmacology, and alcohol studies to explore its theme. The second volume in the ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLISM series, it focuses on the pharmacologic mechanisms underlying the development of alcoholism. The first section on basic pharmacology is concerned with those aspects that are common to all of alcohol's effects. These include pharmacokinetics, general metabolism, and cross-tolerance. The second section on neuropharmacology describes the effects of alcohol on various brain functions, including circulation and metabolism. The third section provides an in-depth review of the neurobiology of physical dependence, withdrawal, and physiological tolerance. The book as a whole gives a comprehensive and authoritative picture of the complex pharmacologic actions of alcohol, particularly on the nervous system. For clinicians and researchers in the field of alcohol and alcoholism, it will serve as a fundamental reference.

Covers neurophysioligcal and psychological effects of alcohol on man. Includes extensive bibliographies covering the literature from 1920 through 1970.

A comprehensive, up-to-date resource providing information about genetic influences on disorders of behavior.