Volume 5, Issue 3 is Now Available!

Spectrum Newsletter

NIAAA Spectrum is an online "Webzine" published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It features the latest news from the alcohol research field, storytelling graphics, and interviews with NIAAA staff and researchers from the field. The latest issue is now available. The full table of contents is presented below.

In This Issue

What is Epidemiology Anyway, and What Is It Good For?

How does the flu work its way through a population, sometimes reaching epidemic levels? Why do some members of a community or family succumb to certain diseases, whereas others do not? These are public health questions that epidemiologists try to answer every day. More...

Gene Combinations Help Predict Treatment Success for Alcoholism Medication

Ondansetron is a medication currently used to treat nausea and vomiting, often following chemotherapy. Recent evidence shows that this medication also may help to treat alcoholism, particularly in people with a specific combination of genes. More...

News from the Field

Disrupting Drinking Memories May Help Prevent Relapse

Scientists have identified pathways in the brain involved in forming harmful habits, such as an addiction to alcohol.

3-D Image Analysis Promises to Improve Detection of Children Affected by Prenatal Alcohol

A worldwide scientific collaboration has led to a new tool for identifying children at risk for disorders caused by drinking during pregnancy.

Chronic Alcohol Use Shifts Brain’s Control of Behavior

Mice given prolonged exposure to alcohol tend to rely on habits to guide their behavior rather than using more complex memory and learning. This shift in how decisions are made has implications for humans as well.

New Insight on How the Brain Forms Habits

Scientists have identified pathways in the brain involved in forming harmful habits, such as an addiction to alcohol.

By The Numbers

The Importance of Being Trendy

New annual estimates on underage drinking will soon be available. The Monitoring the Future survey gives researchers an important tool for measuring trends in alcohol use over many years.