Browsing by Subject "alcohol"
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(2018)The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is located in the ventral striatum and plays a critical role in drug addiction. NAc receives dopaminergic projections from ventral tegmental area (VTA) which is activated after administration of various abused drugs. Activation of VTA increases the release of dopamine in NAc. Increased dopamine levels induce the release of acetylcholine from striatal cholinergic interneurons. These cholinergic interneurons have been related to the development of addiction and other emotion-related disorders such as depression. Previous studies have shown that a lesion of cholinergic interneurons led to an increase in morphine-induced conditioned place preference in mice. Moreover, an activation of cholinergic interneurons by designer receptors (DREADD) has reduced food consumption motivated by food restriction. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether accumbal cholinergic interneurons mediate alcohol- and morphine-induced conditioned place preference and locomotor activity. The activation of cholinergic interneurons was controlled using DREADD (Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs) technology. DREADDs are G protein-coupled receptors. Cellular function and activation can be modulated by these receptors. DREADDs are activated by an otherwise inert synthetic ligand, clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). Fluorescent protein, mCherry, is attached to DREADDs so that the expression of receptors in brain tissue can be observed. Cre-spesific adeno-associated viruses (AAV) with DREADD gene were injected bilaterally to the nucleus accumbens of ChATcre mice in stereotactic surgery. The effects of alcohol and morphine were tested with conditioned place preference procedure. Mice were divided to three groups after DREADDs: activating receptor Gq (n = 10), inhibiting receptor Gi (n = 9) and control mC (n = 9). There were both male and female mice in every group. Alcohol did not induce conditioned place preference in any group. The locomotor activity of mice significantly increased after alcohol injection compared to saline injection. However, cholinergic interneurons had no effect on the increased locomotor activity. Morphine-induced conditioned place preference was expressed in every group but there were no significant differences between DREADDs and control group when the first 15 minutes and the whole 30 minutes of the place preference test was analysed. Though, Gq-receptor seemed to decrease the place preference compared to control group when the place preference test was observed in five minute intervals. Morphine also significantly increased the locomotor activity of mice, but there were no differences between the groups. Sex had no influence on the place preference, but female mice were more active than male mice during the alcohol conditioning and the alcohol place preference test. The locomotor activity of female mice also increased more than the activity of male mice after morphine injection. The effect of accumbal cholinergic interneurons on alcohol-induced conditioned place preference remained unclear. Activation of cholinergic interneurons suppressed morphine-induced conditioned place preference compared to control group but not enough so that the effect could be seen during the whole place preference test. The mice were same in the morphine test as in the alcohol test so the mice were conditioned to alcohol before morphine and therefore the results of morphine-induced conditioned place preference are not reliable.
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(2020)Nucleus accumbens, located in ventral striatum, is an important part of the brain reward system. Accumbens integrates information coming from various brain areas, and it’s important for feeling pleasure, reward learning and reward seeking, including drugs of abuse. Cholinergic interneurons represent a few percent of accumbal cells. Earlier research suggests that accumbal cholinergic activity decreases drug seeking and eating. The aim of this study was to examine the role of cholinergic interneuron activity in alcohol drinking and alcohol related locomotor activity. Cholinergic interneurons (ChI) were manipulated using DREADDs (Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs), which can be selectively activated with clozapine-n-oxide (CNO). To express DREADDs selectively in ChIs, a cre-dependent viral vector that contained a gene coding for a cell-activating hM3D(Gq)-mCherry (n=9), cell-inhibiting hM4D(Gi)-mCherry (n=9), or control mCherry(n=8), was injected to nucleus accumbens of ChAT-cre- mice. Alcohol drinking was measured using Drinking In the Dark (DID)- model. Three hours after lights-out, the water bottles were replaced with 20% alcohol for two hours, for three days. On the fourth day, mice were injected with CNO or vehicle and alcohol was given for four hours. These cycles were repeated six times. In the locomotor assay, mice were injected with CNO or vehicle, followed by injection of alcohol or saline. Locomotor activity of the mice was observed for 30 minutes. In the DID- assay, the DREADD ligand CNO did not have effects on alcohol drinking within any of the three groups. However, Gi- mice drank more alcohol than Gq-mice even without the presence of CNO. These results are not reliable enough to draw conclusions, as they were confounded by unusually low drinking volumes. In the locomotor assay, CNO alone did not affect locomotion in any group. Together with alcohol, however, CNO decreased locomotion in all three groups, compared to alcohol alone. This is consistent with recent reports suggesting that CNO may have nonspecific behavioral effects.
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(2022)Akuutti haimatulehdus on tavallinen sairaus kirurgian päivystyksessä akuutti vatsa -potilailla. Haimatulehduksen etiologian määrittämisellä on tärkeä rooli toisaalta mahdollisesti tarvittavien hoitotoimenpiteiden valitsemisessa, mutta ennen kaikkea uusiutumisen estossa. Yleisimmät etiologiset tekijät akuutin pankreatiitin taustalla ovat alkoholin liiallinen käyttö sekä sappikivitauti. Harvinaisempia aiheuttajia ovat haiman tai haimatiehyen mekaaninen ärsytys toimenpiteen seurauksena, hypertriglyseridemia, autoimmuunitulehdus sekä tietyt lääkeaineet. Osassa tapauksista aiheuttajaa ei löydetä ja nämä jäävät ns. idiopaattisiksi. Teimme retrospektiivisen katsauksen Helsingin Yliopistolliseen sairaalaan kuuluvassa Meilahden sairaalassa vuosina 2016-2018 hoidetuista akuuttiin pankreatiittiin sairastuneista potilaista. Tarkoituksenamme oli selvittää akuutin haimatulehduksen tämänhetkinen ilmaantuvuus sekä mahdolliset muutokset haimatulehdusten etiologiajakaumassa. Lisäksi arvioimme tarkasteltavina olleiden suureiden mahdollista osuutta altistavina tekijöinä akuuttiin haimatulehdukseen sairastumiselle. Arvioitavia suureita olivat potilaiden ikä, sukupuoli, tupakointihistoria, alkoholinkäyttö, BMI sekä veren hyytymistä estävän lääkityksen käyttö. Tarkistimme myös potilaiden elossaolotiedot sekä selvitimme ilmenneet haimasyöpätapaukset akuuttiin pankreatiittiin sairastaneilla potilailla. Akuutin pankreatiitin insidenssi oli matalampi kuin aiemmissa suomalaisissa tutkimuksissa. Alkoholipankreatiittien osuus oli vähentynyt, mutta oli edelleen korkeampi kuin muissa Pohjoismaissa. Sappipankreatiittien osuus oli noussut. Idiopaattisiksi jääneissä ja alkoholin aiheuttamissa tapauksissa tupakointi esittäytyi merkittävänä riskitekijänä. Idiopaattisissa tapauksissa myös antikoagulanttien käyttö oli mahdollinen haimatulehduksen riskitekijä. Obesiteetti vaikutti olevan merkittävä riskitekijä sekä idiopaattiselle että sappikivitaudin aiheuttamalle pankreatiitille.
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(2022)Akuutti haimatulehdus on tavallinen sairaus kirurgian päivystyksessä akuutti vatsa -potilailla. Haimatulehduksen etiologian määrittämisellä on tärkeä rooli toisaalta mahdollisesti tarvittavien hoitotoimenpiteiden valitsemisessa, mutta ennen kaikkea uusiutumisen estossa. Yleisimmät etiologiset tekijät akuutin pankreatiitin taustalla ovat alkoholin liiallinen käyttö sekä sappikivitauti. Harvinaisempia aiheuttajia ovat haiman tai haimatiehyen mekaaninen ärsytys toimenpiteen seurauksena, hypertriglyseridemia, autoimmuunitulehdus sekä tietyt lääkeaineet. Osassa tapauksista aiheuttajaa ei löydetä ja nämä jäävät ns. idiopaattisiksi. Teimme retrospektiivisen katsauksen Helsingin Yliopistolliseen sairaalaan kuuluvassa Meilahden sairaalassa vuosina 2016-2018 hoidetuista akuuttiin pankreatiittiin sairastuneista potilaista. Tarkoituksenamme oli selvittää akuutin haimatulehduksen tämänhetkinen ilmaantuvuus sekä mahdolliset muutokset haimatulehdusten etiologiajakaumassa. Lisäksi arvioimme tarkasteltavina olleiden suureiden mahdollista osuutta altistavina tekijöinä akuuttiin haimatulehdukseen sairastumiselle. Arvioitavia suureita olivat potilaiden ikä, sukupuoli, tupakointihistoria, alkoholinkäyttö, BMI sekä veren hyytymistä estävän lääkityksen käyttö. Tarkistimme myös potilaiden elossaolotiedot sekä selvitimme ilmenneet haimasyöpätapaukset akuuttiin pankreatiittiin sairastaneilla potilailla. Akuutin pankreatiitin insidenssi oli matalampi kuin aiemmissa suomalaisissa tutkimuksissa. Alkoholipankreatiittien osuus oli vähentynyt, mutta oli edelleen korkeampi kuin muissa Pohjoismaissa. Sappipankreatiittien osuus oli noussut. Idiopaattisiksi jääneissä ja alkoholin aiheuttamissa tapauksissa tupakointi esittäytyi merkittävänä riskitekijänä. Idiopaattisissa tapauksissa myös antikoagulanttien käyttö oli mahdollinen haimatulehduksen riskitekijä. Obesiteetti vaikutti olevan merkittävä riskitekijä sekä idiopaattiselle että sappikivitaudin aiheuttamalle pankreatiitille.
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Alcohol Consumption and Abstinence in Finnish Generations : The Older Finnish Twin Cohort 1975–2011 (2017)There has been a steady increase in alcohol consumption in Finland since the 1969 law reform, which allowed convenience stores to sell mild alcoholic beverages such as beer. Since then, the yearly consumption has increased from 3.6 liters in 1968 to 10.8 liters of pure alcohol per capita in 2016. Increasing levels of alcohol use tend to produce high economic and population health costs. Understanding why changes in alcohol consumption behavior occur enables development of more efficient prevention and intervention programs. Alcohol consumption is not distributed equally across the population. Liberalization of Finnish alcohol policy and culture from the 1960s onwards made alcohol more available than ever before, and especially the post-war cohorts started to use significantly more alcohol than the generations before them. Evidently, there are between-individual differences in alcohol use in addition to group level differences. According to decades of research, approximately 50% of the variation between individuals in alcohol consumption can be explained by genetic sources. In other words, the heritability of alcohol use is 50%, while non-genetic factors explain the other half. However, heritability is not a static estimate, but can be modified by social forces. While it has been established that the younger generations consume significantly more alcohol than generations preceding them, only a few studies to date have examined whether the importance of genetic influences on alcohol consumption is dependent on birth cohort or generation. The current study examined, if social control during a specific time in history (e.g. how strict is alcohol policy and the cultural climate while a generation is growing up) can affect the heritability of alcohol use in later life. Mean level differences in alcohol consumption quantity and abstinence trajectories of birth cohorts were also estimated. The older Finnish twin cohort data consists of all Finnish same-sex twin pairs born before 1958 with both co-twins alive in 1975 (n = 24 481). The data were collected in four waves in 1975, 1981, 1990, and 2011. Age of the participants at study baseline in 1975 ranged from 18 to 95. Participants were grouped into seven 10-year cohorts based on their birth year. Mean trajectories of alcohol consumption quantity and abstinence over the life course were estimated for men and women separately with hierarchical growth curve models. Cohort effects and age-by-cohort interactions were also investigated. The heritability of alcohol consumption and abstinence was estimated using structural equation modelling. Birth cohort effects on heritability of alcohol use were examined by comparing heritability estimates of different cohorts at similar ages. Mean levels of alcohol consumption quantity were the highest in the youngest birth cohorts. Women drank less than men in all cohorts. The decline in the quantity of monthly alcohol use due to aging was relatively small, and appeared to be more prominent in the older birth cohorts. The odds of abstaining became lower in every successive birth cohort. Moreover, women were more likely to be abstinent than men. The aging effect of increasing abstinence was notable only in the oldest birth cohorts. Birth cohort differences in the heritability of alcohol consumption quantity were found: heritability was 25% (CI 12–38%) in the older generation (born 1901–1920) and 48% (CI 39–50%) in the younger generation (born 1941–1957) of men at the age of 54–74. For women, heritability was 60% in the older and younger generation. In alcohol abstinence, a single model was run for men and women. The shared environmental component explained a large proportion of the variation in the older generation (43%), whereas unique environment (54%) and additive genetic influences (40%) were more important among the younger generation. The findings from the present study suggest that social control during a specific time in history may have a long-term impact on alcohol consumption behavior (i.e. how and why alcohol is used) of an entire generation growing up during that period.
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(2008)The temperamental traits of Cloninger's personality theory (novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence and persistence) reflect independent systems of central nervous system deciding responses toward new, rewarding and aversive stimuli. Thus, certain temperamental traits and their combinations may predispose to heavy drinking and alcohol dependence. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate associations between temperamental traits and the amount of alcohol consumption, frequency of heavy drinking and the maximum number of drinks per occasion. In this study, we investigated also whether these associations are only confounded by between-family differences in genetic and environmental factors. Furthermore the associations between temperamental trait combinations that reflect Cloninger's typology of alcoholism and alcohol use were studied. The subjects (n=401) in the current study were a group of FinnTwin16 study participators, Finnish twins born in 1974-79. Temperament was measured with TCI-R (Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised) a self-report form. The amount of alcohol consumption was asked by Semi-structured interview (Semi-Structured Assessment of Genetics of Alcoholism = SSAGA). The frequency of heavy drinking and maximum number of drinks per occasion were asked by mail form. In accordance with previous studies, novelty seeking had a positive relationship with the amount of alcohol consumption, frequency of heavy drinking and the maximum number of drinks per occasion in both genders. In this study, the association was proven independent of between-family differences in genetic and environmental factors that are associated to both novelty seeking and alcohol use. Surprisingly, reward dependence was negatively related to the maximum number of drinks per occasion in both genders. Persistence had a weak positive relationship with maximum number of drinks per occasion in men. The temperamental trait combinations that reflect Cloninger's typology of alcoholism did not differ from the other combinations in regard to alcohol use as hypothesized. The results confirm the previous finding about the relationship between novelty seeking and alcohol use. Support for Cloninger's typology of alcoholism in regard to combinations of temperamental trait was not achieved in this study.
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(2015)Objectives: This thesis examined the relationship between disordered gambling (DG) with mental health, loneliness, perceived general health, risky alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking and computer gaming frequency by age and gender among adolescents and emerging adults. Gambling types were also examined for their association to DG, mental health, loneliness, perceived health, risky alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking. DG is conceptualized as a behavioural addiction, and its development is influenced by the availability of gambling opportunities, prevalence of other addictive behaviours, and psychological well-being. Previous studies have indicated that specific types of gambling are more strongly associated to DG that others. The purpose of the present study was to identify the strength of the various risk factors of disordered gambling, examine whether specific risk factors are associated to certain gambling types and if there are age and gender related differences in regards to the associations between disordered gambling and its risk factors. Methods: A cross-sectional population based random sample (n = 822, 49.3 % female) of individuals aged 15 to 28 from the self-reported Finnish Gambling Survey 2011 was utilized. DG was assessed with the Problem Gambling Severity Index, such that a score of 2 or more indicated DG. Mental health was measured with the five item Mental Health Inventory and risky alcohol consumption was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test -Consumption. The remainder of examined variables were assessed with single Likert-scaled items. The correlates of DG and gambling types were examined with logistic regression models. Results and conclusions: Male gender, risky alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, and frequently feeling lonely were significantly associated to DG. Slot machine gambling, online gambling other than poker, private betting, and casino betting were strongly associated to DG. The aforementioned gambling types were strongly associated to risky alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking along with sports betting. Feeling lonely was associated to online poker, casino betting and private betting. There were indications of gender differences in regards to the gambling types associated to feeling lonely. Risky alcohol consumption seemed to be a stronger risk factor for DG among males, and tobacco smoking stronger among females. Current findings warrant further investigation of DG in regards to loneliness, and reconsideration of national gambling policies.
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(2015)Objectives: This thesis examined the relationship between disordered gambling (DG) with mental health, loneliness, perceived general health, risky alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking and computer gaming frequency by age and gender among adolescents and emerging adults. Gambling types were also examined for their association to DG, mental health, loneliness, perceived health, risky alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking. DG is conceptualized as a behavioural addiction, and its development is influenced by the availability of gambling opportunities, prevalence of other addictive behaviours, and psychological well-being. Previous studies have indicated that specific types of gambling are more strongly associated to DG that others. The purpose of the present study was to identify the strength of the various risk factors of disordered gambling, examine whether specific risk factors are associated to certain gambling types and if there are age and gender related differences in regards to the associations between disordered gambling and its risk factors. Methods: A cross-sectional population based random sample (n = 822, 49.3 % female) of individuals aged 15 to 28 from the self-reported Finnish Gambling Survey 2011 was utilized. DG was assessed with the Problem Gambling Severity Index, such that a score of 2 or more indicated DG. Mental health was measured with the five item Mental Health Inventory and risky alcohol consumption was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test -Consumption. The remainder of examined variables were assessed with single Likert-scaled items. The correlates of DG and gambling types were examined with logistic regression models. Results and conclusions: Male gender, risky alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, and frequently feeling lonely were significantly associated to DG. Slot machine gambling, online gambling other than poker, private betting, and casino betting were strongly associated to DG. The aforementioned gambling types were strongly associated to risky alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking along with sports betting. Feeling lonely was associated to online poker, casino betting and private betting. There were indications of gender differences in regards to the gambling types associated to feeling lonely. Risky alcohol consumption seemed to be a stronger risk factor for DG among males, and tobacco smoking stronger among females. Current findings warrant further investigation of DG in regards to loneliness, and reconsideration of national gambling policies.
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(2009)Dental students at the University of Helsinki answered a 25-item questionnaire during spring 2008 that investigated their alcohol consumption, smoking habits and knowledge about the risk factors of smoking and alcohol consumption. This allows one to estimate how well future oral health care professionals would follow the recommendations they give and how hazardous they consider the risk factors of smoking and alcohol consumption to be. In addition, their attitudes towards tobacco use cessation and their opinions on who is responsible for education on tobacco use cessation were elicited to determine how anti-tobacco counselling might work in the future. Current smoking was reported by 17% of the participants and current alcohol consumption by 90% of participants. The majority of dental students (92%) considered education on tobacco use cessation to be the responsibility of dentists/doctors. Fairly high number of participants (43%) reported receiving inadequate information on tobacco cessation during their studies. Dental students should be taught and encouraged early on to routinely discuss with smokers the impacts of smoking on health.
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(2021)Sähköpotkulaudat ilmaantuivat Helsingin katukuvaan kesällä 2019. Vuokraajayritysten vastuulla on ohjeistaa käyttäjät, ja esimerkiksi kypärän käyttöä ei valvota. Laitteen maksiminopeus on 20-25 km/h ja käyttäjän tulee olla 18 -vuotias. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää sähköpotkulautatapaturmien seurauksena syntyneiden vammojen yleisyyttä ja vakavuutta. Tarkoituksena oli selvittää vammamekanismeja, onnettomuuksiin johtaneita taustatekijöitä, kuten alkoholin vaikutuksen alaisena ajamista, sekä selvittää potilaiden ikä- ja sukupuoliprofiilia ja kypärän käyttöä, sekä leikkaus- ja sairaalahoidon tarvetta. Tutkimuksen potilasaineisto poimittiin vuonna 2019 Töölön sairaalassa päivystysarviossa käyneiden niiden potilaiden joukosta, joille on kirjattu ajoneuvotapaturmakoodi eli ICD-koodi V01-V99. Tutkimukseen otettiin sähköpotkulautaonnettomuuden vuoksi tapaturma-asemalla arvioidut potilaat. Ajanjaksolla arvioitiin 52 potilasta sähköpotkulautaonnettomuuden vuoksi. Näistä potilaista 25:llä todettiin pään- ja kaulan alueen vamma (48 %). Pään- ja kaulan alueen vammat jakautuivat siten, että naisilla niitä todettiin 51,9 %:lla ja miehillä 48,0 %:lla. Kasvo- ja/tai kallonmurtumia oli 16 potilaalla (30,7 %). Kasvomurtumia todettiin 14 potilaalla, ja kallonmurtumia viidellä (26,9 % ja 9,6 % koko potilasaineistosta). Hammasvammoja oli 11 potilaalla (21,2 %). Kaikkiaan 15 potilasta päätyi leikkaushoitoon (28,8 %). Tutkimuspotilaista onnettomuushetkellä käytti kypärää 2 potilasta eli 3,8 %, molemmat olivat naisia. Kypärää ei käyttänyt 7 potilasta ja 43:n (82,6 %) kohdalla asiasta ei ollut kirjattu tietoa potilasteksteihin. Potilaista päihtyneitä oli 26 kpl eli 50 %. Naisista alkoholin vaikutuksen alaisena oli onnettomuushetkellä 13 potilasta eli 48,1 % ja miehistä 13 potilasta eli 52 %. Tutkimustulosten valossa voidaan todeta, alkoholinkäyttö yhdessä kypärän vähäisen käytön kanssa altistaa sähköpotkulaudan käyttäjät onnettomuuksille, ja niiden yhteydessä erityisesti vakavammille pään- ja kasvojen alueen vammoille sekä yläraajamurtumille.
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