Citation

Molina PE, Nelson S. Alcohol Res. 2018; 39(1): 99-109.

Affiliation

Patricia E. Molina, M.D., Ph.D., is the Richard Ashman, Ph.D., Professor; head of the Department of Physiology; and director of the Comprehensive Alcohol-HIV/AIDS Research Center and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana. Steve Nelson, M.D., is the John H. Seabury Professor of Medicine and the dean of the School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (USA))

DOI

unavailable

PMID

30557153

Abstract

Studies have focused on the effects of chronic alcohol consumption and the mechanisms of tissue injury underlying alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis, with less focus on the pathophysiological consequences of binge alcohol consumption. Alcohol binge drinking prevalence continues to rise, particularly among individuals ages 18 to 24. However, it is also frequent in individuals ages 65 and older. High blood alcohol levels achieved with this pattern of alcohol consumption are of particular concern, as alcohol can permeate to virtually all tissues in the body, resulting in significant alterations in organ function, which leads to multisystemic pathophysiological consequences. In addition to the pattern, amount, and frequency of alcohol consumption, additional factors, including the type of alcoholic beverage, may contribute differentially to the risk for alcohol-induced tissue injury. Preclinical and translational research strategies are needed to enhance our understanding of the effects of binge alcohol drinking, particularly for individuals with a history of chronic alcohol consumption. Identification of underlying pathophysiological processes responsible for tissue and organ injury can lead to development of preventive or therapeutic interventions to reduce the health care burden associated with binge alcohol drinking.

Language: en