Progress in mind: focus on alcohol use disorders, an elsevier resource centre.
Harmful use of alcohol is one of the top five risks for burden of disease globally and in Europe; in 2012, 3.3 million net deaths (approximately 6% of all global deaths) were attributable to this risk factor. It is also linked to the development of a wide spectrum of alcohol use disorders, ranging from mild manifestations to a severe disease known as alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence is a progressive, chronic, and relapsing brain disease resulting from the prolonged effects of alcohol on the brain. Alcohol dependence imposes a significant societal burden, with indirect societal costs reaching up to 0.64% of European countries׳ annual gross domestic product. With these facts in mind, it is important to recognize and manage alcohol dependence. Although the biological mechanisms behind the development of alcohol dependence are not fully known, factors that have been shown to influence its development include genetic predisposition, psychological problems, and social interactions. Alcohol use has also been linked to the development of hypertension, liver cirrhosis, chronic pancreatitis, multiple types of cancer, and psychiatric comorbidities such as depression and anxiety disorders. With such severe effects on both individuals and society, it is important to recognize the characteristic signs and symptoms of alcohol dependence and explore new ways to better manage patients with this brain disease. Effective treatment approaches for alcohol dependence include biological, behavioral, and social components addressing the multiple aspects of this disease. Comprehensive, educational platforms in which to explore the many facets of this disease such as the Progress in Mind: Focus on Alcohol Use Disorders Resource Centre, will provide clinicians with the tools necessary for recognizing patients with alcohol dependence and managing their disease along with related comorbidities. Online Access: http://progressinmind.elsevierresource.com.
Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK; Imperial College London, UK.
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DJ
Nutt
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada; Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technical University Dresden, Germany.
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Rehm
Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Netherlands.
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van den Brink
INSERM U894 (Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences), Sainte Anne Hospital, Paris Descartes University, France. Electronic address: p.gorwood@ch-sainte-anne.fr.
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Gorwood
NeuroPET Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), San Diego, CA, USA.
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MS
Buchsbaum
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors