Sex Differences in the Response to Abstinence from Alcohol

Investigating Alcohol Drinking Patterns and Responses to Abstinence

Recruiting
21 years - 35 years
All
Phase N/A
1 Location

Brief description of study.

The purpose of this study is to examine drinking patterns of men and women both over short term and long term intervals.

Detailed description of study

Women progress more rapidly than men from social to problematic alcohol drinking. We propose that this difference may be due in part to a difference in how they respond to abstinence. In laboratory animals, short-term abstinence increases alcohol consumption, with repeated deprivations leading to disordered drinking. We hypothesize that a similar phenomenon exists in humans, and that women are more sensitive to it. We have recently developed a novel translational paradigm to measure response to abstinence in humans. In this experiment, we found that after abstinence women, on average, increased, while men decreased their alcohol seeking. The objectives of this application are to characterize the human post abstinence response in the lab as well as community and understand its underlying mechanisms in moderate-heavy drinkers.
Participants will be paid for their participation.

Eligibility of study

You may be eligible for this study if you meet the following criteria:

  • Conditions: healthy
  • Age: 21 years - 35 years
  • Gender: All

Inclusion Criteria
Overtly healthy men and women
Drink alcohol
Able to understand/complete questionnaires and procedures in English
Have venous access sufficient to allow blood sampling
Exclusion Criteria
Pregnant or breast-feeding women

Updated on 19 Feb 2024. Study ID: 1809467722

This study investigates alcohol drinking patterns in both men and women over different time intervals. The researchers aim to understand why women may progress more quickly from social drinking to problematic drinking compared to men. One reason could be how they respond to not drinking for a while, known as abstinence. In animals, not drinking for short periods can lead to more drinking later, and the study aims to see if the same is true for humans.

Participants in the study will undergo various procedures to observe their drinking behavior after periods of not drinking. The study uses a special method to measure how people react to abstinence. The researchers will look at how these reactions differ between men and women and try to understand the reasons behind these differences.

  • Who can participate: The study is open to healthy men and women who drink alcohol. Participants must be able to understand and complete questionnaires in English and have suitable venous access for blood sampling. Pregnant or breastfeeding women are not eligible.
  • Study details: Participants will be involved in procedures that observe their drinking behavior after abstinence. They will also provide blood samples, which means they need to have suitable venous access. Participants will be compensated for their participation.

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