Alcohol use can negatively impact financial, cognitive, and psychiatric aspects of human life. In the brain, alcohol can have many devastating effects. Alcohol is a well-known cytotoxic agent that can cause specific brain pathology in humans; however, the exact biological mechanisms are not well-elucidated. Animal models are invaluable tools to investigate potential novel treatments in a substance abuse model. Mice studies can be used to screen for negative outcomes prior to human trials. We hypothesize that the C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein, CTRP3, overexpression in mice reduces neuroinflammation from ethanol consumption that has been coupled with a high fat diet when compared to control mice. The CTRP family of proteins are adipokines and CTRP3 specifically influences cell viability, metabolism, and peripheral inflammation levels. Antibody specific immunoblotting is used to probe protein expression changes in neuroinflammatory markers in mouse cerebellum brain tissue in an overexpression mouse model of CTRP3 when compared to high-fat ethanol exposed mice and baseline control mice. The two proteins examined are MAG and GFAP. Myelin associated glycoprotein, or MAG, is a protein expressed by oligodendrocytes that mediate axonal growth and myelin interactions with neurons in the brain. Oligodendrocytes are extremely sensitive to oxidative stress to which cognitive deficits in ethanol exposure is thought to be attributed. Glial fibrillary acidic protein, or GFAP, is a marker of astrocyte reactivity. Astrocytes are cells in the brain that are responsible for environmental stabilization and actively participate in neurotransmission. Currently, GFAP alterations in ethanol-exposed animals are dose and age dependent. We chose to use young adult mice where GFAP reactiveness is increased during chronic ethanol exposure. The proposed studies are essential in determining CTRP3’s relationship to detrimental neuroinflammatory effects of alcohol and high fat diet in mice. The data obtained from these studies will provide compelling evidence for future clinical trials to investigate CTRP3 as a therapeutic agent in people with a high fat diet that use alcohol chronically.

Certain substance use disorders, such as nicotine, opioid, and alcohol use disorders, have efficacious pharmacotherapies (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Medications for these disorders largely target neurotransmitter systems affected by the substance of abuse. Behavioral addictions, in contrast, do not involve ingestion of any substance, and their neurophysiology remains elusive. To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any medication to treat a behavioral addiction. However, initial experimental trials of medications for gambling disorder and other putative behavioral addictions have been conducted. In this chapter, we review research on pharmacotherapy for gambling disorder, Internet gaming disorder, and Internet addiction. We also briefly discuss treatments for other potential behavioral addictions (e.g., shopping, eating), although much less data exist on these conditions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

This investigation attempts to identify factors which influence whether or not someone is likely to drop out of a chemical dependency treatment program. Dropping out is defined as someone who leaves treatment against medical advice. The subjects were patients from a private, non-profit, medically based, residential program. Nine demographic characteristics were abstracted from the charts on file for the patients at the treatment center. Two groups of 45 patients each were selected from the inpatient population. One group, the Completed Treatment group, comprised patients who had completed the 28 day program. The second group, the AMA Discharge group, comprised patients who dropped out of treatment within the first 4 to 10 days. The demographic characteristics analyzed were gender, number of drugs used by the patient, drug preference, method of admission, treatment history, marital success, social status, dependents living at home, and education.

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Introduction: Research has found extensive similarities between symptoms of gaming disorder/Internet gaming disorder (GD/IGD) and symptoms of other addictive disorders, including the presence of cravings, tolerance, and inability to stop despite adverse consequences (Müller & Montag, 2017). Significant associations between GD/IGD and financial strain, occupational difficulties, sleep deprivation, malnutrition, obesity, and the development and/or exacerbation of other mental illness have been found, contributing to growing concern over the detrimental impact of GD/IGD (Kohorst et al., 2018). Video gaming is also associated with increased use of substances, including nicotine as found in electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; Cranwell et al., 2016). The harmful consequences of ENDS use may exacerbate the health risks associated with GD/IGD, especially in connection to sleep, nutrition, and mental health. There is extensive overlap between the demographic and psychosocial characteristics of typical video gamers and typical users of ENDS, including being young, male, highly impulsive, sensation-seeking, and having a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which may account for the rates of concurrent dependence (Von der Heiden et al., 2019; Mathews, 2019). However, definitive characteristics of individuals demonstrating symptoms of both GD/IGD and ENDS dependency remain unknown. The present study aims to explore the demographic and psychological associations of co-occurring symptoms of GD/IGD and ENDS dependency. Method:Participants (n = 2,174) were college students age 18-24 (M=19.25) recruited as part of a multi-university study examining psychological variables within young adults. Participants completed a battery of self-report questions assessing for demographic characteristics, symptoms of ADHD, and level of impulsivity and sensation seeking as measured by the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11, respectively. ENDS dependency was evaluated through the PROMIS E-cigarette Dependence Scale, and GD/IGD was measured by the Video Game Dependency Scale. Pearson correlations, chi-square tests, MANCOVAS, and moderation analyses were used to evaluate this data. Results:Results found that 7.3% of the sample met criteria for probable ENDS dependency, 4.7% of the sample endorsed symptoms of GD/IGD dependency, and 1.4% of the sample endorsed both dependencies. Age, gender, and race/ethnicity were all associated with increased risk of concurrent GD/IGD and ENDS dependency. The moderating effect of ADHD symptoms on the relation between GD/IGD and ENDS dependency was significant, ΔR2 = .067, F(1, 1036) = 24.75, p < .001, indicating that the relation between GD/IGD and ENDS dependency was stronger when participants endorsed more symptoms of ADHD. Impulsivity and sensation seeking also had significant interaction effects on the relation between ENDS dependency and GD/IGD. Conclusion:Ultimately, there is ample evidence that ENDS dependency and GD/IGD occur at significant levels on college campuses. Heightened impulsivity and sensation seeking and the diagnosis of ADHD significantly correspond with increased rates of GD/IGD and ENDS dependency. These results are supported by prior research findings that impulsivity and sensation seeking are risk factors for many behavioral health concerns, including engagement in risky sexual behaviors and substance addiction. Future research examining protective factors and treatment of co-occurring GD/IGD and ENDS dependency is warranted. References: Cranwell, J., Whittamore, K., Britton, J., & Leonardi-Bee, J. (2016). Alcohol and tobacco content in UK video games and their association with alcohol and tobacco use among young people. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 19(7), 426-434. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0093 Kohorst, M. A., Warad, D. M., Nageswara Rao, A. A., & Rodriguez, V. (2018). Obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and video games: The new thrombophilia cocktail in adolescents. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 65(7), e27041. Mathews, C. L., Morrell, H. E. R., & Molle, J. L. (2019). Video game addiction, ADHD symptomatology, and video game reinforcement. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 45(1), 67-76. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2018.1472269 Müller, M., & Montag, C. (2017). The relationship between internet addiction and alcohol consumption is influenced by the smoking status in male online video gamers. Clinical Neuropsychiatry: Journal of Treatment Evaluation, 14(1), 34–43. Von der Heiden, J. M., Braun, B., Müller, K. W., & Egloff, B. (2019). The association between video gaming and psychological functioning. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 17-31. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01731

With high rates of cannabis use in college students and increasing legalization of cannabis, psychometrically sound scales of cannabis consumption remain a high research priority. The Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory (DFAQ-CU; Cuttler & Spradlin, 2017) assesses daily sessions, frequency, age of onset, and quantity of marijuana, concentrates, and edibles consumed. Preliminary psychometric properties have been established in a population of college students using cannabis legally. The current study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the DFAQ-CU in college students using cannabis illicitly. Participants (N=114) were 18- to 58-years-old (M=21.25). They completed the DFAQ-CU, Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT), and Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Analyses were performed using the original factor structures. The factor analysis will be replicated once the full sample has been obtained (~400 by 02/2021). Cronbach's alphas ranged from.32 to.92, with some factors showing stronger reliability (e.g., frequency) than others (e.g., daily sessions). Bivariate correlations indicated daily sessions (r(54)=.32, p=.02), frequency (r(53)=.50, p<.001), marijuana quantity (r(78)=.32, p=.004), and edible (r(25)=.54, p=.006) factors demonstrated high convergent validity with the DUDIT total score. The age of onset and concentrate quantity factors did not. All factors were significantly divergent from the BPAQ. Overall, the original six-factor scale appears to have a poor fit within a college student population with illicit use. Notably, the concentrate quantity and daily sessions factors have poor internal consistency and convergent validity. These will be further explored upon completion of data collection.

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In the United States, at least 65% of adults have gambled and/or played a video game in the past year. An emerging form of entertainment combines gambling and video game play and has led to an approximately $30 billion per year industry. Despite an explosion in growth, this form of potentially high-risk behavior has received little research attention. This paper will present a systematic review of the available peer-reviewed and grey literature related to gambling on video games. Our review identifies three major methods of combining gambling and video games. First is betting directly on the outcomes of eSports, either with money or via skin gambling. Second is gambling within video games where players purchase a chance to win a valued prize or consumable virtual item (e.g., loot box, prize crate, gacha). Prizes change the within game experience, from superficial items that change an in-game character’s appearance to items that substantially improve a player’s chance of winning. Further, if desired, these items can be sold for actual money in secondary marketplaces. Third, there are gamified casino games with the sequential, skill-based feel of video games and real money at stake. Implications: This paper is the first comprehensive review of this nascent literature. Results will provide clinicians with important insights into the language and behaviors of clients who gamble on video games. Further, findings may have future policy implications as some gambling on video games is potentially accessible to underage gamblers.

Book Summary: Uniquely focused on the teacher-student dynamic, the Psychology of Classroom Learning: An Encyclopedia examines the fundamental psychological aspects of learning such as cognition, motivation, and emotion, as well as individual and environmental factors at work in the classroom. Teachers, school psychologists, those studying developmental and school psychology and the general reader will find nearly 300 alphabetically arranged essays examining how instruction and learning are affected by factors such as classroom management, multiculturalism, learning styles, home schooling, peer relationships, school culture, discipline, self-esteem, socioeconomic status, and more. In addition to these topical essays, biographical entries on leaders in educational psychology are included. This two-volume encyclopedia also offers statistical information in the form of charts and sidebars, synopses of recent research specific to essay topics, and images. Extensive cross-references, a glossary, and subject index are included.