Alcohol and Glucose D consumption decreases grip muscle strengths in graded doses

Alcohol, Blood Sugar, and Grip muscle strengths (GMS) may play key role in injury prevention and rehabilitation. In many cases, strengthening of the grip has been a prescription for rehabilitation from injuries such as golf and tennis elbow. In this study, the effects of alcohol and glucose consumption on grip muscle strength in early adult male subject was investigated. A total of thirty (200) human subjects of about18+ years old were recruited for the study. The subjects were administered varying doses of alcohol and glucose D, then allowed to rest for a period of 5 and 10 minutes before assessing their grip muscle strength, fasting blood sugar (FBS) and body weights. Obtained records were then compared with those of control (normal) subject who neither received alcohol nor glucose D. Differences in mean was obtained between groups using the student t-test. From the result, study found a statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) in GMS for different times (5 min and 10 min) of alcohol administration as compared with control subjects. A notable significant decrease (p > 0.05) was also observed for FBS with increasing administration times as compared with control. This decrease was however insignificant for 10 min duration compared with 5 minutes. This decrease was however significant (p < 0.05) for alcohol 5 min intake as compared with control group. All test group (experimental) showed a statistically significant decrease in GMS after alcohol administration as compared with control. Lastly, a statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) was observed in GMS for 10 min of Glucose D intake. Whereas, subject who took glucose D in 5 min showed an insignificant decrease as compared with control. It is recommended that more studies be conducted to corroborate the result of this study.

Effect of aqueous Extract of Terminalia bellirica fruit pulp on Alcohol affected learning in swiss albino mice

To evaluate the effect of Aqueous extract of Terminalia belliricafruit pulp (AETB) on learning by Hebb William maze model in mice with acute alcohol consumption.Swiss albino mice (n=48) of either sex weighing 20-30g will be divided into eight groups of six mice each. Drugs were given orally after 12 hours of fasting. Group I mice received 10ml/kg of Normal Saline, Group II mice received Piracetam 200mg/kg, Group III received AETB 36mg/kg, Group IV received ethanol 1.5g/kg orally, Group V received ethanol(1.5g/kg )+ piracetam (200mg/kg), Group VI mice received ethanol(1.5g/kg) +AETB(9mg/kg), Group VII mice received ethanol(1.5g/kg) +AETB (18mg/kg), Group VIII mice received ethanol(1.5g/kg) +AETB(36mg/kg). Time taken by the animal to reach the reward chamber from the start chamber (TRC) in Hebb-William maze was used as a parameterto evaluate the learning.Acute alcohol administration showed increase in TRC. Whereas, acute administration of Aqueous extracts of Terminalia belliricafruit pulp showed a decrease in TRC when compared to the control group. The TRC values for the groups that were administered AETB along with acute alcohol administration showed decrease in TRC values compared to the negative control.Current study showed acute alcohol administration caused impairment of thelearning ability in mice. Whereas, acute administration of Aqueous extracts of Terminalia belliricafruit pulp (AETB)caused enhancement of learning. Pre-treatment with AETB before acute alcohol administration indicated protective action of AETB on alcohol affected learning in mice.

The dosing procedure that “makes the poison”: Comparing the effects of single versus cumulative alcohol administration methods on emotion recognition

Background: Most people often consume alcohol cumulatively and gradually. Yet almost scientific knowledge about alcohol’s acute effects on cognition, behavior, and affect stems from laboratory studies that employ a single beverage administration procedure. Objective: This study tests the hypothesis that alcohol’s acute effects depend on both methods of administration and alcohol blood level. We introduce a new laboratory procedure for studying cumulative alcohol drinking and examine alcohol’s effects on emotion recognition as a function of both alcohol administration method and alcohol blood level. Methods: Participants were recruited for one of two studies. One study employed a between-subject design using a single alcoholic dose. Participants were randomly assigned to drink either placebo (0.00%), low (0.03%), moderate (0.06%), or high (0.09%) alcohol levels. The second study employed a within-subject design using a cumulative alcoholic administration method, in which each participant drank four drinks (placebo, followed by three alcoholic drinks). Both groups reached similar breath alcohol concentrations. In both studies, participants attended a single study session, in which emotion recognition was examined following alcohol administration. Results: Single alcoholic beverage administration method caused greater impairment in emotion recognition ability, specifically for anger, happiness, and fear, as compared with cumulative administration method, even though breath alcohol levels were similar in both conditions. Conclusions: This paper presents questions concerning the internal validity of previous laboratory studies that use a single beverage administration procedure. Insights into the effects of alcohol on behavior, as well as regarding our knowledge about models of addiction are presented.

Impact of acute ethanol intake on cardiac autonomic regulation

Acute alcohol consumption may facilitate cardiac arrhythmias underlying the ‘Holiday Heart Syndrome’. Autonomic imbalance is promoting atrial arrhythmias. We analyzed the effects of alcohol on measures of the cardiac autonomic nervous system and their relation to arrhythmias. In 15 healthy individuals, alcohol was administered parenterally until a breath alcohol concentration of 0.50 mg/l. High-resolution digital 30-min ECGs were recorded at baseline, at the time of maximum alcohol concentration, and after alcohol concentration returned to near baseline. Using customized software, we assessed periodic repolarization dynamics (PRD), deceleration capacity (DC), standard measures of heart rate variability (SDNN; RMSSD; LF; HF), and standard ECG parameters (mean heart rate; PQ; QRS; QTc interval). At the maximum alcohol concentration, PRD levels were significantly increased compared to baseline [1.92 (IQR 1.14–3.33) deg2 vs. 0.85 (0.69–1.48) deg2; p = 0.001]. PRD levels remained slightly increased when alcohol concentrations returned to baseline. DC levels were significantly decreased at the maximum alcohol concentration compared to baseline [7.79 (5.89–9.62) ms vs. 9.97 (8.20–10.99) ms; p = 0.030], and returned to baseline levels upon reaching baseline levels of alcohol. Standard HRV measures were reduced at maximum alcohol concentration. The mean heart rate increased significantly during alcohol administration. QRS and QTc duration were significantly prolonged, whereas PQ interval showed no change. Our findings revealed an increase of sympathetic activity and a reduction of parasympathetic activity under the influence of alcohol administration, resulting in autonomic imbalance. This imbalance might ultimately trigger arrhythmias underlying the ‘Holiday Heart Syndrome’.

Alcohol narrows physical distance between strangers

Pandemic management is likely to represent a global reality for years to come, but the roadmap for how to approach pandemic restrictions is as yet unclear. Of the restrictions enacted during COVID-19, among the more controversial surround alcohol. Like many infectious diseases, the principal mode of transmission for COVID-19 is direct respiration of droplets emitted during close social contact, and health officials warn that alcohol consumption may lead to decreased adherence to physical distancing guidelines. Governing bodies have acted to close bars before restaurants and have also specifically restricted alcohol sales, while at the same time those in the nightlife industry have labeled such actions unfounded and discriminatory. Complicating such debates is the lack of evidence on alcohol’s effects on physical distance. In the current study we employed a randomized alcohol-administration design paired with computer-vision measures, analyzing over 20,000 proximity readings derived from video to examine the effect of alcohol consumption on physical distance during social interaction. Results indicated that alcohol caused individuals to draw significantly closer to an unfamiliar interaction partner during social exchange, reducing physical proximity at a rate with potentially important implications for public health. In contrast, alcohol had no effect on physical distance with a familiar interaction partner. Findings suggest that alcohol might act to overcome a natural caution people feel towards strangers and thus promote virus transmission between previously unconnected social groups.

Does alcohol affect emotional face processing via interoceptive pathways?

Background: Our brain uses interoceptive signals from the body to shape how we perceive emotions in others; however, whether interoceptive signals can be manipulated to alter emotional perceptions is unknown. Alcohol has acute effects both on emotional processing and on the physiological substrates supporting interoception. In this registered report, we examine whether alcohol administration triggers physiological changes that alter interoceptive signals and manipulate emotional face processing. Such knowledge will broaden understanding of the mechanisms by which alcohol affects emotional face processing.Methods: Participants (n=36) will be administered an alcohol or placebo beverage. Cardiovascular physiology will be recorded before and after administration. Participants will complete two behavioral tasks in which they view emotional faces presented in synchrony with different phases of the cardiac cycle (i.e., systole, diastole). This manipulation creates an index of how interoceptive signals amplify emotional face processing. Hypotheses: We hypothesize that, compared to placebo, alcohol administration will disrupt the cardiac amplification of emotional face processing. We further explore whether this disruption depends on the nature and magnitude of changes in cardiovascular physiology after alcohol administration.

Acupuncture Alleviates Anxiety and 22-kHz Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Rats Subjected to Repeated Alcohol Administration by Modulating the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Signaling Pathway

The Shenmen point (acupuncture point heart 7: HT7), located in the heart meridian, is frequently used to treat mental disorders, including drug addiction, anxiety, and depression. This study aimed to determine how HT7 regulates anxiety and negative emotions caused by repeated alcohol administration, focusing on the amygdala and paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Repeated administration of alcohol (ETOH; 2 g/kg, i.p. injection, 16% v/v) for 14 days increased the corticosterone (CORT) levels, and HT7 stimulation reduced the plasma CORT levels. HT7 stimulation mitigated anxiety-like behaviors and reduced 22-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in rats receiving repeated ETOH injections. HT7 stimulation increased the amygdala expression of mature brain-derived neurotropic factor (mBDNF) and phosphorylated tropomyosin receptor kinase B (pTrkB) and decreased the PVN corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) expression. Amygdala microinjections of the TrkB antagonist ANA-12 (0.1 pmol/1 μL) reversed the increase in PVN CRH levels. The reduced PVN CRH levels were regulated by CRH-expressing neurons in the amygdala, and the increased amygdala CRH levels were affected by the HT7-stimulation induced increases in mBDNF. HT7 stimulation alleviates increased stress hormone levels and mitigates anxiety and negative emotions caused by repeated ETOH administration. These results provide scientific support for the clinical use of acupuncture to treat various alcoholism-induced diseases.