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 Julia Chester, professor of psychological sciences at Purdue
University, who studies stress and drinking behaviors, said that
pandemic-related social stressors could point to an increase in
alcohol consumption and drinking behaviors. According to survey
results from an RTI International study, the average daily alcohol
intake increased from approximately 0.74 drinks in February to 0.94
drinks in April. Current social stressors include persistent changes
in relation to safety guidelines and isolation from quarantining or
social distancing.
“We know that social stressors are one of the most powerful ways to
increase drinking behavior,” Chester said. “Social interruptions and
social stressors are some of the most powerful stresses that can
induce a negative motivational state.”
Chester also studies alcohol-related health effects. Her research
includes determining genetic, environmental and neurobiological
factors that influence the development of alcohol and substance use
disorders and other mental health disorders.
One of her current projects explores phenotypes that relate to risk
factors for addiction, particularly the negative urgency phenotype.
“Negative urgency is one facet of impulsivity related behavior that
is oftentimes associated with negative mood states,” Chester said.
“So being anxious, being depressed, being stressed will often bring
on something known as negative urgency. It means that you are
basically more likely to participate in a behavior like drug taking
or drinking when you are in a negative emotional state.”
Her findings suggest there is a common genetic risk factor that
influences one’s risk to developing post-traumatic stress disorder,
alcohol disorder or a variety of comorbid mental health conditions.
“My research is focused on not only preventing the development of
alcohol use disorder, but then also being able to treat it on the
back end,” Chester said. “When you think about the current times,
we’re going to see a lot of people suffering from post-traumatic
stress due to the pandemic, which can be comorbid with alcohol use
disorder.”
Chester’s research on negative urgency is funded by the Purdue
Institute for Integrative Neuroscience. She also has been funded by
the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, including a
pharmacology collaboration with Richard M. Van Rijn, associate
professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology at
Purdue.
Chester’s research also includes understanding how pharmacology can
aid in combating alcohol use disorders. Her current project on
pharmacology, in collaboration with Van Rijn, involves repurposing
drugs already on the market.
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The study looks at alcohol-related phenotypes associated with addiction. A
publication on the study is currently under review.
“We found that the drug reduced some of the neuroadaptive changes that occurred
in the brain as a consequence of repeated alcohol exposure,” Chester said. “We’d
like to do a lot more work with this repurposing research because if we can find
a drug already approved by the FDA, that makes it much easier for us to get
through clinical trials.”
In the past, Chester’s research on understanding the link between alcohol use
disorder and response to fear led to testing a potential drug that could reduce
both anxiety and drinking. Through a collaboration with Eli Lilly and Co., she
tested a drug to look at the effect it had on drinking, fear response and other
measures of alcohol reward responses. The drug that was tested appeared to
reduce signs of PTSD, but would likely increase drinking behaviors. However, the
study was able to help researchers better understand the neurochemical changes
as a result of taking the drug and hypothesize what type of drug would help
level out neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.
Online resources are available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration and Mental Health America. NIAAA also provides resources
to help individuals learn about their own drinking levels and seek help if
needed.
“Resources are important because alcohol affects every part of our physiology,”
Chester said. “Alcohol use disorder is a major public health problem in and of
itself. Worldwide, alcohol use is the third-leading preventable cause of death.”
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical
solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative
University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers
world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on
and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to
all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and
most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate
debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next
giant leap at https://purdue.edu/.
[Writer: Madison Sanneman
Source: Julia Chester] |
