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INTRODUCCIÓN. La afección posterior a la COVID-19 se caracteriza por la experimentación de sintomatología cognitiva y psicológica tras el periodo de infección aguda, siendo frecuentes los problemas de memoria y concentración, así como la sintomatología ansioso-depresiva. OBJETIVOS. Analizar las quejas subjetivas de memoria en pacientes con afección posterior a la COVID-19 y su rendimiento objetivo en función de la sintomatología neurológica durante la infección, y determinar la contribución de variables clínicas y psicopatológicas a estas quejas. MÉTODO. Se evaluó el rendimiento cognitivo de 100 personas hospitalizadas por COVID-19, con especial interés en la memoria, y se valoró el estado psicológico, 6 meses después del alta. RESULTADOS. Un 43,4% de la muestra manifestó tener problemas de memoria (MFE-30). Sin embargo, no se encontró relación entre estas quejas y su rendimiento objetivo en tests de aprendizaje verbal (MoCA_MIS, FCSRT), ni diferencias en función de la presencia de sintomatología neurológica. No se encontró relación entre las variables clínicas y las quejas de memoria, pero sí entre estas y la sintomatología psicológica. CONCLUSIONES. Los datos parecen indicar que las quejas subjetivas de memoria responden al malestar psicológico más que a deterioro de la memoria por daño neural, INTRODUCTION. Post-COVID-19 condition is characterized by the experience of cognitive and psychological symptomatology after the acute infection period, being frequent memory and concentration problems, as well as anxious-depressive symptomatology. OBJECTIVES. To analyze subjective memory complaints in patients with post-VOCID-19 involvement and their objective performance as a function of neurological symptomatology during infection, and to determine the contribution of clinical and psychopathological variables to these complaints. METHOD. The cognitive performance of 100 persons hospitalized for COVID-19 was evaluated, with special interest in memory, and psychological status was assessed, 6 months after discharge. RESULTS. A 43.4% of the sample reported having memory problems (MFE-30). However, no relationship was found between these complaints and their objective performance in verbal learning tests (MoCA_MIS, FCSRT), nor differences according to the presence of neurological symptomatology. No relationship was found between clinical variables and memory complaints, but there was a relationship between these and psychological symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS. The data seem to indicate that subjective memory complaints respond to psychological distress rather than to memory impairment due to neurological damage

Background: Verbal memory may be affected by engagement in alcohol binge drinking during youth, according to the findings of neuropsychological studies. However, little is known about the dynamics of the neural activity underlying this cognitive process in young, heavy drinkers. Aims: To investigate brain event-related potentials associated with cued recall from episodic memory in binge drinkers and controls. Methods: Seventy first-year university students were classified as binge drinkers (32: 17 female) or controls (38: 18 female). The participants completed a verbal paired associates learning task during electroencephalogram (EEG) recording. ERPs elicited by old and new word pairs were extracted from the cued-recall phase of the task by using Principal Component Analysis. Subjects also performed a standardized neuropsychological verbal learning test. Results: Two of the three event-related potentials components indicating old/new memory effects provided evidence for anomalies associated with binge drinking. The old/new effects were absent in the binge drinkers in the two subsequent posterior components, identified with the late parietal component and the late posterior negativity The late frontal component revealed similar old/new effects in both groups. Binge drinkers showed similar behavioural performance to controls in the verbal paired associates task, but performed poorly in the more demanding short-term cued-recall trial of a neuropsychological standardized test. Conclusion: Event-related potentials elicited during a verbal cued-recall task revealed differences in brain functioning between young binge drinkers and controls that may underlie emergent deficits in episodic memory linked to alcohol abuse. The brain activity of binge drinkers suggests alterations in the hippocampal - posterior parietal cortex circuitry subserving recognition and recollection of the cue context and generation of the solution, in relation to verbal information shallowly memorised.

Previous cross-sectional research has largely associated binge drinking (BD) with changes in volume and thickness during adolescence and early adulthood. Nevertheless, the long-term alcohol-related effects on gray matter features in youths who had maintained a BD pattern over time have not yet been sufficiently explored. The present study aimed to assess group differences both cross-sectionally and longitudinally [using symmetric percent change (SPC)] on several structural measures (i.e., thickness, surface area, volume). For this purpose, magnetic resonance imaging was recorded twice within a 2-year interval; at baseline (18–19 years) and a follow-up (20–21 years). The sample included 44 university students who were classified as 16 stable binge drinkers (8 females) and 28 stable controls (13 females). Whole-brain analysis showed larger insular surface area in binge drinkers relative to controls at follow-up (cluster-wise p = 0.045). On the other hand, region of interest (ROI) analyses on thickness also revealed a group by sex interaction at follow-up (p = 0.005), indicating that BD males had smaller right rostral middle frontal gyrus thickness than both control males (p = 0.011) and BD females (p = 0.029). Similarly, ROI-based analysis on longitudinal data showed a group by sex interaction in the right nucleus accumbens (p = 0.009) which revealed a decreased volume across time in BD males than in control males (p = 0.007). Overall, continued BD pattern during emerging adulthood appears to lead to gray matter abnormalities in regions intimately involved in reward processing, emotional regulation and executive functions. Notably, some anomalies varied significantly depending on sex, suggesting a sex-specific impact of BD on typical neurodevelopment processes

Los estudios de la Cohorte Compostela han identificado, tanto para la práctica de Consumo Intensivo de Alcohol (CIA) como de Consumo de Riesgo de Alcohol (CRA), la menor edad de inicio de consumo de alcohol y las elevadas expectativas positivas relacionadas con el mismo, como los dos factores más influyentes y potencialmente modificables en todas las cohortes (generaciones). Este trabajo estudia, como se hizo en su momento con la edad de inicio, el impacto potencial que tendría una reducción de las expectativas positivas en el consumo de alcohol de los universitarios, teniendo en cuenta diferentes escenarios. En el caso más extremo, consiguiendo que todos los universitarios tuvieran escasas expectativas positivas respecto al consumo de alcohol, reduciríamos más de la mitad la práctica de CRA en hombres y mujeres y algo menos de la mitad en la práctica de CIA en ambos géneros. Este trabajo permite prever el potencial impacto de unas políticas de prevención que sí podrían implantarse desde la universidad y en el contexto universitario, al contrario de lo que sucede con la edad de inicio de consumo que ocurre a edades más tempranas y queda fuera del alcance de la universidad.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate changes in the prevalence of Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) and Risky Consumption (RC) in freshman college students between 2005, 2012 and 2016; and to identify the explanatory variables of these patterns of consumption using individual and pooled analyses. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 5260 students was carried out in Spain in 2005, 2012 and 2016. HED and RC were determined using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Another questionnaire was used to measure parental education level and alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, age of onset of alcohol use and alcohol-related expectancies. Adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) of RC and HED and their 95% Confidence Intervals were estimated using logistic regression. Results: An increase in the prevalence rates of HED and RC was observed among women during the three-study periods, nonetheless there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence rates among men. High maternal educational level, living away from parental home, initiating drinking before the age of 15 and having positive expectancies about drinking are associated with higher prevalence of RC in both genders. High positive expectancies and early onset of alcohol use are associated with higher rates of HED among men and women. Students recruited in 2012 and 2016 are protected against RC in comparison to those recruited in 2005. Conclusions: The age of alcohol consumption onset is the most influencing factor on HED and RC for both genders in the three-study periods. Alcohol prevention campaigns targeting youth at early ages can reduce risky drinking behaviors

The alcohol use perceptions young people have of those close to them can affect their expectations regarding alcohol and, thus, their own drinking. We aim to identify the predictive ability of own and significant others’ perceived drinking at age 18-19 in the alcohol use patterns at 27-28. A cohort study was carried out among university students in Spain (n=1,382). Binge Drinking (BD) and Risky Consumption (RC) were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test at ages 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27. Multilevel logistic regression for repeated measures was used to calculate the adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs). College students perceive their family’s alcohol consumption as very low or nothing, while the perception of their own alcohol use or that of their friends is higher. Perceiving higher alcohol use among their siblings and friends increases the risk of BD for both sexes and RC for women. Living away from the parental home increases the risk of RC and BD. In conclusion, the perception of their friend’s alcohol use at age 18-19 is the most influential variable in BD among both sexes and in RC among men throughout 10 years of follow-up. Parental alcohol consumption does not affect college student drinking patterns when friends and siblings are considered. Living with one’s family acts as a protective factor. Preventive measures focused on young people should take a contextual approach and include those closest to them. Keywords: Heavy episodic drinking; Peers; Family; Emerging adulthood; Alcohol drinking in college., El consumo percibido por los jóvenes de sus allegados puede afectar a las expectativas respecto al consumo de alcohol y de este modo, a su propio consumo. El objetivo del estudio ha sido identificar la capacidad predictiva de la percepción de consumo de alcohol propio y de los allegados al inicio del periodo universitario, en los patrones de consumo observados a lo largo de 10 años de seguimiento. Se ha llevado a cabo un estudio de cohortes en universitarios en España (n=1.382). Consumo Intensivo de Alcohol (CIA) y Consumo de Riesgo de alcohol (CRA) se midieron con el Test de Identificación de los Trastornos debidos al Uso de Alcohol (AUDIT) a los 18, 20, 22, 24 y 27 años. Se calcularon las Odds Ratios (ORs) con regresión logística multinivel para medidas repetidas. Los universitarios percibían bajo o nulo consumo de alcohol de sus familiares y mayor de sus amigos. Percibir mayor consumo de sus hermanos y amigos aumentó el riesgo de CIA en ambos géneros y de CRA en mujeres. Vivir fuera del domicilio familiar aumentó el riesgo de ambos patrones. En conclusión, la percepción del consumo de alcohol de amigos a los 18-19 años resultó la variable más influyente para el CIA en ambos géneros y el CRA en mujeres a lo largo de 10 años de seguimiento. El consumo de alcohol de los padres al inicio del periodo universitario parece no afectar a los patrones de consumo practicados durante la juventud, una vez se ajusta por el consumo de amigos y hermanos. Vivir en el domicilio familiar actúa como factor protector. Las medidas preventivas en los jóvenes deben tener un enfoque contextual incluyendo a sus allegados.

Background: Binge Drinking (BD), a highly prevalent drinking pattern among youth, has been linked with anomalies in inhibitory control. However, it is still not well characterized whether the neural mechanisms involved in this process are compromised in binge drinkers (BDs). Furthermore, recent findings suggest that exerting inhibitory control to alcohol-related stimuli requires an increased effort in BDs, relative to controls, but the brain regions subserving these effects have also been scarcely investigated. Here we explored the impact of BD on the pattern of neural activity mediating response inhibition and its modulation by the motivational salience of stimuli (alcohol-related content). Methods: Sixty-seven (36 females) first-year university students, classified as BDs (n = 32) or controls (n = 35), underwent fMRI as they performed an alcohol-cued Go/NoGo task in which pictures of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages were presented as Go or NoGo stimuli. Results: During successful inhibition trials, BDs relative to controls showed greater activity in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), extending to the anterior insula, a brain region usually involved in response inhibition tasks, despite the lack of behavioral differences between groups. Moreover, BDs displayed increased activity in this region restricted to the right hemisphere when inhibiting a prepotent response to alcohol-related stimuli. Conclusions: The increased neural activity in the IFG/insula during response inhibition in BDs, in the absence of behavioral impairments, could reflect a compensatory mechanism. The findings suggest that response inhibition-related activity in the right IFG/insula is modulated by the motivational salience of stimuli and highlight the role of this brain region in suppressing responses to substance-associated cues.

Purpose: Investigations suggest non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) is associated with heavy drinking and polydrug use among university students. Our aim is to determine the prevalence of NMUPD among university students and to analyze its association with alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use, and to study the role of the age of drinking onset. Methods: Cohort study among university Spanish students (n = 1382). Heavy drinking (HED) and risky consumption (RC) were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Questions related to tobacco and cannabis consumption were also formulated. NMUPD refers to sedative, anxiety, or pain medication intake within the last 15 days without medical prescription. All variables were measured at 18, 20, and 27 years. Multilevel logistic regression for repeated measures was used to obtain adjusted OR (odds ratios). We analyzed the results from a gender perspective. Results: Prevalence of NMUPD were higher in students who already partook in NMUPD at the beginning of the study. NMUPD in women at 27 is 3 times higher than at 18, while in men it is twice. Among females, RC (OR = 1.43) and cannabis consumption (OR = 1.33) are risk factors for NMUPD, while later onset of alcohol use (OR = 0.66) constitutes a protective factor. No significant differences were found for males. Conclusions: NMUPD is prevalent among university students. RC and early onset of alcohol use were associated with higher prevalence of NMUPD in females. The prevalence of NMUPD increased with age in both sexes. Strategies for reducing risky drinking and delaying onset of drinking should be provided for university students. Pharmacists and parents should be alerted to the risk of NMUPD

Binge drinking is a common pattern of alcohol consumption in adolescence and youth. Neurocognitive dual-process models attribute substance use disorders and risk behaviours during adolescence to an imbalance between an overactivated a ective-automatic system (involved in motivational and affective processing) and a reflective system (involved in cognitive inhibitory control). The aim of the present study was to investigate at the electrophysiological level the degree to which the motivational value of alcohol-related stimuli modulates the inhibition of a prepotent response in binge drinkers. First-year university students (n = 151, 54 % females) classified as binge drinkers (n = 71, 6 or more binge drinking episodes, defined as 5/7 standard drinks per occasion in the last 180 days) and controls (n = 80, <6 binge drinking episodes in the last 180 days) performed a beverage Go/NoGo task (pictures of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks were presented according to the condition as Go or NoGo stimuli; Go probability = 0.75) during event-related potential recording. In binge drinkers but not controls, the amplitude of the anterior N2-NoGo was larger in response to nonalcohol than in response to alcohol pictures. No behavioural difference in task performance was observed. In terms of dual-process models, binge drinkers may require increased activation to monitor conflict in order to compensate for overactivation of the affective-automatic system caused by alcohol-related bias

In the present thesis, the neuropsychological performance in working memory, episodic memory and decision making in university students with a pattern of intensive alcohol consumption over a six-year period (from 18-19 to 24-25) has been evaluated. The results showed that a stable BD trajectory was associated with difficulties in working memory and episodic verbal memory. Both sexes showed similar performance. The abandonment of this pattern was associated with an improvement in cognitive functioning. The results are consistent with the particular vulnerability of prefrontal and temporomedical networks to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol.

Aim To identify differences in Risky Consumption (RC) and Binge drinking (BD) trends in students who already followed these patterns of alcohol consumption on starting university and those who did not, and also to try to understand what leads students to engage in these types of behaviour at university. Material and methods Cohort study among university students in Spain (n = 1382). BD and RC were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test at ages 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27 years. Multilevel logistic regression for repeated measures was used to calculate the adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs). Results The prevalence rates of RC and BD were lower throughout the study in students who did not follow these patterns of consumption at age 18. For RC and BD, the differences at age 27 years, expressed as percentage points (pp), were respectively 24 pp and 15 pp in women and 29 pp and 25 pp in men. Early age of onset of alcohol use increased the risk of engaging in RC and BD patterns at university, for men (OR = 2.91 & 2.80) and women (OR = 8.14 & 5.53). The same was observed in students living away from the parental home for BD (OR = 3.43 for men & 1.77 for women). Only women were influenced by having positive expectancies for engaging in RC (OR = 1.82) and BD (OR = 1.96). Conclusions The prevalence rates of both RC and BD at age 27 years were much higher among university students who already followed these patterns of consumption at age 18 years, with the differences being proportionally higher among women. Focusing on the age of onset of alcohol consumption and hindering access to alcohol by minors should be priority objectives aimed at preventing students from engaging in these patterns of alcohol consumption at university

Objective: Impaired affective decision-making has been consistently related to alcohol dependence. However, less is known about decision-making and binge drinking (BD) in adolescents. The main goal of this longitudinal study was to determine the association between BD and decision-making from late adolescence to early adulthood. A second aim is to assess developmental changes and performance differences in males and females. Method: An initial sample of 155 1st-year university students, (76 non-BDs, 40 females; and 79 BDs, 39 females), was followed prospectively over a 4-year period. The students were classified as stable non-BDs, stable BDs and ex-BDs according to their scores in item 3 of the AUDIT and the speed of alcohol consumption. Decision-making was assessed by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) three times during the study. Dependent variables were net gain and net loss. Results were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. Results: A stable BD pattern was not associated with either disadvantageous decisionmaking or sensitivity to loss frequency. Performance improved significantly in both genders over the study period, especially in the last blocks of the task. Females showed a higher sensitivity to loss frequency than males. No gender-related differences were observed in gains. Conclusion: Performance in affective decision-making continues to improve in late adolescence, suggesting neuromaturational development in both genders. Females are more sensitive to loss frequency. Stable BD during late adolescence and emerging adulthood is not associated with deficits in decision-making. Poor performance of the IGT may be related to more severe forms of excessive alcohol consumption

Adolescence and early adulthood are periods of particular vulnerability to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol. Young people with alcohol-use disorders display deficits in working memory (WM). This function is supported by the prefrontal cortex, a late-maturing brain region. However, little is known about the progression of cognitive dysfunctions associated with a binge-drinking (BD) pattern of alcohol consumption among non-clinical adolescents. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between BD trajectory and WM in university students. An initial sample of 155 male and female first-year university students was followed prospectively over 6 years. The participants were classified as stable non-BDs, stable BDs, and ex-BDs, according to the third item of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). WM was assessed using the Self-Ordered Pointing Task. Generalized linear mixed models were applied. The results showed that stable BDs committed more total perseverative errors and showed a lower WM span in the difficult blocks than stable non-BDs. Difficulties in WM span showed some improvement, whereas perseveration errors remained constant throughout the follow-ups in the stable BDs. There were no significant differences between ex-BDs and non-BDs. In conclusion, stable BD is associated with WM deficits, particularly perseverations and low WM span in demanding trials, when compensatory mechanisms may no longer be successful. The partial improvement in WM span may support the notion of a neuromaturational delay, whereas the temporal stability of perseveration deficits may reflect either neurotoxic effects of alcohol or premorbid characteristics. Abandoning the BD pattern of alcohol consumption may lead to partial recovery

Binge drinking (BD), a harmful pattern of alcohol consumption, is common during adolescence. Young adults with alcohol use disorders exhibit hippocampal alterations and episodic memory deficits. However, it is not known how these difficulties progress in community BD adolescents. Our objective was to analyze the relationship between BD trajectory and verbal episodic memory during the developmental period spanning from adolescence and to early adulthood. An initial sample of 155 male and female first-year university students with no other risk factors were followed over six years. Participants were classified as stable non-BDs, stable BDs and ex-BDs according to the third AUDIT item. At baseline, participants comprised 36 ♂/ 40 ♀ non-BDs (18.58 years), 40 ♂/ 39 ♀ BDs (18.87 years), and at the third follow-up, they comprised 8 ♂/ 8 ♀ stable non-BDs (25.49 years), 2 ♂/ 2 ♀ stable BDs (25.40) and 8 ♂/ 12 ♀ ex-BDs (24.97 years). Episodic memory was assessed four times with the Logical Memory subtest (WMS-III) and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Generalized linear mixed models were applied. The results showed that, relative to non-BDs, stable BDs presented difficulties in immediate and delayed recall in the Logical Memory subtest. These difficulties remained stable over time. The short-term ex-BDs continued to display difficulties in immediate and delayed recall in the Logical Memory subtest, but long-term ex-BDs did not. The effects were not influenced by age of alcohol onset, frequency of cannabis use, tobacco use or psychopathological distress. In conclusion, BD during adolescence and young adulthood is associated with episodic memory deficits. Abandoning the BD pattern may lead to partial recovery. These findings are consistent with the vulnerability of the adolescent hippocampus to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol

Aim: The objective of this study is to assess the effects of Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) on the incidence of alcohol-related injuries among university students in Spain, taking sex into consideration. Methods: We carried out an open cohort study among college students in Spain (992 women and 371 men). HED and alcohol-related injuries were measured by question 3rd and 9th of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test to every participant at the ages of 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27. For data analysis we used a Multilevel Logistic Regression for repeated measures adjusting for alcohol and cannabis use. Results: The incidence rate of alcohol-related injuries was 0.028 year−1 for females and 0.036 year−1 for males. The multivariate analysis showed that among females a high frequency of HED and use of cannabis are risk factors for alcohol-related injuries (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.64 and OR = 3.68), while being more than 23 is a protective factor (OR = 0.34). For males, bivariate analysis also showed HED like risk factor (OR = 4.69 and OR = 2.51). Finally, the population attributable fraction for HED among females was 37.12%. Conclusions: HED leads to an increase of alcohol-related injuries in both sexes and being over 23 years old acts as a protective factor among women. Our results suggest that about one third of alcohol-related injuries among women could be avoided by removing HED

La ingesta de bebidas alcohólicas se convierte en un problema social ya que su aceptación cultural fomenta su uso generalizado, frecuente y sin control; de esta forma, se desencadenan efectos adversos de distinta índole producidos por un consumo de tipo desmedido. La tendencia actual indica que el inicio del consumo de alcohol se da a edad temprana, normalmente durante la adolescencia. El estilo de consumo juvenil se caracteriza por la ingesta de grandes cantidades de alcohol en un plazo corto de tiempo, generalmente en fin de semana, que alterna periodos de embriaguez con abstinencia entre los episodios de consumo. Este consumo intensivo de alcohol (CIA) constituye un riesgo para la salud de los jóvenes, quienes se encuentran en una importante etapa de neuromaduración, lo que les predispone a sufrir variaciones estructurales y funcionales en su sistema nervioso. En estas edades algunas capacidades como la memoria episódica y las funciones ejecutivas están en un estado de especialización y los circuitos neurofuncionales que les sustentan pueden ser vulnerables a factores perjudiciales como el consumo intensivo de alcohol. Nuestro objetivo principal es conocer el efecto del consumo intensivo de alcohol (CIA) en jóvenes sobre el rendimiento en memora episódica, atención y funciones ejecutivas así como en qué medida afecta a la relación entre estos procesos. Para llevar a cabo nuestro trabajo, contamos con la participación de estudiantes de primer curso de universidad. El nivel de consumo se determino mediante el cálculo de la concentración más alta de alcohol en sangre (BAC) estimada en un único episodio de consumo. La muestra final contó con 161 sujetos, 76 CIA (40 varones y 36 mujeres) y 85 No CIA (38 varones y 47 mujeres) que fueron convocados a una evaluación neuropsicológica. El objetivo general de nuestro trabajo lo hemos concretado en cinco objetivos específicos que enumeramos a continuación junto con los resultados obtenidos en cada uno de ellos...

La ingesta de bebidas alcohólicas se convierte en un problema social ya que su aceptación cultural fomenta su uso generalizado, frecuente y sin control; de esta forma, se desencadenan efectos adversos de distinta índole producidos por un consumo de tipo desmedido. La tendencia actual indica que el inicio del consumo de alcohol se da a edad temprana, normalmente durante la adolescencia. El estilo de consumo juvenil se caracteriza por la ingesta de grandes cantidades de alcohol en un plazo corto de tiempo, generalmente en fin de semana, que alterna periodos de embriaguez con abstinencia entre los episodios de consumo. Este consumo intensivo de alcohol (CIA) constituye un riesgo para la salud de los jóvenes, quienes se encuentran en una importante etapa de neuromaduración, lo que les predispone a sufrir variaciones estructurales y funcionales en su sistema nervioso. En estas edades algunas capacidades como la memoria episódica y las funciones ejecutivas están en un estado de especialización y los circuitos neurofuncionales que les sustentan pueden ser vulnerables a factores perjudiciales como el consumo intensivo de alcohol. Nuestro objetivo principal es conocer el efecto del consumo intensivo de alcohol (CIA) en jóvenes sobre el rendimiento en memora episódica, atención y funciones ejecutivas así como en qué medida afecta a la relación entre estos procesos. Para llevar a cabo nuestro trabajo, contamos con la participación de estudiantes de primer curso de universidad. El nivel de consumo se determino mediante el cálculo de la concentración más alta de alcohol en sangre (BAC) estimada en un único episodio de consumo. La muestra final contó con 161 sujetos, 76 CIA (40 varones y 36 mujeres) y 85 No CIA (38 varones y 47 mujeres) que fueron convocados a una evaluación neuropsicológica. El objetivo general de nuestro trabajo lo hemos concretado en cinco objetivos específicos que enumeramos a continuación junto con los resultados obtenidos en cada uno de ellos..., The intake of alcoholic beverages becomes a social problem as cultural acceptance promotes its widespread, frequent and uncontrolled use; thus, the excessive consumption produces different adverse effects. The current trend indicates that the beginning of alcohol consumption occurs at young age, usually during adolescence. The style of youth consumption is characterized by drinking large quantities of alcohol in a short term, usually on weekend, alternating periods of abstinence with episodes of intense consumption. Intensive alcohol consumption, Anglo-Saxon literature names it binge drinking (BD), constitutes a risk to young people health, which are at an important stage of neural ripeness, and predisposes them to be subject of structural and functional changes in their nervous system. At those ages, some capabilities such as episodic memory and executive functions are in a specialization state, as well as the neurofunctional transmitters that support them may be vulnerable to harmful factors such as intensive alcohol consumption. The main objective of this study is to know the effect of intense alcohol consumption in young people, on their performance in episodic memory, attention, and executive functions as well as it affects the relationship among those processes. In order to carry out our work, we have the participation of first course undergraduates from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM). The consumption level was determined by calculating the highest blood alcohol concentration (BAC) estimated in a single episode of consumption. The final sample consisted of 161 subjects who were convened to a neuropsychological assessment. 76 subjects were BD (40 males and 36 females) while 85 subjects were No BD (38 males and 47 females)...

Objetivo Determinar la incidencia de las prácticas sexuales de riesgo entre universitarios y su asociación con el consumo intensivo de alcohol y el consumo de cannabis. Método Se realizó un estudio de cohortes entre 2005 y 2011 en universitarios de la Cohorte Compostela (n=517). El consumo intensivo de alcohol se midió con la tercera pregunta del Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Las prácticas sexuales de riesgo se midieron como sexo bajo la influencia del alcohol (SBA) y sexo sin condón (SSC). Se generaron modelos de regresión logística. Resultados Las incidencias de SBA fueron del 40,9% y 53,0%, y las de SSC del 13,7% y el 25,7%, para mujeres y hombres, respectivamente. El consumo intensivo de alcohol y el consumo de cannabis se han mostrado asociados al SBA tanto en mujeres (odds ratio [OR]=2,08, intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%]: 1,03-4,21); OR=2,78, IC95%:1,57-4,92) como en hombres (OR=4,74, IC95%:1,49-15,09; OR=4,37, IC95%:1,17-16,36). El consumo de cannabis en las mujeres también se mostró asociado al SSC (OR=2,96, IC95%:1,52-5,75). Las fracciones atribuibles poblacionales de SBA para el consumo intensivo de alcohol fueron del 24,7% para las mujeres y del 52,9% para los hombres. Conclusiones El consumo intensivo de alcohol y el consumo de cannabis constituyen problemas de salud pública debido a su asociación con una variedad de problemas, incluidas las prácticas sexuales de riesgo. Nuestros resultados permiten sugerir que una importante proporción de las prácticas de sexo no seguro podrían evitarse reduciendo este patrón de consumo de alcohol, Objective To determine the incidence of unsafe sex among university students and its association with heavy episodic drinking (HED) and cannabis use. Method A cohort study was carried out from 2005 to 2011 among university students of the Compostela Cohort (n=517). HED was measured using the third question of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Unsafe sex was considered to be sex under the influence of alcohol (SUA) and sex without a condom (SWC). Logistic regression models were created. Results The incidence of SUA was 40.9% for women and 53.0% for men, while the SWC incidence ranged from 13.7% for women to 25.7% for men. HED and cannabis use were associated with SUA in both women (OR=2.08, 95% CI: 1.03-4.21; OR=2.78, 95%CI: 1.57-4.92) and men (OR=4.74 (95%CI: 1.49-15.09; OR=4.37, 95%CI: 1.17- 16.36). Moreover, cannabis use in women was associated with SWC (OR=2.96, 95%CI: 1.52-5.75). The population attributable fractions of SUA for HED were 24.7% and 52.9% for women and men, respectively. Conclusions HED and cannabis use represent a public health problem due to their association with a variety of problems, including engagement in unsafe sex. Our results suggest that a significant proportion of unsafe sex could be avoided by reducing this consumption pattern of alcohol

Background: Adolescent brain may be particularly vulnerable to alcohol. Plus, psychopathological disorders tend to emerge in this period. Consequently, early alcohol use may increase the risk of psychopathological disorders, with time and sex-dependent effects. However, few studies have analyzed the relationship between alcohol consumption and adolescent psychopathology in the general population. The objective was to determine the association between age of onset of alcohol use and psychopathological symptoms in university students, separately for both sexes. Method: A cross-sectional study involving fi rst-year university students (n = 3,696) was conducted. Symptoms were measured by the Symptom Checklist-R (SCL-90-R). The independent variable was age of fi rst alcohol use. Dependent variables were the SCL-90-R dimensions, dichotomized. Alcohol consumption was considered a mediator variable. Data were analyzed separately for males and females. Results: The fi ndings showed that a younger age of onset is a risk factor for the following global indexes: Global Severity Index, Positive Symptom Total for females, and Positive Symptom Distress Index, for males. Alcohol consumption showed a higher mediator effect for females than for males. Conclusion: Early age of alcohol use is associated with increased psychopathological symptomatology in both sexes during the college freshman year. The pattern of symptomatology is different in each sex, Antecedentes: durante la adolescencia el cerebro es especialmente vulnerable a los efectos del alcohol. El consumo temprano de alcohol puede aumentar el riesgo de sintomatología psicopatológica. Pocos estudios han analizado la relación entre consumo de alcohol y sintomatología psicopatológica en adolescentes en la población general. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la asociación entre edad de inicio del consumo de alcohol y síntomas psicopatológicos en estudiantes universitarios, separadamente para ambos sexos. Método: estudio transversal en estudiantes universitarios (n = 3.696). Los síntomas se midieron con el SCL-90-R. La variable independiente fue la edad de inicio del consumo de alcohol. Las variables dependientes fueron las dimensiones del SCL-90-R dicotomizadas. El consumo de alcohol fue una variable mediadora. Resultados: una temprana edad de inicio es un factor de riesgo para los siguientes índices globales: Índice de Severidad Global, Total de Síntomas Positivos, solo en mujeres, e Índice de Malestar, solo para hombres. El consumo de alcohol muestra un mayor efecto mediador en las mujeres. Conclusión: una temprana edad de inicio en el consumo de alcohol se asocia con un aumento de sintomatología psicopatológica en ambos sexos durante el primer año de Universidad. El patrón de sintomatología difi ere en hombres y mujeres

Aim To evaluate the prevalence of alcohol consumption among university students during late adolescence and young adulthood and to identify the associated factors. Material and Methods Cohort study among university students in Spain (n = 1382). Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) and Risky Consumption (RC) were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) at ages 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27 years. Data on potential factors associated with alcohol use were obtained with an additional questionnaire. Multilevel logistic regression for repeated measures was used to obtain adjusted OR (Odds Ratios). Results The rates of prevalence of RC were lower, but not statistically significant, in women. The age-related changes in these rates were similar in both genders, and the prevalence of RC peaked at 20 years. By contrast, the prevalence of HED was significantly lower in women and peaked at 18 years in women and at 22 years in men. Multivariate models showed that early age of onset of alcohol use (OR = 10.6 and OR = 6.9 for women; OR = 8.3 and OR = 8.2 for men) and positive expectations about alcohol (OR = 7.8 and OR = 4.5 for women; OR = 3.6 and OR = 3.3 for men) were the most important risk factors for RC and HED. Living away from the family home was also a risk factor for both consumption patterns among women (OR = 3.16 and OR = 2.34), while a high maternal education level was a risk factor for RC among both genders (OR = 1.62 for women; OR = 2.49 for men). Conclusions Alcohol consumption decreases significantly at the end of youth, with higher rates of prevalence and a later peak among men. Prevention strategies should focus on beliefs and expectations about alcohol and on delaying the age of onset. Women are at particular risk for these consumption patterns if they live away from their parents. Belonging to a highincome family is a strong risk factor for RC

En las últimas décadas ha adquirido especial relevancia, entre los jóvenes y adolescentes, el patrón de consumo intensivo de alcohol, el cual presenta alta prevalencia en la mayoría de los países occidentales. En la literatura anglosajona se denomina binge drinking (BD) y se caracteriza por la ingesta de grandes cantidades de alcohol en un corto periodo de tiempo, normalmente el fin de semana, que suele llevar a la embriaguez, y alternando períodos de abstinencia entre los episodios de consumo intensivo. El consumo intensivo de alcohol (CIA) parece resultar significativamente más dañino para el cerebro que su consumo regular, y mayores aún son las implicaciones al tratarse de población juvenil. El córtex prefrontal, soporte neuronal de los procesos ejecutivos y de los rasgos de personalidad, parece resultar especialmente afectado por el consumo de alcohol. Aspectos como la desinhibición o la impulsividad, plausiblemente mediado por la actividad neuronal en los circuitos prefrontales se han considerado como una consecuencia habitual del consumo de alcohol; sin embargo esta misma impulsividad puede representar un indicador de vulnerabilidad para la adicción al alcohol y otras sustancias. El objetivo general de este estudio es determinar las relaciones existentes entre el consumo intensivo de alcohol en jóvenes y su actividad prefrontal, estimada a partir de su rendimiento neuropsicológico y su perfil de personalidad. Los resultados obtenidos nos permiten establecer las siguientes conclusiones: Existen diferencias en el perfil de personalidad entre los jóvenes CIA y No CIA. El perfil de personalidad de los sujetos CIA permite explicar aspectos relacionados con el consumo de alcohol. De este perfil, el factor desinhibición es el que mejor explica estas conductas. El mayor consumo de alcohol se asocia con más errores atencionales y disminución de la velocidad de procesamiento, pero no con menor rendimiento en memoria de trabajo u otras funciones ejecutivas. Existe asocia

En las últimas décadas ha adquirido especial relevancia, entre los jóvenes y adolescentes, el patrón de consumo intensivo de alcohol, el cual presenta alta prevalencia en la mayoría de los países occidentales. En la literatura anglosajona se denomina binge drinking (BD) y se caracteriza por la ingesta de grandes cantidades de alcohol en un corto periodo de tiempo, normalmente el fin de semana, que suele llevar a la embriaguez, y alternando períodos de abstinencia entre los episodios de consumo intensivo. El consumo intensivo de alcohol (CIA) parece resultar significativamente más dañino para el cerebro que su consumo regular, y mayores aún son las implicaciones al tratarse de población juvenil. El córtex prefrontal, soporte neuronal de los procesos ejecutivos y de los rasgos de personalidad, parece resultar especialmente afectado por el consumo de alcohol. Aspectos como la desinhibición o la impulsividad, plausiblemente mediado por la actividad neuronal en los circuitos prefrontales se han considerado como una consecuencia habitual del consumo de alcohol; sin embargo esta misma impulsividad puede representar un indicador de vulnerabilidad para la adicción al alcohol y otras sustancias. El objetivo general de este estudio es determinar las relaciones existentes entre el consumo intensivo de alcohol en jóvenes y su actividad prefrontal, estimada a partir de su rendimiento neuropsicológico y su perfil de personalidad. Los resultados obtenidos nos permiten establecer las siguientes conclusiones: Existen diferencias en el perfil de personalidad entre los jóvenes CIA y No CIA. El perfil de personalidad de los sujetos CIA permite explicar aspectos relacionados con el consumo de alcohol. De este perfil, el factor desinhibición es el que mejor explica estas conductas. El mayor consumo de alcohol se asocia con más errores atencionales y disminución de la velocidad de procesamiento, pero no con menor rendimiento en memoria de trabajo u otras funciones ejecutivas. Existe asocia

INTRODUCCIÓN: El Síndrome de Fatiga Crónica (SFC) se define como una fatiga intensa, de etiología desconocida que dura más de 6 meses e interfiere en la calidad de vida del paciente. Además de estos síntomas, se acompaña de problemas de memoria y concentración, odinofagia, adenopatía cervical o axilar dolorosa, mialgia, cefalea de inicio reciente o de características diferentes de la habitual, poliartralgia sin signos inflamatorios, sueño no reparador y malestar postesfuerzo que dura más de 24 horas (Fukuda et al., 1994). Alrededor del 90% de los pacientes refiere déficits cognitivos (Jason et al., 1999), siendo una de las principales causas de discapacidad funcional. Los estudios neuropsicológicos constatan algunos de estos déficits, siendo los resultados más consistentes en velocidad de procesamiento de información y atención (Cockshell y Mathias, 2010; Michiels y Cluydts, 2001). La etiología y el alcance del déficit continúa siendo desconocida. Una de las hipótesis es la que sugiere que las alteraciones cognitivas son secundarias a los trastornos emocionales habitualmente presentes en el SFC. También surge la preocupación acerca de la evolución del déficit sobre todo por parte del enfermo, a pesar de la escasa atención recibida por parte de la comunidad científica. Finalmente, se desconoce el papel de otros factores, como la propia fatiga, en la disfunción. Teniendo en cuenta estos datos, la presente tesis presenta como objetivos: determinar el perfil de afectación cognitiva asociado al SFC, analizar la evolución del déficit y los factores asociados.

El presente capítulo forma parte de la Guía Clínica sobre consumo intensivo de alcohol en jóvenes editada por Socidrogalcohol en el marco de una serie de publicaciones que recogen pautas y recomendaciones para mejorar la calidad asistencial y la labor preventiva de los profesionales de las adicciones. Se revisa la evidencia científica relativa al funcionamiento neurocognitivo en jóvenes y adolescentes con consumo intensivo intermitente de alcohol, en el marco de un capítulo más amplio dedicado al conjunto de las consecuencias bio-psico-sociales derivadas de este patrón de consumo. La revisión engloba el período 2000-2014 y se organiza en la evidencia derivada de estudios mediante neuroimagen (estructural y funcional), de estudios mediante electrofisiología no invasiva y de estudios neuropsicológicos

[ES] La enfermedad de pequeño vaso (SVD) es una condición frecuente que afecta a las arterias perforantes, importantes para el mantenimiento de la sustancia blanca y de los núcleos subcorticales. Tiene un papel importante en la enfermedad cerebrovascular y es la principal causa de deterioro cognitivo y pérdida funcional en el anciano. La depresión en la tercera edad está subdiagnosticada y afecta especialmente al funcionamiento neuropsicológico, en aspectos como la memoria, atención y orientación. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la prevalencia de disfunción cognitiva de los pacientes con factores de riesgo para la SVD; evaluar la presencia de la sintomatología depresiva; y establecer la relación entre el funcionamiento cognitivo y depresión. Método: La muestra estaba formada por 62 sujetos (37 mujeres y 25 varones), con edad entre 60 y 77 años, con estudios primarios y con factores de riesgo para SVD. Se emplearon el Examen Cognitivo de Addenbrooke (Addenbrooke´s Cognitive Examination, ACE) y la escala de depresión geriátrica de Yesavage (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS). Resultados: El 21% de la muestra presentó disfunción cognitiva, más frecuente en mujeres que en hombres (p=, 039). El 14,5% presentó sintomatología depresiva, sin diferencias por sexo (p=,053). Las puntuaciones en la escala de depresión predecían el rendimiento cognitivo en el ACE (B=-,730 p=,003, IC 95% -1,207 - -,253). Conclusiones: Existe un porcentaje importante de disfunción cognitiva en sujetos con factores de riesgo para la SVD, pero no se han encontrado signos clínicos de afectación vascular. El porcentaje mayor de déficit cognitivo lo presentaron las mujeres, pero en relación a la sintomatología depresiva, no se evidencia diferencias significativas por género. La presencia de sintomatología depresiva se relaciona con peor rendimiento cognitivo en tareas de atención-orientación, memoria y visoespaciales., [EN] Introduction: Small vessel disease (SVD) is a common condition that affects perforating arteries, important for the maintenance of the white matter and subcortical nuclei. It has an important role in cerebrovascular disease and is a major cause of functional impairment and cognitive impairment in the elderly. Depression in the elderly is underdiagnosed and especially affects neuropsychological functioning in areas such as memory, attention and guidance. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in patients with risk factors for SVD; assess the presence of depressive symptoms; and establish the relationship between cognitive functioning and depression. Method: The sample consisted of 62 subjects (37 women and 25 men), aged between 60 and 77 years, with primary education and risk factors for SVD. Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE) and the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) were used. Results: 21% of the sample presented cognitive dysfunction, more common in women than in men (p =, 039). 14.5% had depressive symptoms, with no differences by sex (p =, 053). The scores on the depression scale predicted cognitive performance in the ACE (B=-,730 p=,003, IC 95% -1,207 - -,253). Conclusions: There is a significant percentage of cognitive dysfunction in patients with risk factors for SVD, but there were no clinical signs of vascular involvement. The highest percentage of cognitive deficit was shown in women, but in relation to depressive symptoms, no significant gender differences are evident. The presence of depressive symptoms is associated with worse cognitive performance on tasks of attention-orientation, and visuospatial memory.

Binge drinking or heavy episodic drinking is a high prevalent pattern of alcohol consumption among young people in several countries. Despite increasing evidence that binge drinking is associated with impairments in executive aspects of working memory (i.e. self-ordered working memory), processes known to depend on the mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann areas 46 and 9), less is known about the impact of binge drinking on prefrontal gray matter integrity. Here, we investigated the effects of binge drinking on gray matter volume of mid- dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in youths. We used voxel-based morphometry on the structural magnetic resonance images of subjects reporting a persistent (at least three years) binge drinking pattern of alcohol use (n = 11; age 22.4361.03) and control subjects (n = 21; age 22.1861.08) to measure differences in gray matter volume between both groups. In a region of interest analysis of the mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, after co-varying for age and gender, we observed significantly larger gray matter volume in the left middorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann areas 46 and 9) in binge drinkers in comparison with control subjects. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between left mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex volume and Self-Ordered Pointing Test (SOPT) total errors score in binge drinkers. The left mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex volume also correlated with the quantity and speed of alcohol intake. These findings indicate that a repeated exposure to alcohol -that does not meet criteria for alcohol dependence- throughout post-adolescent years and young adulthood is linked with structural anomalies in mid-dorsolateral prefrontal regions critically involved in executive aspects of working memory

El consumo intensivo de alcohol o binge drinking (BD) constituye la forma de consumo problemático más común durante la adolescencia y juventud. Al mismo tiempo, es éste un período marcado por profundos cambios, tanto en la estructura como en el funcionamiento cerebral, que pueden verse afectados por el consumo intensivo de alcohol. En los últimos años, se ha publicado un importante número de estudios que tratan de caracterizar los efectos del BD sobre el cerebro. Sin embargo, no existe hasta la fecha ninguna revisión crítica en lengua española de la investigación sobre las consecuencias neuroestructurales, neurofuncionales y cognitivas que pueden derivarse del mantenimiento de un patrón de consumo intensivo de alcohol durante la adolescencia y juventud. El propósito de esta revisión es hacer un resumen crítico de los principales resultados de la investigación sobre los efectos del BD en el cerebro. Para ello, se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos Web of Knowledge, PubMed y PsycINFO para el periodo 2000-2013. En general, los trabajos coinciden en señalar que el BD se asocia a 1) menor rendimiento en tareas que evalúan procesos cognitivos como la atención, la memoria o las funciones ejecutivas, 2) alteraciones estructurales (en sustancia blanca y en sustancia gris) en distintas regiones cerebrales y 3) anomalías neurofuncionales (hiper- y/o hipoactivación neural) ligadas a distintos procesos cognitivos. Estos resultados, si bien aún necesitan ser contrastados, alertan sobre las importantes consecuencias que podría tener la persistencia del BD sobre un cerebro joven y todavía en maduración., Binge drinking (BD) is the most common problematic drinking pattern during adolescence and youth. At the same time, it is a period marked by profound structural and functional brain changes, which may be affected by heavy alcohol consumption. In recent years, a considerable number of studies that attempt to characterize the effects of BD on the brain has been published. However, to date there is not any critical review in Spanish language on neurostructural, neurophysiological and cognitive consequences that may result from the maintenance of a BD pattern of alcohol consumption during adolescence and youth. The purpose of this review is to critically summarize the main research results on the effects of BD on the brain. To this end, a literature search in databases Web of Knowledge, PubMed and PsycINFO for the period 2000-2013 was performed. In general, studies agree that BD is associated with 1) lower performance on tasks assessing cognitive processes such as attention, memory and executive functions, 2) structural changes (in white matter and gray matter) in different brain regions and 3) neurophysiological abnormalities (hyper/hypoactivation) linked to different cognitive processes. These results, although still need to be contrasted, warn about important consequences that could result from the persistence of BD on a young and still maturing brain.

It is well known that alcohol impairs response inhibition and that adolescence is a critical period of neuromaturation where cognitive processes such as inhibitory control are still developing. In recent years, growing evidence has shown the negative consequences of alcohol binge drinking on the adolescent and young human brain. However, the effects of cessation of binge drinking on brain function remain unexplored. The objective of the present study was to examine brain activity during response execution and inhibition in young binge drinkers in relation to the progression of their drinking habits over time. Event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by a Go/NoGo task were recorded twice within a 2- year interval in 57 undergraduate students (25 controls, 22 binge drinkers, and 10 ex-binge drinkers) with no personal or family history of alcoholism or psychopathological disorders. The results showed that the amplitude of NoGo-P3 over the frontal region correlated with an earlier age of onset of regular drinking as well as with greater quantity and speed of alcohol consumption. Regression analysis showed that NoGo-P3 amplitude was significantly predicted by the speed of alcohol intake and the age of onset of regular drinking. The group comparisons showed that, after maintaining a binge drinking pattern for at least 2 years, binge drinkers displayed significantly larger NoGo-P3 amplitudes than controls, whereas ex-binge drinkers were in an intermediate position between the two other groups (with no significant differences with respect to controls or binge drinkers). These findings suggest that binge drinking in young people may impair the neural functioning related to inhibitory processes, and that the cessation of binge drinking may act as a brake on the neurophysiological impairments related to response inhibition

Objective: The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of heavy drinking on alcohol-related injuries. Material and methods: We carried out an open cohort study among university students in Spain (n = 1,382). Heavy drinking and alcohol-related injuries were measured by administrating AUDIT questionnaires to every participant at the ages of 18, 20, 22 and 24. For data analysis we used a Multilevel Logistic Regression for repeated measures adjusting for consumption of alcohol and cannabis. Results: The response rate at the beginning of the study was 99.6% (1,369 students). The incidence rate of alcohol-related injuries was 3.2 per 100 students year. After adjusting for alcohol consumption and cannabis use, the multivariate model revealed that a high frequency of heavy drinking was a risk factor for alcohol-related injuries (Odds Ratio = 3.89 [95%CI: 2.16 – 6.99]). The proportion of alcohol-related injuries in exposed subjects attributable to heavy drinking was 59.78% [95%CI: 32.75 – 75.94] while the population attributable fraction was 45.48% [95%CI: 24.91 – 57.77]. Conclusion: We can conclude that heavy drinking leads to an increase of alcohol-related injuries. This shows a new dimension on the consequences of this public concern already related with a variety of health and social problems. Furthermore, our results allow us to suggest that about half of alcohol-related injuries could be avoided by removing this consumption pattern.

Aims: Adolescence is usually the time when individuals first drink alcohol and this has been associated with relatively weak or immature inhibitory control. This review examines the changes on brain development and inhibitory function that take place during adolescence and youth as well as the relationship between inhibitory control and alcohol use at this early age. Methods: Narrative review of the chief studies related to (a) the development of inhibitory control during adolescence, (b) the deficits in the inhibitory ability in alcohol use disorders and (c) the effects of acute alcohol intake and binge drinking on inhibitory control in adolescents and young adults. Results: Inhibitory control processes are developing during adolescence and youth. Poor inhibitory functions may predispose the individual to alcohol misuse. Likewise, acute and binge alcohol drinking may impair the inhibitory control and compromise the ability to prevent or stop behaviour related to alcohol use. Conclusion: Poor inhibitory control can be both the cause and the consequence of excessive alcohol use. Adolescence and young adulthood may be a particularly vulnerable period due to (a) the weak or immature inhibitory functioning typical of this stage may contribute to the inability of the individual to control alcohol use and (b) alcohol consumption per se may alter or interrupt the proper development of inhibitory control leading to a reduced ability to regulate alcohol intake. Further longitudinal research is needed to evaluate the interaction between inhibitory control dysfunction and alcohol use in both situations

Aims: The objective of this study was to examine brain activity related to visual attention processes in youths who had maintained a binge drinking (BD) pattern of alcohol consumption for >2 years. Methods: The participants were 57 university students (26 binge drinkers: BDs) with no personal or family history of alcoholism or psychopathological disorders in first-degree relatives. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants performed a visual oddball task (twice within a 2-year interval). The latency and amplitude of the P3b component of the ERPs were analysed. Results: The P3b amplitude was larger in young BDs than in aged-matched controls at both evaluation times, and the difference was more pronounced after 2 years of maintenance of a BD pattern of consumption. The larger P3b amplitude was associated with an earlier onset of regular drinking and with a greater quantity and intensity of consumption. Conclusions: These findings suggest that young BDs exhibit anomalies in neural activity involved in attentional/ working memory processes, which increase after 2 years of maintenance of BD. This anomalous neural activity may reflect underlying dysfunctions in neurophysiological mechanisms as well as the recruitment of additional attentional/working memory resources to enable the binge drinkers to perform the task adequately.

Background Adolescence is a time of considerable neurodevelopment. Binge drinking (BD) during this period increases the vulnerability to its neurotoxic effects. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the relationship between BD trajectory over university years and neuropsychological functioning. Methods Cohort-study. Two-year follow-up. A total of 89 university students were assessed: 40 Non-BD (at Initial and Follow-up), 16 Ex-BD (BD at Initial but not at Follow-up) and 33 BD (at both times). Neuropsychological assessment of working memory, episodic memory and executive abilities was carried out during their first (Initial) and third (Follow-up) academic year at the University of Santiago de Compostela. Results BD subjects performed less well on the Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III) Logical Memory Subtest (immediate theme recall, P = .034; delayed theme recall, P = .037; and percent retention, P = .035) and committed more perseverative errors on the Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT) (P = .021) than Non-BD. There were no differences between Ex-BD and Non-BD. Conclusions Binge drinking trajectory during adolescence is associated with neuropsychological performance. Persistent BD, but not Ex-BD, is associated with verbal memory and monitoring difficulties. This is compatible with the hypothesis that heavy alcohol use during adolescence may affect cognitive functions that rely on the temporomesial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Background: Binge drinking (BD) is prevalent among college students. Studies on alcoholism have shown that the prefrontal cortex is vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol. The prefrontal cortex undergoes both structural and functional changes during adolescence and young adulthood. Sex differences have been observed in brain maturation and in alcohol-induced damage. The objective of the present study was to analyze the relationship between BD and cognitive functions subserved by the prefrontal cortex in male and female university students. Methods: The sample comprised 122 undergraduates (aged 18 to 20 years): 62 BD (30 females) and 60 non-BD (29 females). Executive functions were assessed by WMS-III (Backward Digit Span and Backward Spatial Span), SOPT (abstract designs), Letter Fluency (PMR), BADS (Zoo Map and Key Search) and WCST-3. Results: BD students scored lower in the Backward Digit Span Subtest and generated more perseverative responses in the SOPT In relation to interaction BD by sex, BD males scored lower in the Backward Digit Span test than BD females and non-BD males. Conclusions: BD is associated with poorer performance of executive functions subserved by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The results do not support enhanced vulnerability of women to alcohol neurotoxic effects. These difficulties may reflect developmental delay or frontal lobe dysfunction.

Aims: The objective of this study was to examine brain activity, with particular attention to prefrontal function, during response execution and inhibition in youths who have engaged in binge drinking (BD) for at least 2 years. Design: Event‐related potentials (ERPs) were recorded twice within 3 years, during performance of a Go/NoGo task. Setting: The study was part of a longitudinal study of the neurocognitive effects of BD. Participants: A total of 48 undergraduate students, 25 controls (14 females) and 23 binge drinkers (10 females), with no personal or family history of alcoholism or psychopathological disorders. Measurements: The Go‐P3 and NoGo‐P3 components of the ERPs were examined by principal component analysis and exact low‐resolution tomography analysis (eLORETA). Findings: Binge drinkers showed larger Go‐P3 amplitudes than controls in the first and second evaluations (P = 0.019). They also showed larger NoGo‐P3 amplitude in the second evaluation (P = 0.002). eLORETA analyses in the second evaluation revealed significantly greater activation of the right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC) in binge drinkers than in controls during successful inhibition (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Young binge drinkers appear to show abnormal brain activity as measured by event‐related potentials during response execution and inhibition which may represent a neural antecedent of difficulties in impulse control

The aim of the present study was to determine how binge drinking (BD) affects brain functioning in male and female university students during the performance of a visual discrimination task. Thirty two binge drinkers and 53 controls (non binge drinkers), with no history of other drug use, personal or family history of alcoholism or psychopathological disorders, were selected. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during the performance of a visual oddball task. The latency and amplitude of the N2 and P3b components of the ERPs were analyzed. There were no differences between the groups in behavioral measures, but P3b amplitudes were significantly larger in binge drinkers than controls. This may suggest the presence of anomalies in neural processes mediating attention processing, or an imbalance (increased) of neuronal activity in P3b generators caused by the presence of BD pattern for a long time.

Objetivos: Delimitar el concepto de consumo intensivo de alcohol adolescente (binge drinking) con el fin de definir un criterio operativo del término. Metodología: Se ha realizado una revisión bibliográfica en las bases de datos Medline y Psyclit en el período 1980-2009. Mediante el filtro “(binge drinking OR heavy-episodic-drinking) AND (adolescence OR university-students OR college-students)” se seleccionaron 80 artículos para su revisión. Resultados: Los estudios epidemiológicos que han informado sobre la prevalencia de este patrón de consumo muestran falta de consenso a la hora de operativizar el término. Se han propuesto distintos criterios en cuanto al número de unidades de bebida estándar (UBEs) consumidas por ocasión, la frecuencia de los episodios y la duración de los mismos. Conclusiones: Una definición adecuada del patrón de consumo intensivo de alcohol debe integrar las variables cantidad y frecuencia y, además, tener en cuenta las consecuencias negativas asociadas al mismo. El criterio más comúnmente aceptado por la comunidad científica internacional es el consumo de 5 ó más UBEs -4 ó más para mujeres- en una única ocasión, al menos una vez en las dos últimas semanas. Sin embargo, aspectos como las diferencias entre países en los gramos de alcohol de las UBEs dificultan el establecimiento de una definición internacional del término. Esto hace necesario adaptar este criterio al país donde se realice el estudio, Background: Review of the concept of adolescent binge drinking in order to propose an operational definition. Methods: We conducted a literature review in the databases MEDLINE and PSYCLIT for the period 1980 to 2009. Through the filter “(binge drinking OR heavy-episodic-drinking) AND (adolescence OR universitystudents OR college-students)” 80 articles were selected for review. Results: Epidemiological studies that have reported the prevalence of binge drinking show a lack of consensus regarding the operational definition. Alternative approaches have been proposed in relation to the number of standard drink units (SDUs) consumed per occasion, frequency of episodes and their duration. Conclusions: A proper definition of the pattern of intensive alcohol consumption should integrate the quantity and frequency variables, and also take into account the negative consequences associated with it. The criterion most widely accepted by the international scientific community is the consumption of 5 or more SDUs – 4 or more for women – on a single occasion at least once in the last two weeks. However, aspects such as differences in the grams of alcohol of SDUs hinder the establishment of an international definition of the term, making it necessary to adapt this approach to the country in which the study is being carried out.

Introducción: El consumo intensivo de alcohol (CIA), caracterizado por la ingesta intermitente de grandes cantidades en breves intervalos de tiempo, presenta una importante prevalencia entre estudiantes universitarios (con patrones cada vez más próximos entre ambos sexos) y ejerce considerable impacto en la salud pública. Sus efectos neurotóxicos son diferenciados en la adolescencia, dada la importante maduración neural propia de este periodo. En los últimos años ha habido un importante avance en la identificación de las características neurocognitivas relacionadas con el patrón CIA en la adolescencia. Sin embargo, el control ausente o limitado de algunas variables confusoras supone una clara limitación. Hasta el momento, no hay constancia de ningún trabajo de seguimiento que abarque de modo exhaustivo el estudio del funcionamiento cognitivo entre jóvenes con CIA. Por otro lado, no se ha valorado la significación clínica de las diferencias de rendimiento constatadas, ni su nivel de gravedad. Por último, no existe todavía consenso acerca de si existen diferencias sexuales en el efecto del CIA. Objetivos: (a) Determinar el efecto de la trayectoria del patrón CIA sobre el rendimiento neuropsicológico dependiente del funcionamiento témporo-medial y prefrontal; (b) Determinar si el efecto de la trayectoria del patrón CIA sobre el rendimiento neuropsicológico es modulado por el sexo; (c) Determinar si la trayectoria del patrón CIA, y en su caso su interacción con el sexo, afectan al patrón de desarrollo neuropsicológico en el período evaluado; (d) Determinar la prevalencia de disfunción neuropsicológica, así como su gravedad y factores asociados en función de la trayectoria del patrón de consumo, para cada sexo. Método: En el marco de un estudio prospectivo longitudinal con población adolescente universitaria, se realizó una evaluación neuropsicológica, durante el primer (Fase 1) y tercer (Fase 2) año de estudio en la Universidade de Santiago de Compostela de 81 voluntari

Background: Binge drinking (BD), which is characterized by sporadic consumption of large quantities of alcohol in short periods, is prevalent among university students. Animal studies have shown that BD is associated with damage to the hippocampus, a region of the brain that plays a key role in learning and memory. The temporal cortex undergoes structural and functional changes during adolescence. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between BD and declarative memory in male and female university students. Methods: The participants were 122 students (between 18 and 20 years of age): 62 BD (30 women) and 60 non-BD (29 women). The neuropsychological assessment included the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and Weschler Memory Scale-3rd ed. (WMS-III) Logical Memory subtest, to evaluate verbal declarative memory, and the WMS-III Family Pictures subtest, to measure visual declarative memory. Results: The BD students remembered fewer words in the interference list and displayed greater proactive interference in the RAVLT; they performed worse in the Logical Memory subtest, both on immediate and delayed recall. There were no differences between the groups in performance of the Family Pictures subtest. No significant interactions were observed between BD and sex. Conclusions: Binge drinking is associated with poorer verbal declarative memory, regardless of sex. The findings are consistent with the vulnerability of the adolescent hippocampus to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol. Longitudinal studies will help determine the nature of this relationship, the neurodevelopmental trajectories for each sex, and the repercussions on academic performance

Objective: To determine the prevalence of medicine consumption among Spanish university students and its association with alcohol, tobacco and cannabis consumption. Method: We carried out a cohort study among Spanish university students (n = 2,700). Consumption of medicines during the previous 15 days, risky alcohol use, and tobacco and cannabis consumption were measured using questionnaire. Logistic regression models were generated using consumption of medicines as dependent variables at the beginning of the study and for a 2-year follow-up. Results: A multivariate logistic regression model showed at the beginning of the study that being female (OR = 1.71), living away from home (OR = 1.35) and being a smoker (OR = 1.40) are associated with consumption of medicines. Furthermore, the model shows a significant interaction between risky alcohol use and cannabis consumption (OR = 2.00). The 2-year follow-up shows that only being female (OR = 1.44) and risky alcohol use (OR = 1.36) are associated with the considered dependent variable. Conclusions: Our results reveal a very high intake of medicines among university students; most of them are without a medical prescription. Probably, this consumption of medicines is another form of poly-consumption of drugs

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of risky consumption (RC) and heavy episodic drinking (HED) in the Cohort of Spanish university students at two-year follow-up and to identify predictors of these patterns of alcohol consumption and the association between these patterns and academic achievement. Method: We carried out a cohort study. Alcohol consumption was measured with the AUDIT. The following variables were collected by questionnaire: place of residence, parents' education, alcohol consumption in the family, age of onset of use, alcohol expectancies, and the academic achievement. We constructed logistic regression models using three dependent variables: RC, HED, and academic achievement. Results: The response rate at two-year follow-up was 64.1%. The incidence of RC and HED at two-year follow-up were 24.92% and 4.01% respectively. The prevalence of RC rose from 37.1% to 54.6%. On the contrary, HED dropped from 12.2% to 8.7%. In relation to incidence of RC, being male (OR=2.77), medium (OR=1.59) or high expectancies (OR=2.24), and early age of onset of use (OR=2.26) constituted risk factors. In contrast, living with parents constituted a protective factor (OR=0.48). For HED, being male (OR=1.92) and high expectancies (OR=2.96) were risk factors. RC and HED were risk factors for low academic achievement. Conclusions: HED is a pattern of alcohol consumption mainly associated with adolescence, while RC is associated with youth. Both patterns are predictors of academic achievement. Public Health strategies should focus on modifying expectancies and limit access to alcohol at young ages

Working memory (WM) is a major cognitive function that is altered by chronic alcohol consumption. This impairment has been linked to alterations in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Animal and human studies have shown that the adolescent brain is more sensitive to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol than the adult brain, particularly those structures that mature late on in development, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal brain. The aim of the present study was to assess visual working memory and its neural correlates in young university students who partake in intermittent consumption of large amounts of alcohol (binge drinkers). A sample of 42 binge drinkers and 53 corresponding control subjects performed an identical pairs continuous performance task (IP-CPT) in a combined Event-Related Potential (ERP) and exact Low-Resolution brain Electromagnetic Tomography (eLORETA) study. The results revealed that, despite adequate performance, binge drinkers showed a smaller late positive component (LPC) associated with hypoactivation of the right anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) for matching stimuli, in comparison with control subjects. These findings may reveal binge drinking-related functional alteration in recognition working memory processes and suggest that impaired prefrontal cortex function may occur at an early age in binge drinkers

Background: Binge Drinking (BD) typically involves heavy drinking over a short time, followed by a period of abstinence, and is common among young people, especially university students. Animal studies have demonstrated that this type of alcohol consumption causes brain damage, especially in the nonmature brain. The aim of the present study was to determine how BD affects brain functioning in male and female university students, during the performance of a visual working memory task. Methods: Event‐related potentials (ERPs) were recorded, with an extensive set of 32 scalp electrodes, in 95 first‐year university students (age range 18 to 20 years), comprising 42 binge drinkers (BD) and 53 controls, in a visual “identical pairs” continuous performance task. Principal components analysis was used to identify and analyze the N2 (negative waveform with a latency around 200 to 300 ms related to attentional processes) and P3 (positive waveform with a latency around 300 to 600 ms related to working memory processes) components of the ERPs. Results: In the matching condition of the task, the N2 component in central and parietal regions was significantly larger in the BD than in the control group. In the control group, the P3 component was larger in the matching than in the nonmatching condition in the frontal, central, and parietal regions, whereas the BD group did not show any significant differences between conditions in any region. Conclusions: The results of this study confirm the presence of electrophysiological differences between young university student binge drinkers and controls during the execution of a visual task with a high working memory load. The larger N2 in the BD group suggests higher levels of attentional effort required by this group to perform the task adequately. The absence of any differences in the P3 component in the different conditions (matching and nonmatching stimuli) in the BD group suggests a deficiency in the electrophysiological differen