Young alcohol binge drinkers show immune/inflammatory alterations with higher susceptibility in women: Correlations with neuropsychological abilities

Alcohol binge drinking is a pattern of heavy alcohol consumption increasingly used by adolescents and young adults. Evidence indicates that alcohol binge induces peripheral inflammation and an exacerbated neuroimmune response that may participate in the alcohol-induced cognitive/behavioral dysfunctions. Here, we recruited 20 years old university students, identified as men and women binge drinkers for at least 2 years. Young alcohol binge drinkers had elevated levels of blood endotoxin compared with controls and an up-regulation of TLR4/NF κB inflammatory pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, together with pro-inflammatory cytokine/chemokine release, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation.

Source: Alcohol - May 1, 2017 Category: Addiction Authors: Laura Or ío, María Antón, Inmaculada Concepción Rodríguez-Rojo, Ángeles Correas, Borja García-Bueno, Monserrat Corral, Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca, Luis Miguel García-Moreno, Fernando Maestú, Fernando Cadaveira Source Type: research