Effectiveness of Internet-Based Personalized Normative Feedback Among Individuals Experiencing Problem Gambling: Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aimed to examine whether fully automated and Internet-based personalized normative feedback (GAMCHECK) improves problem gambling symptoms and behaviors. We used a randomized parallel-group superiority design to examine whether GAMCHECK would be more effective than an assessment-only (AO) condition at 12-week follow-up. This study was conducted online using questionnaires and the LINE app.

Effects of short-term exposure to moderate amounts of alcohol on brain volume.

Aim: Although numerous studies have reported that chronic alcohol consumption causes brain volume reduction and cerebrospinal fluid volume increase, few studies have examined the acute effects of alcohol on brain structure. This study aims to investigate the short-term brain volume changes following alcohol administration.

Methods: Moderate doses of alcohol were administered intravenously to 18 healthy volunteers for a total of 90 min to achieve a blood alcohol concentration of 0.

A smartphone app-based intervention combined with face-to-face sessions for alcohol dependence at internal medicine clinics: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Addressing the limited access to treatments for alcohol dependence, we developed ALM-002, a therapeutic application to be "prescribed" for non-abstinence-oriented treatment in internal medicine settings. Our objective was to preliminarily assess the efficacy and safety of ALM-002.

Methods: In a multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial, participants aged ≥20 with alcohol dependence and daily alcohol consumption exceeding 60 g for men and 40 g for women, without severe complications, were randomly assigned to either the intervention group using ALM-002 or the treatment-as-usual control group.

National burden of gambling in Japan: an estimation from an online-based cross-sectional investigation and national epidemiological survey.

Background: Gambling is a popular leisure activity in many countries, often expected to boost regional economies. Nevertheless, its negative impacts remain a significant concern. Gambling disorder is recognized as the most severe consequence; however, even non- or low-risk gamblers may also face negative impacts.

Prevalence of hazardous drinking and suspected alcohol dependence in Japanese primary care settings.

Objective: We aimed to assess the prevalence of hazardous drinking and potential alcohol dependence among Japanese primary care patients, and their readiness to change and awareness of others' concerns.

Methods: From July to August 2023, we conducted a multi-site cross-sectional study as a screening survey for participants in a cluster randomized controlled trial. The trial included outpatients aged 20-74 from primary care clinics.

World addiction medicine reports: formation of the International Society of Addiction Medicine Global Expert Network (ISAM-GEN) and its global surveys.

Addiction medicine is a dynamic field that encompasses clinical practice and research in the context of societal, economic, and cultural factors at the local, national, regional, and global levels. This field has evolved profoundly during the past decades in terms of scopes and activities with the contribution of addiction medicine scientists and professionals globally. The dynamic nature of drug addiction at the global level has resulted in a crucial need for developing an international collaborative network of addiction societies, treatment programs and experts to monitor emerging national, regional, and global concerns.

Acetaldehyde-mediated increase in glutamatergic and N-acetylaspartate neurometabolite levels in the midcingulate cortex of ALDH2*1/*2 heterozygous young adults.

Background: To elucidate the neurobiology underlying alcohol's effect on the human brain, we examined the acute effects of moderate alcohol administration on levels of glutamatergic neurometabolites and N-acetylaspartate, an amino acid found in neurons, may reflect disordered neuronal integrity.

Methods: Eighteen healthy Japanese participants (7 males/11 females) aged 20-30 years who were heterozygous for an inactive allele of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH/*1/*2) were included. Participants underwent an intravenous alcohol infusion using the clamp method at a target blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.

Comparison of the responses of cross-sectional web- and paper-based surveys on lifestyle behaviors of Japanese adolescents.

Objective: In Japan, paper-based surveys are currently more effective than web-based surveys. This study compared the response rates and lifestyle behaviors between paper- and web-based surveys conducted among Japanese junior and senior high schools.

Methods: In total, there were 42 and 64 junior and senior high schools, respectively, for the web-based surveys and 20 and 27 junior and senior high schools, respectively, for the paper-based surveys.

"I Want My Loved One Back Virtually": Exploring the Desire of Bereaved People to Create and Maintain Digital Bonds With Their Deceased Loved Ones.

With the rapid development of digital technology in recent years, virtual funerals and the reproduction of deceased persons in digital spaces have become possible. However, few empirical studies have been conducted on this topic. This study assessed the attitudes of bereaved people toward digital bonds with their deceased relatives, and explored related factors.

Impact of COVID-19 and restricted self-help group attendance on drinking behavior among people with alcohol use disorder: Results of a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Background: Concerns regarding symptom severity and the risk of relapse among people seeking recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) have been raised since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Owing to preventive measures implemented during the pandemic (social distancing or lockdown), self-help group (SHG) meetings were restricted. However, the impact of deprivation of onsite recovery meetings on drinking behavior and risk among SHG members with AUD remains unclear.

Highly endorsed screening and assessment scales for alcohol problems: A systematic review.

Background: Problems associated with alcohol use are multidimensional with psychiatric, psychological, physical, and social aspects, which makes it challenging to choose appropriate assessment scales. However, there has been no systematic evaluation of existing alcohol scales.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted for articles that assessed the psychometric properties of scales for alcohol use disorder on March 19, 2023, using Medline, EMBASE, and PsycINFO.

Risk factors for the development of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma after endoscopic resection for esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma according to genetic polymorphisms related to alcohol and nicotine metabolism.

Background: Multiple development of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma is explained by field cancerization and is associated with alcohol consumption and smoking. We investigated the association between the development of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma after endoscopic resection for esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma and genetic polymorphisms related to alcohol and nicotine metabolism.

Methods: The study group comprised 56 patients with esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma after endoscopic resection.

Metachronous primary gastric cancer after endoscopic resection in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for developing metachronous primary Gastric Cancer (GC) after Endoscopic Resection (ER) for esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC).

Methods: We studied 283 patients with esophageal SCC who underwent ER. The study outcomes were as follows: (1) incidence of metachronous primary GC after ER; and (2) predictors for the development of metachronous primary GC after ER by the Cox proportional hazards model.

[Pharmacological Treatment for Alcohol Dependence].

This review provides an overview of medications for the treatment of alcohol dependence. The medications were classified into three categories: medications for alcohol withdrawal, medications for maintaining abstinence from alcohol or reducing its consumption, and medications for insomnia in patients with alcohol dependence. Acamprosate is the first choice in maintaining abstinence, whereas to reduce drinking, nalmefene, which is available in Japan, is used.

Wearable Sensor and Mobile App-Based mHealth Approach for Investigating Substance Use and Related Factors in Daily Life: Protocol for an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Background: Digital health technologies using mobile apps and wearable devices are a promising approach to the investigation of substance use in the real world and for the analysis of predictive factors or harms from substance use. Moreover, consecutive repeated data collection enables the development of predictive algorithms for substance use by machine learning methods.

Objective: We developed a new self-monitoring mobile app to record daily substance use, triggers, and cravings.

Nonsmoking after simultaneous alcohol abstinence and smoking cessation program was associated with better drinking status outcome in Japanese alcohol-dependent men: A prospective follow-up study.

Background: Growing evidence suggests that intervention for smoking cessation enhances alcohol abstinence in treatment settings for alcohol dependence. However, research in this field is rare in Asians.

Method: We prospectively investigated the association of smoking status with drinking status using 9 surveys mailed during a 12-month period in 198 Japanese alcohol-dependent men (70 never/ex-smokers and 128 smokers) who admitted for the first time and completed a 3-month inpatient program for simultaneous alcohol abstinence and smoking cessation.

Influence of ADHD, especially attention-deficit characteristics, on the course of alcohol-dependent individuals.

Background: While several studies have revealed that neurodevelopmental disorders have a high probability of overlapping with substance use disorders, the effects of neurodevelopmental disorders on the courses of substance use disorders have hardly been examined.

Methods: This study targeted 637 alcohol-dependent individuals who received inpatient treatment and whose drinking situations were followed for 12 months after hospital discharge using mailed questionnaires. The comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and the characteristics associated with the neurodevelopmental disorders were assessed using several measurements at the time of hospital admission.

Increasing important roles of child and adolescent psychiatrists in the treatment of gaming disorder: Current status in Japan.

Background: Digital gaming is the most common leisure activity among children and adolescents in Japan, especially in males. Playing online gaming has become more common among school-age children over the years. As a result, excessive online gaming in younger children has become a significant social problem in Japan.

Functional impairment, insight, and comparison between criteria for gaming disorder in the International Classification of Diseases, 11 Edition and internet gaming disorder in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.

Aim: This study evaluated the consistency between the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Edition (ICD-11) for gaming disorder (ICD-11-GD) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for internet gaming disorder (DSM-5-IGD). Moreover, the functional impairment of participants and their insight of their GD were evaluated.

Methods: We recruited 60 participants with GD, 45 participants who engaged in hazardous gaming (HG), and 120 controls based on a diagnostic interview.