Underlying mechanisms in the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption in regular and risky drinkers (MESA): methods and design of a randomized laboratory study

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Charlotte Wittgens - , MSH Medical School Hamburg (Author)
  • Markus Muehlhan - , MSH Medical School Hamburg (Author)
  • Anja Kräplin - , Professor (rtd.) for Addiction Research (Author)
  • Max Wolff - , MIND Foundation, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Sebastian Trautmann - , MSH Medical School Hamburg (Author)

Abstract

Background: Excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorders (AUD) are among the leading preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality and are considered a major public health concern. In order to reduce the individual and societal burden of excessive alcohol use, it is crucial to identify high-risk individuals at earlier stages and to provide effective interventions to prevent further progression. Stressful experiences are important risk factors for excessive alcohol consumption and AUDs. However, the underlying biological and psychological mechanisms are still poorly understood.
Methods: The project “Underlying mechanisms in the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption in
regular and risky drinkers (MESA)” is a randomized controlled study that started in December 2018 and is conducted in a laboratory setting, which aims to identify moderators and mediators of the relationship between acute stress and alcohol consumption among regular and risky drinkers. Regular and risky drinkers are randomly assigned to a stress induction or a control condition. Several processes that may mediate (emotional distress, endocrine and autonomic stress reactivity, impulsivity, inhibitory control, motivational sensitization) or moderate (trait impulsivity, childhood maltreatment, basal HPA-axis activity) the relation between stress and alcohol consumption are investigated. As primary dependent variable, the motivation to consume alcohol following psychosocial stress is measured.
Discussion: The results of this study could help to provide valuable targets for future research on tailored interventions to prevent stress-related alcohol consumption.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number233
JournalBMC Psychology
Volume10
Issue number1
Early online date15 Oct 2022
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85139888336
PubMed 36243742
Mendeley ae56bb40-4631-371f-8264-905853c1c06f
unpaywall 10.1186/s40359-022-00942-1
WOS 000868380300001

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Subject groups, research areas, subject areas according to Destatis

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • AUD, Acute stress, Ad-libitum taste-test, Risky alcohol consumption, TSST, Impulsive Behavior, Ethanol, Motivation, Alcoholism/psychology, Humans, Alcohol Drinking/psychology, PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES, CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT, SOCIAL DRINKERS, DRUG-USE, SALIVARY CORTISOL, INTERNAL RELIABILITY, INHIBITORY CONTROL, INCREASES ATTENTIONAL BIAS, USE DISORDERS, LIFE EVENTS

Library keywords