A considerable evidence base has demonstrated that priming doses of alcohol impair inhibitory control and activate motivation to consume alcohol. There is, however, a lack of studies investigating the effect of placebo-alcohol on these processes and their association with alcohol outcome expectancies (AOE). We investigated the effect of placebo-alcohol on craving and inhibitory control, and the extent to which placebo effects correlated with AOE in 32 nondependent drinkers. Participants completed questionnaires assessing typical alcohol use (fortnightly alcohol consumption, AUDIT) and AOE (measured using the Alcohol Outcome Expectancy Scale). On a within-subjects basis participants consumed a placebo-alcohol drink and control drink. Measures of craving were taken pre- and postdrink, and participants completed a go/no-go task following the drink. Craving was increased by the placebo-alcohol and, importantly, placebo-alcohol impaired inhibitory control. Furthermore expectancies of cognitive and behavioral impairment were correlated with go/no-go task performance following a placebo. Increases in craving were associated with a range of elevated outcome expectancies. This suggests that the anticipated effects of alcohol can impair inhibitory control and increase craving; therefore studies using placebo versus alcohol comparisons relative to studies using a pure no-alcohol control are underestimating the real-world effect of alcohol on these processes, which is a combination of pharmacological and anticipated effects of alcohol. Furthermore, individual differences in AOE may influence reactivity to the anticipated effects of alcohol. (PsycINFO Database Record

Clinical and epidemiological evidence suggests that lifestyle factors, including nutrition, may influence the chances of developing of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and also likely affect the aging process. Whereas it is clear that high-fat diets are increasing both body weight and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, to date, there have been very few studies comparing diets high with different sources of calories (i.e., high fat versus high protein versus high carbohydrates) to determine whether dietary composition has importance beyond the known effect of high caloric intake to increase body weight, AD pathology and cognitive deficits. In the current study we examined the effects that different diets high in carbohydrate, protein or fat content, but similar in caloric value, have on the development of cognitive impairment and brain pathology in wild-type and Tg AD model mice. The results demonstrate that long term feeding with balanced diets similar in caloric content but with significant changes in the source of calories, all negatively influence cognition compared to the control diet, and that this effect is more pronounced in Tg animals with AD pathology.

PurposeThe Translational Research and Patients safety in Europe (TRANSFoRm) project aims to integrate primary care with clinical research whilst improving patient safety. The TRANSFoRm International Research Readiness survey (TIRRE) aims to demonstrate data use through two linked data studies and by identifying clinical data repositories and genetic databases or disease registries prepared to participate in linked research.MethodThe TIRRE survey collects data at micro-, meso- and macro-levels of granularity; to fulfil data, study specific, business, geographical and readiness requirements of potential data providers for the TRANSFoRm demonstration studies. We used descriptive statistics to differentiate between demonstration-study compliant and non-compliant repositories. We only included surveys with >70% of questions answered in our final analysis, reporting the odds ratio (OR) of positive responses associated with a demonstration-study compliant data provider.ResultsWe contacted 531 organisations within the Eurpean Union (EU). Two declined to supply information; 56 made a valid response and a further 26 made a partial response. Of the 56 valid responses, 29 were databases of primary care data, 12 were genetic databases and 15 were cancer registries. The demonstration compliant primary care sites made 2098 positive responses compared with 268 in non-use-case compliant data sources [OR: 4.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.93–5.35, p < 0.008]; for genetic databases: 380:44 (OR: 6.13, 95% CI: 4.25–8.85, p < 0.008) and cancer registries: 553:44 (OR: 5.87, 95% CI: 4.13–8.34, p < 0.008).ConclusionsTIRRE comprehensively assesses the preparedness of data repositories to participate in specific research projects. Multiple contacts about hypothetical participation in research identified few potential sites.