The Brain, the Bug, and the Binge: the Interplay Between Binge Drinking, Gut Microbiota, and Brain Functioning

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF MINHO · Jul 6, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "The Brain, the Bug, and the Binge," is studying how binge drinking affects the gut and brain in young adults. Researchers want to understand how drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short time can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut and lead to problems with brain function and behavior. They are also exploring whether a special type of beneficial bacteria, called psychobiotics, can help improve gut health and potentially reduce brain damage caused by binge drinking.

To participate in this study, you need to be a college student aged 18-23 who speaks Portuguese. You should either be a binge drinker (meaning you drink four or more drinks in one sitting at least once a month) or a non-drinker (meaning you never drink that much). Participants will undergo assessments to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements, which include not having a history of certain medical or psychological conditions. If you join the trial, you can expect to contribute to important research that could help improve understanding and treatment of binge drinking's effects on health.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • College students whose native language is Portuguese;
• • Age 18-23 years;
• • Binge Drinkers: report (i) drinking 4 (for women)/5 (for men) or more drinks on one occasion at least once a month, (ii) drinking at a speed of at least two drinks per hour during these episodes (which brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 g/dL or above), and (iii) having an AUDIT score \< 20.
• • Non/Low-Drinkers: report (i) never drinking 4/5 or more drinks on one occasion and (ii) having an AUDIT score ≤ 4.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Use of illicit drugs as determined by the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT);
• • Alcohol abuse (i.e., AUDIT ≥ 20);
• • Personal history of psychopathological disorders (according to DSM-V criteria);
• • History of traumatic brain injury or neurological disorder;
• • Family history (mother/father) of alcoholism diagnosis of substance abuse;
• • Occurrence of one or more episodes of loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes;
• • Non-corrected sensory deficits;
• • Diagnosis of any gut disease/problems or other medical conditions: inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's Disease, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, autoimmune disease;
• • Consumption of medical drugs with psychoactive effects (e.g., antidepressants, anxiolytics or benzodiazepines) during the 4 weeks prior to the experiment;
• • Use of any of the following drugs in the last 4 weeks: laxatives, antibiotics, anticoagulants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, corticosteroids;
• • No type of metal object implanted in the body, especially in the head (orthodontic appliances are not excluded).