Perceived Gamblíng Availability and Adolescent Gambling Behavior: the Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy

Geographic accessibility has been linked to gambling behavior, but little is known about whether the perception of gambling availability in both offline and online venues is prospectively associated with adolescent gambling behavior. Further, relatively few studies have analyzed the interaction between environmental and individual factors in explaining adolescent gambling and problem gambling. This prospective study examined the association between perceived gambling availability, gambling frequency, and problem gambling among 554 adolescents aged 13–17 years (mean = 15.1, female 47.4%) and explored the moderating role of self-efficacy to control gambling in these associations. Participants completed assessments of perceived gambling availability and gambling self-efficacy at baseline. Gambling frequency and problem gambling were measured at follow-up. Two separate hierarchical regression models were applied to analyze the relationship of perceived gambling availability with gambling behavior and the moderating role of gambling self-efficacy. Results showed that a greater perception of gambling availability was associated with a higher gambling frequency and more problem gambling in adolescents. The impact of perceived gambling availability on gambling frequency and problem gambling was lower among participants with moderate gambling self-efficacy in comparison with participants with low gambling self-efficacy. In those adolescents with high self-efficacy to control gambling, perceived gambling availability was not associated either with gambling frequency or problem gambling. These results suggest the usefulness of implementing regulatory policies aimed at reducing gambling availability in adolescents, and the design of preventative interventions aimed at enhancing self-efficacy to control gambling.Open Access funding provided thanks to the University of Huelva/CBUA agreement with Springer Natur

Coping motives for drinking as a mediator between anxiety and depression, and alcohol outcomes in community Spanish young adults

Consistent with the medication hypothesis, drinking to cope with negative affect appears to mediate the relationship between mental health and alcohol-related problems, which has been shown in college students. However, there is a lack of evidence in non-university samples that limits the generalization of results. The present study examines the mediating role of coping motives in the relationship between depression and anxiety and alcohol outcomes (frequency and quantity of alcohol use, binge drinking, and alcohol-related consequences). Prospective design with a baseline assessment and a 2-month follow-up. We recruited 334 young adults in the community (mean = 21.1; SD = 2.21) who completed a questionnaire to measure coping motives for drinking and depression and anxiety (Brief Symptom Inventory) at baseline. Eight mediation models were tested, one for each alcohol outcome (at follow-up) for depression and another four for anxiety. The coping motives for drinking mediated the positive relationships between depression and alcohol outcomes, such that higher levels of depression were associated with higher coping motives, which in turn, were associated with higher alcohol-related outcomes. The same results were found for anxiety, except for the relationship between anxiety and binge drinking, which was not mediated by coping motives. Our findings are consistent with the medication hypothesis that "drinking to cope with negative affect" is a critical mediator of associations between mental health and alcohol-related problems in young adults in the community. Training in healthy coping strategies against negative affect should be useful for interventions aimed at reducing alcohol use and their harms.Fil: González Ponce, Bella. Universidad de Huelva; EspañaFil: Vera, Belén del Valle. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; ArgentinaFil: Pilatti, Angelina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; ArgentinaFil: Pautassi, Ricardo Marcos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Parrado González, Alberto. Universidad de Huelva; EspañaFil: Dacosta Sánchez, Daniel. Universidad de Huelva. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Departamento de Psicología Clínica, Experimental y Sociale.; EspañaFil: Fernández Calderón, Fermín. Universidad de Huelva. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Departamento de Psicología Clínica, Experimental y Sociale.; EspañaII Virtual Meeting of the Latin American Society for Biomedical Research on AlcoholismCórdobaArgentinaLatin American Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholis

Perceived vulnerability and intention of use protective behavioral strategies among Spanish young adults: The mediating role of drinking motives

Perceived vulnerability to alcohol consequences, a central factor in Protection Motivation Theory can motivate people to adopt health-protective behavior. However, systematic review showed that perceived vulnerability is a poor predictor of intention and behavior. From a motivational perspective on alcohol use, perceived vulnerability can be affected by reasons people have drinking. For example, previous studies showed that drinking motives predict perceived vulnerability, and drinking motives are associated with high protective behavioral strategies (PBS) use. Thus, drinking motives would explain the relationship between perceived vulnerability and intention to use PBS. The present study examines if drinking motives (social, enhancement, coping, and conformity) mediate the relationship between perceived vulnerability and intention to use PBS. Prospective design with a baseline assessment and a 2-month follow-up. We recruited 328 young adults (age: M = 21.15; SD = 2.23) who completed questionnaires to measure perceived vulnerability to negative consequences when consuming alcohol, and when getting drunk and drinking motives at baseline, and intention to use PBS at follow-up. Mediation analyses showed that higher perceived vulnerability was related to higher positive motives (social and enhancement), which was related to lower intention PBS use. Negative motives for drinking (coping and conformity) did not mediate this relationship. Our findings support the usefulness of correcting self-perceptions risk of alcohol use in interventions aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm in young adults, and drinking positive motives should be included as a component of these interventions.Fil: González Ponce, Bella. Universidad de Huelva. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Departamento de Psicología Clínica, Experimental y Sociale.; EspañaFil: Dacosta Sánchez, Daniel. Universidad de Huelva. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Departamento de Psicología Clínica, Experimental y Sociale.; EspañaFil: Vera, Belén del Valle. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; ArgentinaFil: Pilatti, Angelina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; ArgentinaFil: Pautassi, Ricardo Marcos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Parrado González, Alberto. Universidad de Huelva; EspañaFil: Fernández Calderón, Fermín. Universidad de Huelva. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Departamento de Psicología Clínica, Experimental y Sociale.; EspañaII Virtual Meeting of the Latin American Society for Biomedical Research on AlcoholismCórdobaArgentinaLatin American Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholis

Changes in Alcohol Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Young Adults: The Prospective Effect of Anxiety and Depression

Versión editorHealth measures instantiated to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have imposed significant constraints for the population and impacted on drinking habits and mental health. This study longitudinally compared changes in alcohol consumption before and after the COVID-19 outbreak and the impact of sociodemographic and mental health variables on such changes among a community sample of young adults. Data were collected in the context of a larger, ongoing longitudinal study. The sample consisted of 305 young adults from Spain aged between 18 and 26 years (mean age = 21.27, (SD = 2.21), female = 53.4%; college students = 61.6%) who completed first (November-2019 and February-2020; i.e., before the outbreak of COVID-19) and second follow-up questionnaires (March 2021, a year after the COVID-19 outbreak). Alcohol use (quantity and drinking frequency), depression and anxiety symptoms were measured. Quantity and frequency of alcohol use decreased from the preto post-COVID-19 period. A decrease in drinking frequency was observed among college students, but not in noncollege peers. Although we found no effect of pre-COVID-19 anxiety on alcohol use changes, those with more depressive symptoms at the pre-COVID assessment were more resistant to decreasing their drinking quantity and frequency after the COVID-19 outbreak. This information will be of value when designing interventions aimed at reducing harmful alcohol use and highlights the role of mental health status when identifying high risk populations of young-adults during this, and future, public health crisesFunding for this study was provided by the Consejería de Salud (Junta de Andalucía, Andalucía, Spain) under Grant Number PI-0503-2018 (Principal Investigator: Fermín Fernández Calderón). BV was supported by Fundación Carolina and SEGIB, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET

Reactogenicity of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) against COVID-19 in workers of a tertiary hospital

Objetivo: Analizar las reacciones locales y sistémicas aparecidas tras la primera y segunda dosis de la vacuna BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) frente a COVID-19 en una muestra de trabajadores de un hospital de tercer nivel, e identificar los factores relacionados con una mayor reactogenicidad a la vacuna. Método: Se empleó un cuestionario autoadministrado para entrevistar a 291 trabajadores de un hospital de tercer nivel que recibieron la vacuna BNT162b2 frente a COVID-19 entre enero y marzo de 2021. El cuestionario incluyó preguntas acerca de las variables sociodemográficas de los participantes, infección previa de COVID-19 y las reacciones locales y sistémicas tras la primera y segunda dosis de la vacuna. Resultados: La reacción más comúnmente informada fue el dolor en el lugar de la inyección, siendo más frecuente tras la primera dosis de la vacuna. Las reacciones sistémicas evaluadas se informaron con mayor frecuencia tras la segunda dosis de la vacuna. Las mujeres, los adultos más jóvenes y las personas con una infección previa por COVID-19 notificaron una mayor reactogenicidad. Además, una alta reactogenicidad tras la primera dosis estuvo relacionada con un mayor número de reacciones adversas tras la segunda dosis de la vacuna. Conclusiones: La distribución de la reactogenicidad en el presente estudio es consistente con los datos reportados en los estudios realizados con la vacuna BNT162b2, especialmente en términos de asociación con las características de los participantes. Estos hallazgos pueden facilitar la identificación de personas con mayor probabilidad de presentar una alta reactogenicidad a la vacuna, permitiéndonos anticipar su aparición y tratamiento.Objective: To analyze the local and systemic reactions that appeared after the first and second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine against COVID‑19 (Pfizer-BioNTech) in a sample of workers from a tertiary hospital, and to identify the factors related to greater vaccine reactogenicity. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was used to interview 291 workers from a tertiary hospital who received the BNT162b2 vaccine against COVID-19 between January and March 2021. The questionnaire included questions about the sociodemographic variables of the participants, previous COVID-19 infection, and local and systemic reactions after the first and second dose of the vaccine. Results: The most common adverse reaction was soreness at the injection site, which was reported more frequently after the first dose of the vaccine. The systemic reactions evaluated were reported more frequently after the second dose of the vaccine. Women, younger adults, and subjects with a prior COVID-19 infection reported increased reactogenicity. Furthermore, high reactogenicity after the first dose was found to be related to a higher number of adverse reactions after the second dose of the vaccine. Conclusions: The distribution of reactogenicity in the present study is consistent with the data reported in previous studies on the BNT162b2 vaccine, especially in terms of its association with the participants’ characteristics. These findings could facilitate the identification of people at a higher risk of developing high reactogenicity to the vaccine, thereby making it possible to anticipate the appearance of adverse reactions and plan for their treatment

Self-reported adverse events within the seven days following the Spikevax® (Moderna) vaccination

Objetivo: La monitorización continua de la seguridad de las vacunas COVID-19 puede aportar información adicional a los profesionales sanitarios y a la población general. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar los eventos adversos locales y sistémicos tras la administración de la vacuna Spikevax® (Moderna), e identificar los factores relacionados con una mayor reactogenicidad. Método: Mediante un cuestionario telefónico entrevistamos a 331 receptores de la vacuna Spikevax® (50,2% hombres; mediaedad = 46,4). Se preguntó acerca de las características de los participantes, infección previa por COVID-19 y eventos adversos locales y sistémicos en los siete días posteriores a la primera y segunda dosis de la vacuna. Resultados: El dolor en el lugar de inyección, la fatiga, y la cefalea fueron los eventos adversos más frecuentes. La prevalencia e intensidad de eventos locales fue mayor en la primera dosis, mientras que los sistémicos lo fueron en la segunda. La mayoría de los eventos adversos fueron leves/moderados; el 1,2% de los participantes necesitaron acudir a urgencias u hospitalización. Las mujeres y participantes de 18-55 años presentaron mayor probabilidad de experimentar mayor reactogenicidad, los participantes con infección previa por COVID-19 presentaron más eventos sistémicos tras la primera dosis y los participantes con enfermedades crónicas distintas de la hipertensión notificaron menos eventos adversos sistémicos tras la segunda dosis. Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados son consistentes con estudios previos, identificando a las mujeres, personas de 18-55 años y con infección previa por COVID-19 como los que mayor reactogenicidad a la vacuna experimentaron. También se encontró una relación entre la reactogenicidad y padecer alguna enfermedad cronica distinta de hipertensión.Objective: Continuous monitoring of COVID-19 vaccines safety may provide additional information to health care professionals and the general population. The aim of the present study was to analyze the local and systemic adverse events following the administration of the Spikevax® (Moderna) vaccine, and to identify the factors related to greater reactogenicity. Method: Using a telephone survey, we interviewed 331 recipient of the Spikevax® vaccine (50.2% men; Meanage = 46.4). Participants characteristics, prior COVID-19 infection and local and systemic adverse events within seven days following the first and second vaccine doses were asked. Results: Injection site pain, fatigue and headache were the most common adverse events. The prevalence and intensity of local events was higher after the first dose, while systemic events were higher in the second one. Most adverse events were mild/moderate; 1.2% of participants needed hospitalization or emergency room visit. Women and participants aged 18-55 years were more likely to experience greater reactogenicity, participants with prior COVID-19 infection had more systemic events after the first dose, and participants with chronic diseases other than hypertension reported fewer systemic adverse events following the second dose. Conclusions: Our results are consistent with previous studies, identifying women, people aged 18-55 years and those with previous COVID-19 infection as those who experienced the greatest reactogenicity to the vaccine. A relationship was also found between reactogenicity and suffering from a chronic disease other than hypertension

Regulatory sites for splicing in human basal ganglia are enriched for disease-relevant information

Genome-wide association studies have generated an increasing number of common genetic variants associated with neurological and psychiatric disease risk. An improved understanding of the genetic control of gene expression in human brain is vital considering this is the likely modus operandum for many causal variants. However, human brain sampling complexities limit the explanatory power of brain-related expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and allele-specific expression (ASE) signals. We address this, using paired genomic and transcriptomic data from putamen and substantia nigra from 117 human brains, interrogating regulation at different RNA processing stages and uncovering novel transcripts. We identify disease-relevant regulatory loci, find that splicing eQTLs are enriched for regulatory information of neuron-specific genes, that ASEs provide cell-specific regulatory information with evidence for cellular specificity, and that incomplete annotation of the brain transcriptome limits interpretation of risk loci for neuropsychiatric disease. This resource of regulatory data is accessible through our web server, http://braineacv2.inf.um.es/

Identification of novel risk loci, causal insights, and heritable risk for Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies

Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in Parkinson's disease have increased the scope of biological knowledge about the disease over the past decade. We aimed to use the largest aggregate of GWAS data to identify novel risk loci and gain further insight into the causes of Parkinson's disease. Methods We did a meta-analysis of 17 datasets from Parkinson's disease GWAS available from European ancestry samples to nominate novel loci for disease risk. These datasets incorporated all available data. We then used these data to estimate heritable risk and develop predictive models of this heritability. We also used large gene expression and methylation resources to examine possible functional consequences as well as tissue, cell type, and biological pathway enrichments for the identified risk factors. Additionally, we examined shared genetic risk between Parkinson's disease and other phenotypes of interest via genetic correlations followed by Mendelian randomisation. Findings Between Oct 1, 2017, and Aug 9, 2018, we analysed 7·8 million single nucleotide polymorphisms in 37 688 cases, 18 618 UK Biobank proxy-cases (ie, individuals who do not have Parkinson's disease but have a first degree relative that does), and 1·4 million controls. We identified 90 independent genome-wide significant risk signals across 78 genomic regions, including 38 novel independent risk signals in 37 loci. These 90 variants explained 16–36% of the heritable risk of Parkinson's disease depending on prevalence. Integrating methylation and expression data within a Mendelian randomisation framework identified putatively associated genes at 70 risk signals underlying GWAS loci for follow-up functional studies. Tissue-specific expression enrichment analyses suggested Parkinson's disease loci were heavily brain-enriched, with specific neuronal cell types being implicated from single cell data. We found significant genetic correlations with brain volumes (false discovery rate-adjusted p=0·0035 for intracranial volume, p=0·024 for putamen volume), smoking status (p=0·024), and educational attainment (p=0·038). Mendelian randomisation between cognitive performance and Parkinson's disease risk showed a robust association (p=8·00 × 10−7). Interpretation These data provide the most comprehensive survey of genetic risk within Parkinson's disease to date, to the best of our knowledge, by revealing many additional Parkinson's disease risk loci, providing a biological context for these risk factors, and showing that a considerable genetic component of this disease remains unidentified. These associations derived from European ancestry datasets will need to be followed-up with more diverse data. Funding The National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health (USA), The Michael J Fox Foundation, and The Parkinson's Foundation (see appendix for full list of funding sources)

Childhood use of coin pusher and crane grab machines, and adult gambling: A conceptual replication of Newall et al. (2021)

Background and aims: Youth gambling research mainly focuses on the illegal use of age-restricted machines, but coin pusher and crane grab machines are gambling machines that can be used by people of any age in the UK, and are also in use internationally. Previous cross-sectional evidence has associated recollected childhood usage of these machines with adult gambling participation and levels of problem gambling amongst adult gamblers. We attempted to conceptually replicate the findings of one of these studies (Newall et al., 2021), while addressing some limitations of that study. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 2,000 UK-based and -born participants aged 19-24 years. The measures were participants’ recollected usage of coin pusher and crane grab machines as a child, whether they had gambled in the past 12-months or not, and the PGSI for past 12-month gamblers. Results: Overall, 5 of 7 tested associations were significant and in the hypothesized direction. Logistic regression models showed that adult gamblers were more likely to recollect using, and used at higher levels of frequency, coin pusher and crane grab machines, than non-gamblers. Then, negative binomial regression analysis showed that adults who recollected using crane grab machines at higher levels of frequency showed more gambling-related problems. Discussion and Conclusions: These results suggest that childhood usage of coin pusher and crane grab machines may act as an underappreciated risk factor for the development of gambling-related harm across the lifespan. This information may be considered for further youth gambling research and policy