The 39 chapters in this volume consider subjects ranging from genetics, markers, and molecular biology of alcoholism, to clinical observations and treatment. The aim is to integrate pertinent information from the fields of molecular and cell biology with view to establishing a molecular basis of alcohol use and abuse. An initial preview summarizes historical aspects of alcohol use, and subsequent chapters concern novel drugs, pharmacological aspects, gene structures, cloning, and enzymatic properties. Also contributions by "non-traditional" alcohol scientists have been included in this collection, in order to highlight possible interaction and parallels between different fields. Novel results of particular interest include up-dated summaries on receptors, enzymes, and other proteins, as well as corresponding gene structures and regulation, setting the basis for distinguishing markers and pinpointing further possible pharmacological treatments.

This volume contains up-to-date information on aldehyde dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, short- and medium-chain dehydrogenase, and reductases. Sixty-nine contributions provide a wide variety of information on enzymology, molecular biology, and metabolic aspects of these carbonyl metabolizing oxidoreductases. Much new information is provided, including previously unreported three-dimensional structures of enzymes and new aspects of gene regulation, along with sequence alignments, metabolism and enzyme mechanisms.

This book covers all aspects of gastrointestinal tract problems caused by alcohol misuse. Opening chapters discuss epidemiology and the metabolism of alcohol and the liver's role in that process. Alcohol and acetaldehyde dehydrogenases, free radicals, and endocrine changes are discussed in detail. Recent advances in the pathophysiology of alcohol-induced disorders are summarized and many chapters detail techniques such as permeability and protein synthesis. Effects on specific organs, including the salivary glands, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine, are also discussed. All contributors and both editors are internationally recognized experts in their fields.

In Glutamate and Addiction, world-renowned scientific experts critically review all of the evidence for the role of glutamatergic systems in opiate, stimulant, and alcohol addiction. Using a variety of pharmacological, biochemical, genetic, and brain imaging techniques, these investigators show precisely how glutamate affects such addictions and how modifying certain elements of the glutamatergic system appear to alleviate particular components of addiction. Their survey takes in both clinical approaches using medications that influence glutamate and cutting-edge preclinical approaches that manipulate specific subtypes of glutamate receptors or specific substrates of the "glutamate cascade" to determine their roles in various addictive states.

Finally, there is a cure for alcoholism. This is the first step. Featuring new and updated information and studies, including an introduction by actress Claudia Christian, the second edition of The Cure for Alcoholism delivers exactly what millions of alcoholics and families of alcoholics have been hoping for: a painless, dignified, and medically proven cure for their addiction. Backed by 82 clinical trials and research that extends back to 1964, The Sinclair Method deploys an opiate-blocking medication in a very specific way—in combination with ongoing drinking—to extinguish the addictive "software" in the brain. The de-addiction process rolls back the addictive mechanism in the brain to its original pre-addicted state—before the first drink was consumed, making this program an actual cure for alcoholism. Drs. Roy Eskapa and David Sinclair of The Sinclair Method have put together a sound scientific book that proves that with this particular method, alcoholism can be cured in more than 78 percent of patients. What's more, the treatment avoids the dangerous withdrawal symptoms, allowing patients to detox gradually and safely while they are still drinking. This removes the need for expensive and unpleasant inpatient rehabilitation programs. Actual drinking levels and cravings automatically decrease until control over alcohol is restored. The bottom line is that patients can control their drinking or stop altogether with the simple yet powerful process outlined in The Cure for Alcoholism. Including a new introduction by actress Claudia Christian about The Sinclair Method's impact on her life, updated trial information, and a letter explaining the treatment that can be given to doctors by patients, The Cure for Alcoholism is a revolutionary book for anyone who wants to gain control over drinking.

The Biology of Gambling is the third volume in the Gambling Theory and Research Series. Author Mikal Aasved wrote this series to meet the need for a comprehensive review and synthesis of the many published materials pertaining to gambling theory and research. The series summarizes and critiques the findings and conclusions of investigators who have attempted to determine the motivations for gambling, both normative and excessive. Dr. Aasved provides a thorough examination of the research efforts and theoretical explanations of leaders in the field of gambling studies. This volume focuses on the etiological or causal theories that have been advanced by specialists in the medical sciences, an increasing number of whom are adopting the view that biological factors play an important role in the developmnet of many addictive, obsessive-compulsive, and other maladaptive behavior disorders. The fifteen chapters are divided into four parts. Part I reviews medical or disease models of addiction, discussing early and later conceptions. The core features of addiction, the alcohol dependence syndrome, heritability of addiction, longitudinal studies, and the quest to discover the biological basis of addiction are explored in detail. Part II examines the medical models of pathological gambling by exploring early ideas on gambling and human evolution, recent definition and diagnosis of pathological gambling, criticisms of the medical and addiction models, treatment goals, and the ongoing quest to discover the biological basis of pathological gambling. Part III concerns multicausal models of pathological gambling, and focuses on general theories of addiction, gambling-specific theories, and finishes with a critique of multicausal approaches. Part IV integrates the contents of the book by highlighting its main points and offering such concluding observations as: "Where do we now stand, and where do we go from here?" This book, as well as the entire

This book addresses the basic and advanced knowledge on psychiatric disorders for non-clinicians. The volume compiles in-depth information on the psychopharmacogenetic, representing an important area of research that is based on various specialties including clinical psychiatry, pharmacology, neurobiology and genetics. The book also addresses questions related to the field of psychiatric disorders that are not usually addressed in one work. The questions considered include: What is schizophrenia? What are the risk factors? What are the core symptoms? How is it treated? What are the efficacy and side effects of the available treatments?