From the President of the Research Society on Alcoholism In recent years the alcohol research field has matured and is attracting a substantial number of eager and technically sophisticated researchers. There is a feeling of excitement and premonitions of breakthroughs as more and more of alcohol's actions are being detailed. I, however, have at times been sobered by the perception that the lure of parsimonious explanations and the appeal of studying easily demonstrable effects obscure the critical issues re garding alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Central questions regarding (1) the reinforcing...

From the President of the Research Society on Alcoholism In recent years, increasingly convincing evidence in support of a biobehavioral conceptual model of the etiology of alcoholism has emerged. In this model, the disorder is perceived as arising from the interaction of geneticlbiological vulnerability and psychosocial risk. Drinking, or alcohol-seeking, is a metric trait. Alcoholism, which is a state of abnormally intense alcohol-seeking be havior that, over time, leads to the alcohol dependence syndrome, lies at the extreme, high end of this quantitative measure. Metric traits are...

From the President of the Research Society on Alcoholism In the last decade research concerning the causes and consequences of alcohol abuse and alcoholism has come of age. We have witnessed a plethora of sci entific findings that have shed light on some of the actions of alcohol at the molecular level. Interesting new data have been forthcoming on the complexi ties of the development of tolerance to alcohol. It is becoming increasingly appropriate to consider that tolerance to alcohol involves biological as well as psychological factors. New scientific insights have been gained concerning...

Volume eight brings up to date several areas important to physicians who care for people with addictive disorders. It deals with the topic of combined alcohol and other drug dependences, and includes chapters on definition of the dependence syndrome, social deviancy and alcohol dependence, and biolo

Evidence-based medicine is recognizing a spiritual component in healing especially when it comes to alcohol addiction. This book brings together more than thirty contributors and reflects this change by focusing on the 12-step model of recovery.

From the President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine Recent Developments in Alcoholism (Volume 10) is a major contribution to the literature of addiction medicine. This volume, 'ru.cohol and Cocaine: Similarities and Differences," contains an impressive collection of chapters from the basic research, epidemiological, and clinical research perspectives, as well as articles that address the relative policy issues and clinical application and patient care concerns. It also sends a message to those who would still distinguish between alcohol and drugs, or legal and illegal drugs. In...

'Each topic is covered in sufficient depth, currency, and clarity to be of value to the neophyte and the seasoned researcher/clinician.' --- American Journal of Psychiatry, from a review of a previous volume The current volume addresses a range of issues across this diverse field, including the effects on society, physiology and biochemistry, clinical pathology, and trends in treatment.

'Solid, plausible, accurate and loaded with pertinent and highly referenced information regarding clinical and basic research in alcholism among women and ethnic groups...an essential text in the libraries of academicians, teachers, clinicians, researchers, and policy makers. The quality and scope of the work are groundbreaking, and it is convenient to have it all in one source.' -American Journal of Psychiatry Volume 12 highlights the remarkable evolution of alcoholism research during the last few years, focusing on gender in alcohol actions and consequences.

From the President of the Research Society on Alcoholism On behalf of the Research Society on Alcoholism, I am pleased to introduce this 14th volume of Recent Developments in Alcoholism about the consequences of alcoholism. Current concepts are presented in well-organized sections that focus on the medical, neuropsychiatric, economic, and biobehavioral con- quences of alcoholism. This volume contains up-to-date discussions of these issues. The editors and associate editors should be congratulated for bringing together such important information. This volume will be a valuable resource for...

From the President of the Research Society on Alcoholism The sixteenth volume of Recent Developments in Alcoholism contains the latest information on the field of alcoholism treatment research. This scholarly volume includes comprehensive reviews of the methodologies available to evaluate treatment outcome, state-of-the art psychosocial interventions, and recent advances in pharmacological adjuncts to treatment that are currently available and those on the brink of application. Other sections of the book address special issues in the treatment of alcohol dependence, including the treatment of...