Trauma, Biological Factors Increase Women’s Vulnerability to Severe AUDs

An increased risk of personal histories of trauma combined with a greater vulnerability to alcohol-related deficits in the brain appear to work together to lead to more severe alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in women compared with men, according to study findings recently presented at the 45th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in Orlando, Florida.

“I think it is really important for people to understand that addiction is a brain disease, and the reasons behind initiating and maintaining a relationship with alcohol isn’t simply about poor choices,” said Milky Kohno, PhD, an assistant professor at Oregon Health and Science University and a health research scientist at VA Portland. “This study highlights biological and behavioral variables that influence disease severity.”

The preliminary investigation included 30 healthy controls and 30 people diagnosed with an AUD. Participants underwent medical exams, provided samples for inflammatory markers and urine toxicology, and completed neurocognitive assessments and magnetic resonance imaging.

“We found that women with an AUD who experienced more trauma [as a young person] exhibited higher levels of inflammation, while the opposite was true for men with an AUD,” said Dr Kohno. “Trauma and stress can also affect the functioning of the emotional centers of the brain, which leads to impairments in emotion regulation. Alcohol does similar things and, coupled with a past history of trauma, these biological adaptations are further compromised and can confer greater risk for relapse.”

Previous research has shown stronger associations between trauma and substance use in women than in men, which Dr Kohno said is likely due to more exposure to high-impact traumatic events and repeated interpersonal trauma among women, including sexual or physical assaults, intimate partner violence, or rape. Additionally, studies show women are more susceptible to alcohol- and drug-induced abnormalities in the peripheral immune response than men.

“Thus, coupled with an increase in inflammation related to trauma, women are particularly vulnerable to the neurobiological and immunological consequences of alcohol use,” Dr Kohno explained.

Further research into biobehavioral interactions and sex-specific factors, she advised, could lead to better tailored and more effective AUD treatment for women.

Reference

Trauma history and alcohol’s effects on the brain combine to make women more vulnerable to alcohol use disorders. News release. Research Society on Alcoholism; June 19, 2022. Accessed July 7, 2022.