Experimental Study

This supplement to the COBRE Center for Addiction and Disease Risk Exacerbation (CADRE) will evaluate the role of alcohol in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using existing samples from a multidose, placebo-controlled alcohol administration experiment. It will aim to examine whether acute alcohol consumption at low or higher doses causes changes, relative to placebo, in a broad panel of biomarkers related to inflammation, cellular senescence, and neurodegenerative processes. The study will also aim to test if there is an interaction between drinker status (light vs. heavy drinkers) and alcohol dose condition (placebo, low dose, higher dose) on these biomarkers. The completed study employed a 2x3 design with 32 participants (15 light drinkers, 17 heavy drinkers) who received three alcohol conditions [placebo (0.00 g/kg), low dose (0.35 g/kg), higher dose (0.60 g/kg)] in a randomized within-subjects design. Plasma samples were collected before alcohol administration and at 1-hour intervals for 4 hours after consumption. Using this framework, the investigators will analyze the effects of alcohol dose, drinker status, and their interaction on biomarkers associated with AD development. It is hypothesized that higher alcohol doses will be linked to biomarker changes indicative of inflammation, cellular senescence, and neurodegeneration, with more pronounced effects in heavy drinkers compared to light drinkers.

Collaborators & Consultants:

Ronald Cohen, Ph.D., University of Florida 
John Michael Sedivy, Ph.D., Brown University

Research Team:

Suzanne Sales, Senior Data Scientist 
Wendy Hernandez, Medical Laboratory Technician