Alcohol Against Brain: Why And How We Study Them

Author: Jaya Kumar Murthy, Isa Naina Mohamed & Rashidi Mohd Pakri Mohd

Publisher: UKM Press

ISBN : 9789674129965

Year: 2020

Weight: 0.2 kg

Pages: 123pp

Price : RM 25

Alcohol use disorder is characterised by compulsive binge alcohol intake leading to various health and social harms. Often, the disorder is perceived due to lack of morality and will power to quit drinking, and more often those with alcohol dependence problem are severely stigmatised and subject to many other prejudices. This book aims to illuminate alcohol dependence is a form of mental disorder and how recent developments in brain research can help us understand physiology of the psychiatric condition, from the very early stage of the disease, during the initiation of alcohol use, development of tolerance, compulsive intake, craving, severity of withdrawal symptoms, and relapse. The authors also have discussed other social complications related to compulsive alcohol use such as impulsive behaviour, and driving under the Influence. The other aspects of the book would be narration on how the scientific world plan and execute studies at clinical and preclinical stages to delineate the psychological-physiological-biochemical interplays in development of alcohol dependence. This book wil serve as a great platform to update recent advances in fundamental and clinical sciences of addiction for scientists, clinicians, medical students, and also help the general population understand why alcoholism is a mental disease and risk factors associated with the disorder.

JAYAKUMAR, PhD. joined the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as a senior lecturer after completing his PhD in neurophysiology of alcohol addiction in 2015 from Universiti Sains Malaysia. To date, Dr Kumar has published in 21 peer-reviewed international journals, presented in 22 national and international conferences, awarded with various national, international, and industrial grants, and also received recagnitions such as Young Investigator Award from Asian Pacific Society of Neurochemistry, Excellence in service awards from UKM, Young Teacher's Award from Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physialogy, best presentation awards in both oral and poster presentations in numerous international conferences, Committee for Aid and Education in Neurochemistry (CAEN) award from International Society of Neurochemistry, gold awards in International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition. Recently Dr Kumar also awarded with Fellowship in Addiction Medicine (University of Malaya Centre for Addiction Science Studies), Dr Kumar is currently one of the editorial board members of journal Medicine & Health, active member of International Society of Neurochemistry, Asian Pacific Society of Neurochemistry, and also treasurer of Malaysian Society of Neurosciences.

RASHIDI, MD. is a Family Medicine Speciatist and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine, National University of Malaysia. He completed his medical degree and master's degree in National University of Malaysia. He has completed his fellowship in tobacco control by World Health Organization (WHO) in Hong Kong and fellowship in addiction treatment in Malaysia. Rashidi has interest in treatment of substance use disorder and behavioral support for patients and family members affected by substance abuse His writings include journafs on alcohol and nicotine, books, clinical practice guidelines and modules related to management of nicotine addiction. Rashidi has been actively involved with various community and Non-Government Organizations and believes that helping the community creates a better future.

ISA NAINA MOHAMED, MD. PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Medical Faculty, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). He completed his Masters in Clinical Pharmacology and doctoral studies in Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Aberdeen in 2006 and 2011. Upon teturned to Malaysia and uUKM, he established the Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Unit and joined the UKM bone metabolism research group and UKM Cardiovascular research group. Isa's basic research interest is pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety.

He has broad experiences in clinical pharmacology, herbal product development, addiction, bone diseases, cardicvascular diseases and wound healing. He is currently leading one of the largest herbal development research on the use of oil palm phenolics for cardiovascular diseases and recently completed a major research in bone health epidemiolagy in Malaysia focusing on multiple risk factors of adolescent bone health, mortality and morbidity and recovery of osteoporotic fractures and, knowledge and awareness of osteoporosis among the general population. He is the current head of Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Unit, research group leader of UKM Addiction and Recovery Research Group, Antimicrobial Stewardship committee member of Chancellor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital and the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Alumni for the UKM Medical Faculty. isa is a strong advocate of leadership and soft skill development among university students.