Just one more "drink" and I swear I will stop! The effects of alcohol on behavior

• Grant number: 24/00814-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Journalism
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Karina Possa Abrahão
• Grantee: Maria Julia da Silveira Alves Moreira
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/01686-0 - I cannot stop after the first ‘drink’! Alcohol effects on the inhibitory control brain systems, AP.JP

Abstract

According to data from the Monthly Industrial Survey of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, Brazil recorded the fifth consecutive month of increased production of alcoholic beverages in November 2023. Among the consumers of this substance are teenagers and young adults, who have been consuming increasingly larger quantities of alcohol. When drunk, young people can engage in risky situations, such as texting an ex-partner or even putting their own or other's lives at risk by driving while intoxicated, for example. Furthermore, heavy drinking, known as "binge drinking", characterized by the consumption of high doses of alcohol in a short period, has been on the rise. Prof. Karina Abrahão's project is studying how alcohol affects behavior, specifically risk behaviors, and the neural pathways associated with inhibitory control. Given the relevance of this topic, our proposal for the Science Journalism fellowship is to produce educational content for the general public about the effects of alcohol on risk behaviors. Therefore, we will attend meetings of Prof. Karina Possa Abrahão's research group in order to better understand the topic. Additionally, we will conduct individual interviews with the researchers in the group to enhance our understanding of each project. We will also follow the group's publications by others similar to the research field, as well as take courses offered by FAPESP, Canal Futura and Fundação Roberto Marinho to improve our scientific communication skills. These activities will help us create relevant and impactful products, which we will share with the public. For dissemination, we will use Instagram as a tool, publishing on the profile we will create for the research group, on personal Prof. Dr. Karina's profile (@kaaabrahao) and on the research group's website (www.abrahaolab.com). Regarding the podcasts, we will publish the content on the Spotify platform and share the links for access through the aforementioned Instagram profiles and website. Finally, with the production of materials, we hope to positively impact the population by raising awareness about the effects of alcohol on human behavior, aiming to reduce the rate of individuals with heavy substance consumption.