Mechanisms of change in drinking following an alcohol-related injury: A qualitative examination of the sentinel event effect.

Background: Sentinel events are negative health-related events that trigger change in risky health behaviors. Despite its presumed major role in behavior change, the sentinel event effect has received little empirical attention. Through analysis of qualitative interviews, we explored how sentinel events trigger behavior change. Methods: Thematic analysis and concept mapping were used to develop a preliminary model of the sentinel event effect among a sample of 24 adult heavy drinking Mexican-origin men previously admitted to a hospital due to injury. The model was checked against cases that did versus did not report change in alcohol use following an alcohol-related negative event. Results: Findings suggest that sentinel events may arouse negative emotional reactions, encourage reflection on the negative consequences of drinking, and cause reevaluation of the severity and significance of drinking. These processes may increase motivation to change. Conclusions: Findings support the concept of the sentinel event as a natural intervention, and identifies potential social-cognitive and motivational mechanisms through which it influences change. Findings stand to inform research on mechanisms underlying brief intervention effects, and research that seeks to identify treatment targets.

Dorsal Hippocampus ERK2 Signaling Mediates Anxiolytic-Related Behavior in Male Rats.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are the most common neuropathologies worldwide, but the precise neuronal mechanisms that underlie these disorders remain unknown. The hippocampus plays a role in mediating anxiety-related responses, which can be modeled in rodents using behavioral assays, such as the elevated plus maze. Yet, the molecular markers that underlie affect-related behavior on the elevated plus maze are not well understood. METHODS: We used herpes simplex virus vector delivery to overexpress extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2, a signaling molecule known to be involved in depression and anxiety, within the dorsal hippocampus of adult Sprague-Dawley male rats. Three days post virus delivery, we assessed anxiety-like responses on the elevated plus maze or general locomotor activity on the open field test. RESULTS: When compared to controls, rats overexpressing extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2 in the dorsal hippocampus displayed an anxiolytic-like phenotype, per increases in time spent in the open arms, and less time in the closed arms, of the elevated plus maze. Furthermore, no changes in locomotor activity as a function of virus infusion were observed on the open field test between the experimental groups. CONCLUSION: This investigation demonstrates that virus-mediated increases of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2 signaling, within the hippocampus, plays a critical role in decreasing anxiogenic responses on the rat elevated plus maze. As such, our data provide construct validity, at least in part, to the molecular mechanisms that mediate anxiolytic-like behavior in rodent models for the study of anxiety.