
Psychophysiological Stress Reactivity as a Determinant in Co-occurring Alcohol Use and Anxiety Disorders: Diagnosis and Alcohol Use Outcomes

Comorbid AUD+AnxD is a significant barrier to successful AUD treatment. Converging evidence implicates overlap in dysregulation of systems governing stress response (HPA, ANS, CNS) for symptom development in AUD and AnxD. However, this must be systematically demonstrated in comorbid AUD+AnxD. We will assess markers of multi-system biological stress regulation (at rest and in response to laboratory challenge) in alcohol use disorder (AUD) inpatients with and without co-occurring anxiety disorder (AnxD), as well as those with AnxD who do versus do not receive a cognitive behavioral treatment that specifically targets comorbid AUD-AnxD. Laboratory measures include 1) cortisol (to assess the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis system [HPA] function; 2) heart rate variability (to assess autonomic nervous system [ANS] function), and 3) threat-potentiated startle (to assess central nervous system [CNS] function). Laboratory assessments will occur at the following times: 1) shortly after AUD treatment admittance (Visit 2: Pre-Treatment), 2) immediately following the 4-week AUD treatment (Visit 3: Post-Treatment), 3) 1 month following AUD treatment (Visit 4: 1-Month Follow-Up), and 4) 4 months following AUD treatment (Visit 5: 4-Month Follow-Up). Self-reported alcohol intake will be assessed at baseline as well as at the 1- and 4-Month Follow-Ups to determine whether laboratory stress measures predict treatment outcomes. A single laboratory assessment of healthy controls will serve as a normative reference for characterizing patient laboratory responses in terms of dysregulation and re-regulation.
Alcohol Use Disorder, Anxiety Disorder/Anxiety State, Stress Disorder, Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal, Drinking to Cope