Brain Structure and Function in Recovery

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based upon material published in the Alcohol Research current reviews and is available as an open-access article. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) commonly is associated with compromise in neurobiological and/or neurobehavioral processes. The severity of this compromise varies across individuals and outcomes, as does the degree to which recovery of function is achieved. This narrative review first summarizes neurobehavioral, neurophysiological, structural, and neurochemical aberrations/deficits that are frequently observed in people with AUD after detoxification. Subsequent sections review improvements across these domains during recovery, taking into account modulators of recovery to the extent permitted. Where appropriate, the discussion includes work integrating outcomes across domains, leveraging the strengths of diverse experimental methods. Interventions to ameliorate neurobiological or neurobehavioral deficits do not constitute a primary objective of this review. However, their consideration is a logical inclusion. Therefore, a limited introduction to existing methods is also presented. This course on biological aspects of recovery is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of biological aspects of recovery. The course material includes a literature review of effects of AUD recovery. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading and others do not. A significant benefit of reading research-based articles for continuing education is they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: Nixon, and Lewis Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding biological aspects of recovery. Specifically, a professional will: Describe the different categories of alcohol-related biobehavioral sequelae Identify the effects of recovery has on brain function Recognize the impacts recovery has on brain structure Citation: Nixon, S. J., & Lewis, B. (2020). Brain structure and function in recovery. Alcohol research: current reviews, 40(3).