Alcohol Use Disorder 493
creased rate among those who drink very he avily. These factors, along with marked
increases in levels of triglycerides and low- density lipoprotein cholesterol, contribute to
an elevated risk of heart disease. Periphe ral neuropathy may be evidenced by muscular
weakness, paresthesias, and decreased peripher al sensation. More persistent central ner-
vous system effects include cognitive deficits, severe memory impairment, and degener-
ative changes in the cerebellum. These effects are related to the direct effects of alcohol or
of trauma and to vitamin deficiencies (parti cularly of the B vitamins, including thiamine).
One devastating central nervous system e ffect is the relatively rare alcohol-induced per-
sisting amnestic disorder, or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, in which the ability to encode
new memory is severely impaired. This condition would now be described within the chap-
ter “Neurocognitive Disorder s” and would be termed a substance/medicati on-induced neuro-
cognitive disorder.
Alcohol use disorder is an important contribu tor to suicide risk du ring severe intoxi-
cation and in the context of a temporary alco hol-induced depressive and bipolar disorder.
There is an increased rate of suicidal behavior as well as of completed suicide among in-
dividuals with the disorder.
Prevalence 
Alcohol use disorder is a common disorder. In  the United States, the 12-month prevalence
of alcohol use disorder is estimated to be 4.6% among 12- to 17-year-olds and 8.5% among
adults age 18 years and older in the United St ates. Rates of the disorder are greater among
adult men (12.4%) than among adult women (4 .9%). Twelve-month prevalence of alcohol