A study by American scientists.
Research scientists from the US published in the Journal of Neuroscience, showed that alcohol consumption alters the structure and function of neurons in the striatum of the brain.
Alcoholism is a very common disease, but the mechanism of its development have not been well studied. Now a team of scientists closer to understanding its nature. The experts from the health Science center the results can be an important step on the way to creating an effective drug to combat alcoholism.
The use of an animal model has shown that alcohol actually changes the physical structure of spinous neurons in the striatum – dorsomedial part of the brain involved in behavior management.
These neurons can be viewed as a tree with many branches and lots of small ledges. Each of them has one of two types of dopamine receptors, D1 or D2, and therefore can be considered as either D1 or D2 is a neuron their functions are antagonistic. Although it is well known that the neurotransmitter dopamine is involved in the development of dependence, only a new study has shown that D1 receptors play an important role in this process.
Scientists have discovered that regular consumption of large quantities of alcohol affects the function of D1 neurons, making them much more excitable – when these neurons are excited, there is a desire to drink alcohol, that is forms of addiction.
