Alcohol use disorder is a complex and preventable disease.
The authors of the new work studied the relationship betweenanxiety and alcohol abuse. This study shows how drinking as a teenager can increase anxiety. The same thing happens in adulthood. However, the team concluded that gene editing could help reduce this risk.
In addition, the authors focused on howlink between alcohol abuse and anxiety, and how the latter can contribute to relapse. Studies have shown that anxiety begins to increase after quitting alcohol, partly due to the release of stress molecules in the brain.
It is known that one of them iscorticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). It stimulates receptors on neurons in the prefrontal cortex along with the limbic system, brain structures that help process emotions.
The authors conclude that if we understand which of these neurons are receptive to CRF, then we can find new ways to deal with anxiety after quitting alcohol.
Through experiments in mice, the scientists identified a population of neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) that express the CRF1 receptor, making them sensitive to CRF.
Experiments showed that these neurons playeda role in shaping behavior during exposure to alcohol. It also affects withdrawal symptoms if alcohol withdrawal occurs. When mice had their CRF-sensitive neurons removed, it made them less anxious.
In conclusion, the authors stated that the rejectionalcohol activates the stress system in the brain, which promotes relapse. During the work, it was found that this stress is associated with CSF1, a neuroimmune mediator. This will help to provide individual and targeted treatment among people with alcohol dependence.
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