DRUG MAY REVERSE BRAIN DEFICITS CAUSED BY ALCOHOL
Tandospirone, a drug commonly used to treat anxiety related disorders, has been shown to reverse neurogenesis deficits caused by heavy alcohol use, researchers report.… READ MORE…
LOW LEVELS OF ALCOHOL MAY BE GOOD FOR THE BRAIN
According to researchers, a small alcoholic drink each day may be beneficial for brain health. Using mice, researchers found low levels of alcohol consumption is associated with less brain inflammation and a more effective glymphatic system. This allows CSF to flow more efficiently through the brain and remove waste that can lead to neurodegenerative diseases.… READ MORE…
LITHIUM CHLORIDE BLUNTS BRAIN DAMAGES LINKED TO FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME
A new study from researchers at NYU Langone reveals a single dose a lithium chloride, a drug used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, may help to reduce sleep, memory and learning problems associated with fetal alcohol syndrome.… READ MORE…
WHEN MALE VOLES DRINK ALCOHOL BUT THEIR PARTNER DOESN’T, THE RELATIONSHIP SUFFERS
A Frontiers in Psychiatry paper reports when male voles drink and their partner abstains, their relationship starts to suffer. The findings could help explain the link between discordant drinking and relationship breakdown in humans.… READ MORE…
IBRUPROFEN MAY BLOCK DAMAGE FROM FETAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE
According to researchers, ibruprofen can reduce neuroinflammation and improve cognitive function in mouse models of FASD.… READ MORE…
FREQUENT ALCOHOL USE KILLS NEW BRAIN CELLS IN ADULTS: FEMALES MORE VULNERABLE
A new study reports on how neural stem cells in adult mice respond differently to alcohol exposure, and these changes are different depending on the sex of the animal.… READ MORE…
HIGHER ESTROGEN LEVELS LINKED TO INCREASED ALCOHOL SENSITIVITY IN BRAIN’S REWARD CENTER
Neurons in the ventral tegmental area, an area of the brain considered to be the reward center, fire more rapidly to alcohol when estrogen levels are elevated, a new study reports. The study may shed light on how alcohol addiction develops in some women.… READ MORE…
DUTCH COURAGE: ALCOHOL IMPROVES FOREIGN LANGUAGE SKILLS
Bilingual people show improved ability to speak in their second language after consuming alcohol, a new study reports.… READ MORE…
STUDY POKES HOLES IN FETAL ALCOHOL HYPOTHESIS
A new study challenges conventional beliefs about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Researchers discovered no differences in microglia activity in the brains of health mice and those exposed to alcohol during early development. The study brings into question the whether the brain’s immune system cells are to blame for the neurological damage that occurs as a result of fetal alcohol exposure.… READ MORE…
IMMUNE SYSTEM LINKED TO ALCOHOL DRINKING BEHAVIOR
According to a new study, researchers were able to reduce the urge to drink alcohol in mice by blocking an immune response in the brain. The study reveals a link between the immune system and the motivation to indulge in drinking at night.… READ MORE…
PROTEIN LINKS ALCOHOL ABUSE AND CHANGES IN BRAIN’S REWARD CENTER
A new Neuron study reports blocking the action of the mTORC1 protein causes mice to stop problem drinking behaviors. The findings could help develop new treatments for addictive behaviors in people.… READ MORE…
BRAIN INJURY IN KIDS MIGHT LEAD TO ALCOHOL ABUSE
According to a new Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience study, children who experienced TBI under the age of 5 were 3.6 times more likely to have problems with substance abuse as teens. Finding suggest traumatic brain injuries during early life could be a risk factor for alcohol abuse later in life.… READ MORE…