In the brain, mice have found a group of neurons that suppress the desire to drink alcohol. This discovery can change approaches to the treatment of alcoholism.
Excessive alcohol consumption remains one of the main causes of mortality in the world, but existing treatments are often ineffective or have serious side effects. All because most medicines do not affect the whole brain, not the specific centers that regulate alcohol consumption.
The breakthrough was made by the Marten Zhil team from UMASS CHAN Medical School. In the brain of mice, researchers have found a small cluster of neurons in the medial orbitant cortex, which are activated during alcohol consumption and play the role of a kind of "switch".
"These neurons respond to binge and inhibit further consumption," Marten explains.
To identify them, researchers used a unique model of mice in which neurons, sensitive to alcohol, "glowed" in red fluorescent protein. Disabling these cells has led to a sharp increase in alcohol consumption, which proves their key regulatory role.
Whether such a system is in the human brain is not yet known. But if it is confirmed, science will be able to create high -precision treatment of addiction - without the general "muffling" of the brain and without side effects such as drowsiness or depression.
"Stimulating these cells, it will be possible to help those who are unable to stop on their own," the study author notes.
This discovery can be the basis of a new era in the treatment of alcoholism - when medicine will not work roughly, but accurately, affecting only the "alcoholic centers" of the brain.
