Scientists from Linköping University have identified a group of nerve cells in the brain that is responsible for making a person’s decision to drink alcohol, even when it could be harmful.
Most people who drink alcohol can control themselves, but some do not stop even in situations where it has negative consequences.
It is noteworthy that sometimes those who do not have a pronounced alcohol dependence fall into the group of people with compulsive behavior.
To find out why this happens, Swedish experts conducted neurobiological studies on rats.
They identified animals prone to compulsive alcohol consumption, and then analyzed the characteristics of their neural signals.
At the start of the experiment, the rats were shown that they could get a small amount of alcohol by pressing a lever.
However, after a while, the conditions changed: after pressing, together with alcohol, the rodents received an electric shock.
Most of the rats stopped pushing the lever, but about a third of the animals continued to do so despite the discomfort.
To identify the group of nerve cells involved in making decisions about compulsive alcohol use, the researchers used a special molecular marker.
They found that in the amygdala of the rat brain, a network of nerve cells was activated just before the lever was pressed.
It is emphasized that when the researchers turned off these cells, the ability to abstain from alcohol in rats was restored.
The amygdala is the center of the brain that controls fear responses and is involved in learning mechanisms that are associated with fear of punishment.
Three years ago, the authors of the study experimentally proved that this same area of the brain is responsible for behavior associated with alcohol dependence.
Scientists hope that with the help of their discovery it will be possible to fight alcohol addiction.
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