Just In
- 2 hrs ago New Book ‘Kathmandu Chronicle: Reclaiming India-Nepal Relations’ To Shed Light On Geopolitical Uncertainties
- 6 hrs ago Russian Influencer Starves His Newborn To Death With Sunlight Diet, Know Dos And Don’ts Of This Diet
- 9 hrs ago Mahavir Jayanti 2024: Date, Time, History, Celebrations And Teachings Of Lord Mahavir In Jainism
- 10 hrs ago Parineeti Chopra Saree Looks: Check Amar Singh Chamkila Actor's Regal Fashion Statements
Don't Miss
- Education UP Board Result 2024: 82% of Jail Inmates Passed the Class 12 and 97% of the Class 10
- News Bengaluru Water Crisis: PM Modi Slams Karnataka Congress, Says Mismanagement Turned Tech City To Tanker City
- Movies Queen Of Tears Episode 14 OTT Release Date, Time, Platform: When & Where To Watch? What To Expect? DEETS Out
- Automobiles Tata Altroz Records a 55% Sales Growth in March 2024
- Sports IPL 2024: DC vs SRH Live Score & Updates; Travis Head smashes 16-ball fifty; SRH off to a blistering start
- Finance Rs 17.50/Share Dividend: Tata Mid Cap To Consider Dividend On April 29, LIC Stake 9.88%
- Technology Best Noise-Cancelling Earbuds Under Rs 5,000: CMF Buds Pro, Redmi Buds 5, Realme Buds Air 5, and More
- Travel Journey From Delhi To Ooty: Top Transport Options And Attractions
Seizure Drug May Treat Alcoholism
A new study conducted on mice has shown that a seizure drug, called gabapentin, could act as a potential therapy for alcoholism by reversing cellular effects.
In the study, alcohol-dependent rodents receiving gabapentin drank less alcohol, and this led the scientists to say that gabapentin normalizes the action of certain brain cells altered by chronic alcohol abuse in an area of the brain known as the central amygdala, which plays an important role in fear- and stress-related behaviours, as well as in regulating alcohol drinking.
"The results are exciting. Our research shows that gabapentin not only changes the alcohol-consumption patterns of addicted rats (and not of the control group), but also may reverse some of the effects of addiction on a specific neurotransmitter in the brain," said Scripps Research Assistant Professor Marisa Roberto, Ph.D., who was first author of the study.
"This is an example of the strength of the translational approach of the Pearson Center, where the clinical uses of gabapentin led us to hypothesize that gabapentin may act to restore homeostatic dysregulation of the GABAergic system. Cellular and behavioral studies converged to suggest that indeed gabapentin could normalize GABAergic tone in a specific brain region known to be dysregulated in dependent animals. Such results provide a strong rationale for translating these observations back to the clinical setting for the treatment of alcoholism," said George Koob, Ph.D., a member of the research team.
Earlier, gabapentin was shown to effectively treat alcohol withdrawal and reduce alcohol consumption and cravings following detoxification in alcoholics, but the mechanism was unclear.
In the new study, researchers have detailed the action of gabapentin (known commercially as Neurontin)—a structural analogue of the inhibitory synaptic transmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)—on neural signalling in the brain.
The scientists first tested the effects of gabapentin on the behaviour of alcohol-dependent and non-dependent rats and found that alcohol-dependent rats that received gabapentin drank significantly less alcohol and demonstrated less anxiety-like behaviour in the face of alcohol abstinence than those who did not receive the drug. However, the behaviour of non-dependent rats receiving gabapentin remained unaffected. The results were same when the rats received gabapentin systemically and when the medication was infused directly into the central amygdala region of the brain.
At the cellular level, dependence on alcohol is linked to increased strength of inhibitory synapses (junctions between two nerve cells) in the central amygdala. And now the researchers have found that gabapentin, like alcohol, increased the strength of these central amygdala inhibitory synapse cells from non-dependent rats, but decreased their strength in cells from alcohol-dependent rats.
However, in the presence of a specific inhibitor of so-called GABAB receptors, these effects of gabapentin disappeared, which suggested that gabapentin's cellular mechanisms likely involve changes in release of the transmitter GABA at the inhibitory synapses.
Also, they found that the sensitivity of GABAB receptors decreased with alcohol dependence, suggesting a biological mechanism for the development of alcohol dependence in general and for gabapentin's contrasting effects before and after long-term alcohol exposure in particular.
Now, the scientists are planning to further explore the mechanism of action of gabapentin in the brain.
The study is published in the latest edition of The Journal of Neuroscience
- disorders cureIs Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome A Serious Condition? Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors And Treatments
- wellnessHow Does Alcohol Affect Your Sex Life?
- wellnessAlcohol Use Disorder (Alcoholism): Causes, Types, Symptoms & Treatment
- wellnessDo You Have A Drinking Problem?
- healthHow Does A Violence-packed Movie Affect The Brains Of Those Who Are Watching It?
- healthGain Control of Your Stress and Guard Your Heart!
- health5 Things To Try In Addition To Therapy For Mental Health Illnesses
- healthNegative Thinking Disorder: How To Suppress Negative Thoughts To Improve Your Mental Health?
- healthMental Health: Sudden Anxiety Attack? Top 5 Ways To Find Instant Relief
- pregnancy parentingParenting Tips: When And How To Teach Your Kids About Mental Health
- healthMental Health: Never Eat These Foods In The Morning If You Suffer From Anxiety Symptoms
- healthThe Right Management Plan For Anxiety During Menopause