Published 21 August 2021 at 18.40
Domestic. A small group of nerve cells in the brain controls whether an individual continues to supply himself with alcohol despite having negative consequences, a new Swedish study shows.
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Researchers at Linköping University have studied rats and identified a previously unknown function in the brain that controls compulsive alcohol consumption.
With alcohol, only a small minority of those who drink become addicted, and researchers may now have found the answer to why
– We found that a small group of nerve cells in a small area of the brain makes the difference in whether the individual is able to apply the brake in the normal way, which the majority of our rats do, or if the individual does not succeed in stopping, says Markus Heilig, professor at Linköping University, in a statement.
New studies by other researchers indicate that humans and other animal species are divided into two groups when it comes to the ability to curb reward-seeking behavior when it can have negative consequences.
Early detection of risk groups can now make it possible to work more preventively.
– In people at increased risk of developing addiction, we need to strengthen the ability to slow down alcohol-seeking behavior, both by practicing behavior and by developing drugs, says Markus Heilig in a press release.