Addiction to alcohol and its treatments. Alcohol acts on the neuromediators involved in the reward system. Top left, the brain seen in section with, i
Addiction to alcohol and its treatments. Alcohol acts on the neuromediators involved in the reward system. Top left, the brain seen in section with, in blue, the area of the reward circuit. Under the brain, zoom in on the neural connections involved in the reward circuit. Alcohol acts on the neuromediators involved in the dopaminergic reward system (in blue on the brain), itself modulated by the endogenous opioid system. Alcohol consumption first causes the release of endorphins and enkephalins (yellow beads). Their release inhibits the release of GABA (blue beads) followed by an increase in the release of dopamine (green beads), which induces pleasure and which contributes to positively strengthen the appetite for alcohol. When consumption becomes chronic and dependence sets in, dopamine release is reduced by the binding of dynorphins to the K receptor (black) inducing negative reinforcement. the consumer then seeks to consume more alcohol. Disulfiram will act on the liver by antabuse effect. Other molecules will act on the u and K opioid receptors to inhibit positive reinforcement. Still others will stimulate GABAergic receptors and / or the excitatory action of glutamate (orange beads) thus inhibiting the release of dopamine.
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Photo credit: © WITT-DEGUILLAUME / BSIP / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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