A specific group of brain cells appears to drive excessive alcohol drinking, and targeting these cells may reverses alcohol dependence, at least in rats, a new study finds.
In the study, the researchers trained rats how to self-administer alcohol out of a chamber, and caused some rats to become dependent on alcohol. They then injected the rats with a compound that could inactivate, or "turn off" a very specific set of brain cells in the amygdala.
They found that inactivating these brain cells caused the rats to completely cease their compulsive drinking.Reference:http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=167652&CultureCode=en
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