Brain protein that binds to alcohol can cure alcoholism, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in eNeuro. The protein, called MUNC 13-1, plays a pivotal role in the development of tolerance to alcoholism, according to Das.
‘Brain protein can cure alcoholism. The protein, called MUNC 13-1, plays a vital role in the development of tolerance to alcoholism. If we can reduce tolerance, we can reduce addiction.’
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“Addiction to alcohol remains one of the most significant mental health problems throughout the world. A major challenge is to understand how ethanol, or alcohol, changes behavior and the brain during the descent into addiction," Das reported. Developing tolerance is a critical step in that descent."If a person becomes tolerant of one drink, he will have another and maybe another. If we could stop alcohol from binding into MUNC 13-1, it will help problem drinkers in reducing tolerance. If we can reduce tolerance we can reduce addiction," said Das whose study focuses on binge alcohol exposure.
The process of MUNC 13-1 binding to alcohol takes place in a brain synapse, where one nerve cell, or neuron, passes a signal to another. Specifically, the binding takes place in the presynaptic space, a much-understudied portion of the synapse mechanism.
During binge alcohol exposure, alcohol creates widespread and long-lasting changes in neural activity, altering both presynaptic and postsynaptic activity.
Thus far the work has been done using the Drosophila genetic model system, which offers a simple model, but various similarities. Their activating protein is called Dunc13, the equivalent to MUNC 13-1.
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Source-Eurekalert