Quitting alcohol changes the brain and can increase the risk of compulsive drinking – new research in mice
Alcohol abstinence alters brain activity in ways that may drive someone with alcohol use disorder to relapse.
Recent research in mice has revealed that quitting alcohol can alter brain activity and potentially increase the risk of compulsive drinking. Researchers observed that, in mice that abstained from alcohol, there were changes in the activity of a specific brain region called the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). This finding suggests that there may be potential screening opportunities to identify individuals most vulnerable to relapse.
While alcohol abstinence is generally associated with improved health outcomes, the research team found that a subset of mice developed a resistance to the aversion-inducing effects of alcohol, resulting in increased alcohol consumption. These mice also drank larger quantities of extremely bitter alcohol compared to those who did not experience forced abstinence.
The researchers monitored the activity of the BNST and found that abstinent mice who had developed a taste for bitter alcohol had more than double the activity in this brain area compared to those that did not go through forced abstinence. Importantly, activity in the BNST was observed even before the mice were given access to the bitter alcohol, indicating that this brain activity may serve as a potential indicator of relapse risk.
The study highlights the importance of understanding the brain changes that occur during alcohol abstinence to improve prevention and treatment strategies for alcohol use disorder.
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