Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) encompasses the dysregulation of multiple brain circuits involved in executive function leading to excessive consumption of alcohol, despite negative health and social consequences and feelings of withdrawal when access to alcohol is prevented. Ethanol exerts its toxicity...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Biomedicines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/10/5/1192 |
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| author | Waisley Yang Rohit Singla Oshin Maheshwari Christine J. Fontaine Joana Gil-Mohapel |
| author_facet | Waisley Yang Rohit Singla Oshin Maheshwari Christine J. Fontaine Joana Gil-Mohapel |
| author_sort | Waisley Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Alcohol use disorder (AUD) encompasses the dysregulation of multiple brain circuits involved in executive function leading to excessive consumption of alcohol, despite negative health and social consequences and feelings of withdrawal when access to alcohol is prevented. Ethanol exerts its toxicity through changes to multiple neurotransmitter systems, including serotonin, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, acetylcholine, and opioid systems. These neurotransmitter imbalances result in dysregulation of brain circuits responsible for reward, motivation, decision making, affect, and the stress response. Despite serious health and psychosocial consequences, this disorder still remains one of the leading causes of death globally. Treatment options include both psychological and pharmacological interventions, which are aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and/or promoting abstinence while also addressing dysfunctional behaviours and impaired functioning. However, stigma and social barriers to accessing care continue to impact many individuals. AUD treatment should focus not only on restoring the physiological and neurological impairment directly caused by alcohol toxicity but also on addressing psychosocial factors associated with AUD that often prevent access to treatment. This review summarizes the impact of alcohol toxicity on brain neurocircuitry in the context of AUD and discusses pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies currently available to treat this addiction disorder. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:16:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c9500d3725274bbcbee466212f7ccdfa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:16:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomedicines |
| spelling | doaj.art-c9500d3725274bbcbee466212f7ccdfa2023-11-23T10:12:24ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592022-05-01105119210.3390/biomedicines10051192Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and TherapeuticsWaisley Yang0Rohit Singla1Oshin Maheshwari2Christine J. Fontaine3Joana Gil-Mohapel4Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, CanadaIsland Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, CanadaPsychiatry Residency Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8W 3P5, CanadaDivision of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, CanadaIsland Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, CanadaAlcohol use disorder (AUD) encompasses the dysregulation of multiple brain circuits involved in executive function leading to excessive consumption of alcohol, despite negative health and social consequences and feelings of withdrawal when access to alcohol is prevented. Ethanol exerts its toxicity through changes to multiple neurotransmitter systems, including serotonin, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, acetylcholine, and opioid systems. These neurotransmitter imbalances result in dysregulation of brain circuits responsible for reward, motivation, decision making, affect, and the stress response. Despite serious health and psychosocial consequences, this disorder still remains one of the leading causes of death globally. Treatment options include both psychological and pharmacological interventions, which are aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and/or promoting abstinence while also addressing dysfunctional behaviours and impaired functioning. However, stigma and social barriers to accessing care continue to impact many individuals. AUD treatment should focus not only on restoring the physiological and neurological impairment directly caused by alcohol toxicity but also on addressing psychosocial factors associated with AUD that often prevent access to treatment. This review summarizes the impact of alcohol toxicity on brain neurocircuitry in the context of AUD and discusses pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies currently available to treat this addiction disorder.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/10/5/1192addictionalcoholalcohol use disorderneurotransmitterpharmacological therapynon-pharmacological intervention |
| spellingShingle | Waisley Yang Rohit Singla Oshin Maheshwari Christine J. Fontaine Joana Gil-Mohapel Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics Biomedicines addiction alcohol alcohol use disorder neurotransmitter pharmacological therapy non-pharmacological intervention |
| title | Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics |
| title_full | Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics |
| title_fullStr | Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics |
| title_short | Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics |
| title_sort | alcohol use disorder neurobiology and therapeutics |
| topic | addiction alcohol alcohol use disorder neurotransmitter pharmacological therapy non-pharmacological intervention |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/10/5/1192 |
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