The role of the Periaqueductal Gray Area in maladaptive emotional and behavioral responses stemming from alcohol dependence

Adaptations in key brain regions developed over the course of alcohol dependence perpetuate the disorder by inducing negative affective states that drive compensatory, compulsory alcohol drinking. The Periaqueductal Gray Area (PAG) is a midbrain region that coordinates emotional and behavioral responses to aversive stimuli through connections with the extended amygdala, a cluster of coordinated regions that modulate alcohol dependence-related emotional and behavioral phenotypes. Here, we assess the contribution of two key PAG subregions, the dorsal and ventral PAG, to emotional and behavioral changes stemming from alcohol dependence.

Source: Alcohol - May 1, 2017 Category: Addiction Authors: Emily Lowery-Gionta, Huiling Wang, Leandro Vendruscolo, Dylan Sucich, Brendan Tunstall, Lisa Thomas, Marisela Morales, George F. Koob Source Type: research