Regulation of NMDA receptors and plasticity in the BNST following adolescent alcohol exposure

Adolescent alcohol use is one of the strongest predictors for future alcohol dependence. In animal models, adolescent alcohol exposure produces long-term changes in a number of brain regions. The long-term adaptations in areas of the brain involved in processing stress may be key due to the importance of stress to relapse. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, BNST, is one of these regions. In the adult BNST, these long-term adaptations or plasticity produced by alcohol are primarily regulated by NMDA receptors, especially those containing the GluN2B subunit.

Source: Alcohol - May 1, 2017 Category: Addiction Authors: M.C. Miller, N.M. Sharfman, J.R. Grant, S.D. Fox, T.A. Wills Source Type: research