Neuroimmune regulation of alcohol consumption

Molecular and behavioral studies suggest a role for the innate immune system in the acute and chronic effects of alcohol and support a neuroimmune hypothesis of alcohol addiction. Changes in expression of immune-related genes and microglial transcripts occur in postmortem brains from alcoholics and animals exposed to alcohol, and mutant animals lacking certain innate immune genes show decreased alcohol-mediated responses. Many of the differentially expressed genes are part of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway that culminates in increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines.
Source: Alcohol - Category: Addiction Authors: Source Type: research