Discovery may provide new treatments for alcohol dependence

	Tweet

Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, have discovered a new brain mechanism involved in alcohol addiction involving the stomach hormone ghrelin. When ghrelin’s actions in the brain are blocked, alcohol’s effects on the reward system are reduced. It is an important discovery that could lead to new therapies for addictions such as alcohol dependence.

The results will be published in the renowned American scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Ghrelin is a hormone produced by the stomach and, by signalling in the brain, increases hunger. The new finding, that it is also involved in alcohol addiction, highlights the reward system of the brain as a key target for ghrelin’s effects. “Ghrelin’s actions in the brain may be of importance for all kinds of addictions, including chemical drugs such as alcohol and even food” says Suzanne Dickson, Professor of Physiology, a leading expert in appetite regulation.

The work emerged from a unique collaboration between the research groups of Prof Suzanne Dickson and Prof Emeritus Jörgen Engel, including researchers Dr Elisabet Jerlhag and Dr Emil Egecioglu. They show that mice treated with ghrelin increase their alcohol consumption. When ghrelin’s actions are blocked, for example, by administering ghrelin receptor antagonists, mice no longer show preference for an alcohol-associated environment -in other words, alcohol is no longer able to produce its addictive effects, that include reward searching behaviour (akin to craving in alcoholic patients). “If we can develop drugs that block the receptors for ghrelin, we could have a new effective treatment for alcohol dependence. It may however take several years until such a pharmacological treatment will reach the patient”, says Professor Emeritus Jörgen Engel, an authority on research on alcohol dependency at the Sahlgrenska Academy. The group has submitted a patent application for this invention.

FACTS on alcohol dependence
It is estimated that five percent of the adult Swedish population are alcohol dependent. Alcohol dependence is a complex and chronic disease which leads to adverse consequences affecting not only the patient but also their immediate family and has a profound economic burden on society (estimated to be around 60-100 billion kronor per year). Each year about 8,000 Swedes die of alcohol-related diseases.

For more information please contact:
Suzanne Dickson, Professor of Physiology, telephone: +46 703 693 568, e-mail
Jörgen Engel, Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology, telephone: +46 734 204 412, e-mail

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
Article Title: Requirement of central ghrelin signaling for alcohol reward
Researchers: Elisabet Jerlhag, Emil Egecioglu, Sara Landgren, Nicolas Salomé, Markus Heilig, Diedrik Moechars, Rakesh Datta, Daniel Perrissoud, Suzanne L. Dickson, Jörgen A. Engel.

BY: Elin Lindström Claessen

RELATED STORIES:
Physicians Pay Attention to ADHD on College Campuses   Seeds of optimism in Iraq’s mental health provision   Mood and anxiety disorders affect many older adults   Personality Changes May Help Detect Form of Dementia   Veterans With Cancer Might Fall Under Radar for Depression   US officials urged to speak out about ADHD drug   Antidepressants’ benefits exceed risks   PTSD Symptoms Associated with Feelings of Revenge Among Former African Child Soldiers   Study identifies changes to DNA in major depression and suicide   Stress-induced, high levels of corticotropin-releasing factor might be responsible for binge behavio   Depression, anxiety major factors in neck pain   Fat and clever and rich - equals depression   Bipolar Disorder in Children Difficult to Diagnose   Actions taken to cope with depressed mood: The role of personality traits   Severe obesity not seen to increase risk of depression in teens

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]