Cellular and molecular neuroscience of alcoholism.
Recent advances in neuroscience have made it possible to investigate the pathophysiology of alcoholism at a cellular and molecular level. Evidence indicates that ethanol affects hormone- and neurotransmitter-activated signal transduction, leading to short-term changes in regulation of cellular functions and long-term changes in gene expression. Such changes in the brain probably underlie many of the acute and chronic neurological events in alcoholism. In addition, genetic vulnerability also plays a role in alcoholism and, perhaps, in alcoholic medical disorders.
Diamond
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Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco General Hospital, USA.
Gordon
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D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
D000431:Ethanol