Why we like to drink: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study of the rewarding and anxiolytic effects of alcohol.
People typically drink alcohol to induce euphoria or reduce anxiety, and they frequently drink in social settings, yet the effect of alcohol on human brain circuits involved in reward and emotion has been explored only sparingly. We administered alcohol intravenously to social drinkers while brain response to visual threatening and nonthreatening facial stimuli was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Alcohol robustly activated striatal reward circuits while attenuating response to fearful stimuli in visual and limbic regions. Self-ratings of intoxication correlated with striatal activation, suggesting that activation in this area may contribute to subjective experience of pleasure and reward during intoxication. These results show that the acute pharmacological rewarding and anxiolytic effects of alcohol can be measured with fMRI.
Gilman
Jodi M
JM
Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. gilmanj@mail.nih.gov
Ramchandani
Vijay A
VA
Davis
Megan B
MB
Bjork
James M
JM
Hommer
Daniel W
DW
D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D000438:Alcohols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D012201:Reward; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000438:Alcohols; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D010100:Oxygen