title: Epigenetic Modifications, Alcoholic Brain and Potential Drug Targets.
abstract: Acute and chronic alcohol exposure evidently influences epigenetic changes, both transiently and permanently, and these changes in turn influence a variety of cells and organ systems throughout the body. Many of the alcohol-induced epigenetic modifications can contribute to cellular adaptations that ultimately lead to behavioral tolerance and alcohol dependence. The persistence of behavioral changes demonstrates that long-lasting changes in gene expression, within particular regions of the brain, may contribute importantly to the addiction phenotype. The research activities over the past years have demonstrated a crucial role of epigenetic mechanisms in causing long lasting and transient changes in the expression of several genes in diverse tissues, including brain. This has stimulated recent research work that is aimed at characterizing the influence of epigenetic regulatory events in mediating the long lasting and transient effects of alcohol abuse on the brain in humans and animal models of alcohol addiction. In this study, we update our current understanding of the impact of alcohol exposure on epigenetic mechanisms in the brain and refurbish the knowledge of epigenetics in the direction of new drugs development.
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, India.
authors: Ashok
authors: A
authors: Jangra
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, India.
authors: Chandra Shaker
authors: CS
authors: Sriram
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, India.
authors: Suryanarayan
authors: S
authors: Pandey
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, India.
authors: Priyansha
authors: P
authors: Choubey
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, India.
authors: Prabha
authors: P
authors: Rajput
authors: Department of Biotechnology, University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India.
authors: Babita
authors: B
authors: Saroha
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, India; Department of Pharmacology, Gauhati Medical College, Narkachal Hilltop, Bhangagarh, Guwahati, India.
authors: Babul Kumar
authors: BK
authors: Bezbaruah
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, India; Department of Pharmacology, Gauhati Medical College, Narkachal Hilltop, Bhangagarh, Guwahati, India.
authors: Mangala
authors: M
authors: Lahkar
keywords: Alcohol; DNA methylation; Epigenetic changes; Histone modifications