title: Titrating Tipsy Targets: The Neurobiology of Low-Dose Alcohol.
abstract: Limited attention has been given to our understanding of how the brain responds to low-dose alcohol (ethanol) and what molecular and cellular targets mediate these effects. Even at concentrations lower than 10mM (0.046 g% blood alcohol concentration, BAC), below the legal driving limit in the USA (BAC 0.08 g%), alcohol impacts brain function and behavior. Understanding what molecular and cellular targets mediate the initial effects of alcohol and subsequent neuroplasticity could provide a better understanding of vulnerability or resilience to developing alcohol use disorders. We review here what is known about the neurobiology of low-dose alcohol, provide insights into potential molecular targets, and discuss future directions and challenges in further defining targets of low-dose alcohol at the molecular, cellular, and circuitry levels.
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Changhai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address: george.koob@nih.gov.
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Koob
mesh_terms: D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
keywords: alcohol; ethanol; intoxication; low-dose; molecular targets; neurobiology