Crucial Role of Acetaldehyde in Alcohol Activation of the Mesolimbic Dopamine System

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 1139; no. 1; pp. 307 - 317
• Main Authors: Diana, Marco, Peana, Alessandra Tiziana, Sirca, Donatella, Lintas, Alessandra, Melis, Miriam, Enrico, Paolo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.10.2008
• Subjects: acetaldehyde; Acetaldehyde - metabolism; Animals; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Central Nervous System Depressants - pharmacology; conditioned place preference; Conditioning (Psychology); Dopamine - metabolism; ethanol; Ethanol - metabolism; Humans; Male; Microdialysis; Neurons - metabolism; nucleus accumbens; Nucleus Accumbens - drug effects; Nucleus Accumbens - metabolism; patch clamp; Patch-Clamp Techniques; rat; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Ventral Tegmental Area - drug effects; Ventral Tegmental Area - metabolism

Ethyl alcohol (EtOH), the main psychoactive ingredient of alcoholic drinks, is widely considered responsible for alcohol abuse and alcoholism through its positive motivational properties, which depend, at least partially, on the activation of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. On the other hand, ac...