Theintake of alcoholic beveragescauses theendorphin secretion in certain areas of the brain, which triggers the positive emotions that are experienced in the drunken state and could lead to addiction. A study from the University of California has observed this phenomenon in humans for the first time, about which it has been speculated for more than thirty years.
Endorphins, which are produced by the brain and have opioid effects, have been observed after alcohol consumption in two brain areas called the nucleus accumbens and the orbitofrontal cortex. In addition, researchers have identified the type of opioid receptor that acts with endorphins: it is theMu receptor.
“Our study provides thefirst direct evidence ofhow alcohol makes people feel good“explains Jennifer Mitchell, lead author of the study and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), in statements to the SINC agency. The precise localization of these areas in the brain will allow, according to the authors, to improve the methods and medications to treat alcohol addiction problems.
To carry out the study, the scientists analyzed the brain responses of 13 individuals with high alcohol consumption, and 12 other control subjects, who did not drink regularly, with thepositron emission tomography technique(PET). In this way, they observed that, in all cases, the intake of alcohol produced a release of endorphins. In addition, the participants reported greater sensations of pleasure as more endorphins were released in theaccumbens core. However, increased endorphins in the orbitofrontal cortex only increased positive feelings in heavy drinkers. “This indicates thatalcoholics’ brains are modified so that they find alcohol consumption more enjoyable“This feeling of gratification may be what makes them drink so much,” explains Mitchell. The results open up possible avenues to improve the effectiveness of common anti-alcohol drugs, such as naltrexone.
“The better we understand how endorphins control alcohol consumption, the better opportunities we will have to create more successful therapies for drug addiction,” concludes Howard L. Fields, a co-author of the paper and also a researcher at UCSF.
