For the brain, a single dose of alcohol can cause permanent changes in nerve synapses and mitochondrial behavior, according to German scientists. In addition, this first contact can lead patients with a certain predisposition into addiction, especially if you are under 18 years old.
The study on the effects of alcohol exposure and changes in the brain, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Pnas), was led by researchers from the University of Cologne.
Photo: drobotdean/Freepik/Canaltech
“Our data suggest that a single exposure to alcohol produces plastic changes [no cérebro] which in turn may contribute to the basis of alcohol dependence,” the authors say. However, the finding is still preliminary and needs to be confirmed in human studies, as the study was conducted in flies and rodents.
How does a single drink of alcohol affect the brain?
According to the researchers, exposure of the body to alcohol can affect the mechanism responsible for the sense of reward and lead to addiction, even after just a single dose. Because from the animal experiments, changes in two main points could be observed:
- Alteration of mitochondrial dynamics;
- Alteration of balance between synapses in neurons.
To understand the impact of these changes on the brain, it is important to explain that mitochondria are the organelles that provide cells with energy and are therefore fundamental to nerve cell activity. When providing energy, they move. The movement changed for those who had been in contact with alcohol.
In addition, the chemical balance between certain synapses was also disturbed after a single dose. In both cases, the changes persisted and led to behavioral changes in the animals, according to the authors. The guinea pigs were more prone to alcohol consumption and addiction.
“These mechanisms could be relevant to the observation in humans that the first intoxication at a young age is a critical risk factor for later alcohol intoxication and the development of alcohol addiction,” explains Henrike Scholz, a professor at the university and one of the study authors in a statement. More studies are now needed to confirm the effects in humans and what dose might be responsible for these lasting effects.
Source: Pnas and University of Cologne
Trends on Canaltech: