WE MAY never understand the mind of every alcoholic, but we are starting to learn more about alcohol’s specific effects on a region of the brain that regulates emotion and behaviour.
A team in Australia has found that alcohol dampens down the expression of hundreds of genes in the amygdala, which might account for why alcoholics suffer dysfunctional symptoms such as disrupted sleep and depression. It may also help explain why recovering alcoholics are prone to relapse.
The amygdala is a key structure in the brain’s emotional system that acts as an interface between incoming sensory signals and behavioural responses.…
