Study: Alcohol Dulls Brain’s Response to Threats
Posted on: Wednesday, 30 April 2008, 06:40 CDT
A recent study conducted by U.S. researchers found a link between drinking and a weakened brain response to threats.The findings are the first to show how alcohol interacts with the human brain’s response to threats.
"You see this all of the time. People get into confrontations when they are intoxicated that they probably wouldn't get into when they are sober," said Jodi Gilman of the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the study looked at 12 people who were given alcohol intravenously.
Gilman documented brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging while test subjects were shown pictures of frightened and neutral faces.
The same study was also conducted on a test group that was given a saline placebo.
People in the placebo group responded to the pictures of frightened faces.
When this same group was given infusions of alcohol, their response to the pictures was weakened . Results suggest that while intoxicated, "our brain can't distinguish between the threatening and nonthreatening stimuli," said Gilman.
"Our brains respond more to fearful stimuli," Gilman said.
"They signal to us that we are in threatening situations."
The dulled reactions exhibited in the test subjects may translate into other potentially dangerous situations such as drunk driving, Gilman said.
"People have used alcohol for years to become euphoric and to decrease anxiety. Alcohol has been used in particular to increase sociability. How alcohol acts on the brain to produce these effects has not been well understood or studied," Gilman said, explaining why alcohol is sometimes known as a ‘social lubricant.’
"This is important because we think we can develop potential treatments for alcoholism," Gilman said.
Gilman said the research team plans to conduct the study in heavy drinkers next.
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On the Net:
Journal of Neuroscience
National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Source: redOrbit Staff and Wire Reports
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