Adaptive change and ethanol dependence

Funded Activity Summary

Ethanol abuse, alcoholism and the medical complications of excessive drinking are now major health problems worldwide. The alcohol dependence syndrome is characterised by tolerance and physical dependence ( the presence of a withdrawal syndrome). Ethanol withdrawal, in addition, to being a health hazard in itself, can act as a negative reinforcer to promote continued ethanol consumption. Alcohol dependence can be considered to result from adaptive changes produced by the chronic presence of ethanol in the brain. In this research programme we will learn more about the adaptive changes in the NMDA receptors, the major excitatory receptors in the brain. Current psychopharmacologic management of human alcoholism is limited and suboptimal. We will explore the efficacy of drugs to control behaviours and withdrawal-induced brain cell death. Effective treatment of the syndrome is crucial since withdrawal induces changes, which increases the severity of subsequent withdrawal episodes and its associated brain damage. The outcomes of this research will be a better understand of the underlying changes involved in ethanol dependence and better therapies to ameliorate the withdrawal syndrome.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2001

End Date: 01-01-2003

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $361,527.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Medical infection agents (incl. prions)

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

addiction | alcohol dependence | alcoholism | drugs of dependence | gene expression | glutamate receptors | molecular neuroscience

Related Links