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Monday, May 7, 2007

Effects of Ethanol on Midbrain Neurons: Role of Opioid Receptors

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (OnlineEarly Articles). 3 May 2007


Although ethanol addiction is believed to be mediated by the mesolimbic dopamine system, originating from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), how acute ethanol increases the activity of VTA dopaminergic (DA) neurons remains unclear.

Ethanol excites VTA DA neurons at least partly by increasing ongoing opioid-mediated suppression of local GABAergic inhibition. This indirect mechanism may contribute significantly to the positively reinforcing properties of ethanol.

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