6533b857fe1ef96bd12b472e

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Acetaldehyde as the first hit of addictive behaviour

Marco GiammancoFulvio PlesciaFrancesco MartinesAngela CavallaroCarla CannizzaroDanila Di MajoGianluca LavancoIrene MiccichèAnna Ebrancato

subject

0301 basic medicinemedicine.medical_specialtyAddictive behaviourmedia_common.quotation_subjectAlcohol abuseAlcoholAcetaldehydePlant SciencePharmacologyNucleus accumbensGeneral Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular BiologyEthanol-related effect03 medical and health scienceschemistry.chemical_compound0302 clinical medicineMediatorDopamineEthanol-related effectsAcetaldehyde; Addictive behaviour; Ethanol-related effects; Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology (all); Plant Science; Biochemistry (medical)medicinePsychiatrylcsh:QH301-705.5media_commonBiochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology (all)EthanolAddictionBiochemistry (medical)Acetaldehydemedicine.disease030104 developmental biologylcsh:Biology (General)chemistryPsychology030217 neurology & neurosurgerymedicine.drug

description

Unhealthy alcohol use is common in the Western society, which puts risk of health consequences, causing multiple behavioural injuries. Increasing evidence focuses on acetaldehyde, the first metabolite of ethanol, as the mediator of the several behavioural actions of alcohol, including its rewarding and motivational effects. In particular, acetaldehyde induces dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens modulating primary alcohol rewarding effect, drug seeking, and relapse behaviour. Recent behavioural studies point at acetaldehyde as a drug of abuse since its oral self-administration is induced and maintained in an operant/conflict paradigm. These findings provide further evidence on the role played by the acetaldehyde as a mediator of the effects of alcohol and focus attention on this molecule to arrange a more effective strategy, aimed at the prevention and treatment of alcohol abuse. Thus, the aim of this review is to summarize latest results on the role of acetaldehyde as the mediator of ethanol-central effects focusing on its capacity to induce an addictive behaviour.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2016-01-01Journal of Biological Research - Bollettino della Società Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale
https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2016.6206