Quitting Alcohol Can Make You Want to Drink More

Topic: Health

Researchers found that some people who stop drinking may start craving alcohol more. They studied mice and found a brain region called BNST is active when they try to drink again. This could help identify people at risk of relapse.

For some people, quitting alcohol can actually make them want to drink more. Our research team wanted to understand why this happens. We gave mice voluntary access to alcohol for a long time and then forced them to stop drinking. Some of the mice developed a strong desire to drink again, even when we made the alcohol very bitter.

We found that these mice had higher activity in a brain region called the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). This area is involved in anxiety and depression, which are common problems for people with alcohol use disorder. We also saw that the BNST was active even before we gave the mice access to bitter alcohol.

This suggests that it may be possible to identify people who are at risk of relapsing by screening for BNST activity when they try to drink again. Our team is now working on understanding how this brain region works and how we can use this knowledge to help people with addiction.

Why It Matters

Alcohol misuse is a big problem in India, with over 10% of adults experiencing alcohol use disorder. Being able to identify who is at risk could lead to better treatment strategies and save lives.

Key Facts

• Researchers studied mice that were given voluntary access to alcohol for a long time and then forced to stop drinking.
• Some mice developed a strong desire to drink again, even when the alcohol was very bitter.
• The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a brain region involved in anxiety and depression, and it was active in mice that wanted to drink again.
• The study suggests that BNST activity may be a way to identify people at risk of relapsing when they try to drink again.
• Alcohol misuse affects over 10% of adults in India, with serious health consequences.

Key Terms

BNST

Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, a brain region involved in anxiety and depression

Implications

Alcohol misuse is a big problem in India, with over 10% of adults experiencing alcohol use disorder. Being able to identify who is at risk could lead to better treatment strategies and save lives.