Brain Chemical Changes Impact Women’s Alcohol Taste Perception and Drinking Patterns
Scientists have found that a brain chemical causes alcohol to have a bitter taste for women, potentially shedding light on the gender-based variations in alcohol consumption patterns. This finding might open up new avenues for developing innovative interventions to assist women in reducing their alcohol intake.
On a global scale, alcohol consumption is linked to approximately 3 million fatalities each year. Although earlier research has acknowledged variations in alcohol abuse and addiction between males and females, recent studies indicate that, within the past two decades, there has been a rise in hazardous drinking practices among women, including binge drinking.
The Multifaceted Role of Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript (CART) at the Molecular Level
At the molecular level, the neuropeptide known as cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) has been associated with various physiological and pathological processes, including regulating energy balance, influencing conditions like depression, anxiety, and behaviors related to rewards such as alcohol use disorder. Nevertheless, due to challenges in manipulating the CART system, it has received limited attention in research.
Scientists from The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne, Australia, delved into the CART system to elucidate the gender-based variations in alcohol consumption habits, ultimately pinpointing its impact on taste.
“The flavor of alcohol plays a crucial yet often underestimated role in influencing alcohol preference, consumption, and usage,” stated Leigh Walker, the lead author of the study. “We’ve identified a brain chemical that renders alcohol bitter for females unless it’s sweetened.”
Experimental Training and Alcohol Consumption Monitoring in CART-Deactivated Mice
Both male and female mice, including those with the CART gene deactivated, underwent training to consume substantial amounts of alcohol (ethanol). Subsequently, they were provided continuous access to bottles containing ethanol and water for a duration of 10 weeks, with their daily intake carefully monitored. To ascertain the impact of taste on alcohol consumption in female mice, ethanol bottles were supplemented with sucrose.
“Alcohol inherently possesses a bitter taste,” explained Walker. “When we suppressed CART in male mice, their alcohol consumption increased. Conversely, when we eliminated the same brain chemical in female mice, they drank less. However, when alcohol was sweetened, female mice consumed more. This underscores that, in the absence of CART, alcohol is unappetizing to females.”
Brain Region Role: CeA CART Influence on Alcohol Intake in the Absence of Sex Hormone Influence
The researchers determined that the disparities they observed were not attributed to the levels of sex hormones circulating in the body but were linked to a specific region of the brain where CART plays a role in regulating alcohol consumption, namely the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). In mice with neutralized CeA CART, female mice consumed less unaltered alcohol but increased their consumption of sweetened alcohol.
Their study has unveiled a fresh mechanism through which CART influences alcohol intake, particularly in female mice, by modifying their sensitivity to bitter taste. This breakthrough may pave the way for the development of treatments aimed at assisting women in reducing binge drinking and other unhealthy drinking behaviors.
Leigh Walker commented, “If we can devise strategies in the future to target the CART neuropeptide system, we may have the potential to create interventions to help women curtail excessive alcohol consumption. Moreover, understanding the distinctions between male and female brains could offer unprecedented opportunities for treating various brain disorders in women, including alcohol use disorders.”
Read the original article on: New atlas.
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