TLDR Stopping alcohol after long-term use causes anxiety and changes brain chemicals.
The study investigated the effects of ethanol consumption and discontinuation on neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Y1 receptor (Y1R) expression in the amygdala of Y1R/LacZ transgenic mice. It was found that ethanol discontinuation after 4 weeks of consumption led to anxiety-like behavior and decreased NPY immunoreactivity, while increasing Y1R gene expression in the amygdala. Chronic ethanol intake increased the concentration of the neuroactive steroid 3α,5α-TH PROG, which returned to normal levels 48 hours after stopping ethanol. The 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride prevented these changes, suggesting that 3α,5α-TH PROG played a crucial role in modulating NPY-Y1R signaling during ethanol withdrawal.
25 citations
,
July 2006 in “Journal of Neurochemistry” Progesterone affects GABAA receptor function by altering δ subunit levels.
60 citations
,
May 2006 in “Journal of Neurochemistry” Social isolation makes rats more sensitive to alcohol's effects on the brain.
21 citations
,
June 2005 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” Finasteride reduces alcohol withdrawal severity and anxiety in mice, but may increase withdrawal severity in some cases.
83 citations
,
January 2004 in “Pharmacology & Therapeutics” Adjusting neurosteroid levels may help reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
12 citations
,
September 2002 in “Journal of Neurochemistry” Pregnancy-related hormone changes affect Y1 receptor gene expression in mice.
98 citations
,
April 1997 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Finasteride effectively blocks rat enzymes, but with varying methods and strength.
11 citations
,
November 2014 in “Behavior Genetics” 22 citations
,
April 2004 in “Journal of Neurochemistry” Acute stress increases Y1 receptor gene expression in certain brain areas, but repeated stress does not.
12 citations
,
September 2002 in “Journal of Neurochemistry” Pregnancy-related hormone changes affect Y1 receptor gene expression in mice.
October 2022 in “Frontiers in Endocrinology” New tools show that in fish, NPY increases feeding and somatostatin decreases it.
38 citations
,
November 2005 in “Epilepsia” Levetiracetam is widely used and generally well-tolerated for treating idiopathic generalized epilepsies, with tiredness as the main side effect.
