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mem statements to Lusa, Renato Socodota, a researcher at i3S, explained today that the study, published in the scientific journal Science Signaling and which was in development about five years ago, aimed to “understand the role neurotoxic do alcohol and the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved “.
For this, the multidisciplinary team of researchers from i3S used experimental models, namely “male mice” and induced a pattern of “repetitive intake of alcohol“for 10 days.
“If we were to translate for a healthy adult man, it would correspond to five drinks a day, and for a woman the equivalent of three to four drinks,” Renato explained. Socodota, first author of the article.
Through these methodologies, the researchers of the group ‘Glial Cell Biology ‘showed that the repetitive and excessive intake of alcohol Act directly in microglia (immune cells of the central nervous system), causing them to respond “much earlier than neurons” to the effects of alcohol.
“HE alcohol active these cells and eliminate synapses [elementos de comunicação entre os neurónios], which contributes to neuronal and possibly behavioral dysfunction that leads to addiction, “explained the researcher, adding that these results are” completely new and unexpected. “
According to Renato Socodota, such conclusions show the need for the immune part of the central nervous system to be “considered a key element”.
Along with the paper neurotoxic do alcohol, i3S ‘Addiction Biology’ research team, led by researcher Teresa Summavielle studied “the role of microglia in the brain under the influence of alcohol“.
“The fact that we neglected other brain cells for a long time, considering them supportive, contributed to the fact that many of the therapies that we have for brain-related diseases were not as efficient as they could be,” said the researcher.
Based on the same experimental model, the research group concluded that the pattern of “repetitive intake of alcohol“For 10 days it was” enough to increase anxiety levels. “
“Any change in synapses reflectsbehavior, and this is relevant because it shows that there is no need for very long periods of excessive amounts of alcohol so that anxiety is manifested, “he said.
In this study, the research group also showed that it is “possible to reverse the effect of alcohol“namely, through drugs already used to fight cancer.
“We use drugs that were already approved to try to lessen the toxic effects of alcohol and it worked, “said Teresa Summavielle, adding that the group intends to continue the study.
“We would like to use a longer exposure model to see how the profile of reactivity gives microglia it changes, as it does reflects in the connection between microglia and other cells, the impact this has on behavior and up to what period of intake of alcohol we were able to prevent the effects, ”he said.
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