Adolescent binge drinking permanently alters adult brain sensitivity to alcohol

Adolescent binge drinking permanently alters adult brain sensitivity to alcohol

Heavy drinking during adolescence may leave the adult brain unusually sensitive to alcohol, according to a study published in Molecular Psychiatry. Experiments in male mice found that binge-like drinking during adolescence permanently changed how alcohol affected hippocampal nerve cells, although the altered response was reduced by the medication baclofen. Adolescence is a period of rapid brain development. Systems involved in seeking rewards be…