A molecular mechanism for choosing alcohol over an alternative reward

Abstract

Finding the vulnerable minority “Only” about 10 to 15% of people exposed to alcohol develop alcohol-related problems. The behavioral repertoire of people confronted with opportunities to consume alcohol involves numerous choices between this drug reward and healthy alternatives. Augier et al. established a choice procedure that begins to address alcohol addiction in rats (see the Perspective by Spanagel). They found that a minority of outbred rats continued to self-administer alcohol even when a high-value alternative (such as sugar) was available. That minority displayed a remarkable constellation of behavioral traits resembling the human clinical condition, including a high motivation to obtain alcohol and continued use despite adverse consequences. The cause was impaired GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) clearance in the central amygdala. Postmortem tissue analysis supported the possibility of a similar pathology in human alcoholism. Science , this issue p. 1321 ; see also p. 1298