Not everyone who drinks, does so responsibly. In fact, experts have found that as many as 30% of adults in the US engage in consuming large quantities of alcohol when they do drink, otherwise referred to as binge drinking. In a study published online on February 28, 2011 and also in the recent issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of Maryland have studied the problem of binge drinking. Their results may help to uncover not only the gene responsible for binge drinking, but how to eventually treat it.
Binge Drinking Not the Same as Alcoholism
While categorized differently than true alcoholism, binge drinking is none-the-less still a significant societal problem. Alcoholism is defined as "physical dependence on alcohol to the extent that stopping alcohol use will bring on withdrawal symptoms."
In contrast, binge drinking is defined as "the dangerous practice of consuming large quantities of alcoholic beverages in a single session." Binge drinking is a behavior that is especially prevalent among college students today. While perhaps not as pervasive as alcoholism, experts note that as many as 75,000 people die each year from complications associated with binge drinking, most notably alcohol poisoning.
University of Maryland Research on Binge Drinking
Researchers at the University of Maryland in College Park decided to see if there was a gene that affected the behavior of binge drinking. Using rodents, scientists specifically examined two receptors in the brain, GABA receptors and a toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4).
Their results showed that when the receptors were manipulated, it caused a dramatic reduction in the number of binge drinking episodes in rodents who were specifically bred and trained to drink excessively.
Study Can Lead to New Treatment for Binge Drinking
Current treatment to reduce binge drinking include prescription drugs that are known to limit cravings such as Campral and Revia. Medication that helps to reduce the withdrawal symptoms from alcohol are benzodiazepines such as Valium and Librium. Though these drugs can help reduce anxiety, they can also lead to addiction.
Researchers from the University of Maryland propose that the results from this new study could lead to developing new compounds that would manipulate the receptors in the same way, thus leading to effective treatments for those with binge drinking behaviors.
Lead researcher, Harry June, PhD explains that "these compounds would act like a substitute for alcohol, much like methadone acts as a substitute for heroin. They would help alcoholics stop drinking, giving them relief from their cravings and from the anxiety that they try to alleviate with drinking." Future research, says June, will center around the role of TLR4 in binge drinking.
Brenda Lane - Brenda Lane is a published author, Lamaze certified childbirth educator, DONA certified birth doula and approved birth doula trainer.
