Cancer-Treating Drugs May Help Reduce Alcoholism-Related Anxiety

Newswise — Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modifying gene expression – by alcohol, for example – rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. Recent evidence suggests that alcohol can inhibit activity of an enzyme called histone deacetylase (HDAC) in the amygdala, a brain region that is crucial for storing memories and regulating fear, anxiety, and other emotions. This presentation will address histone modifications in the rodent amygdala during chronic alcohol exposure and withdrawal.

“Current trends in the neuroscience field, particularly in alcohol research, indicate that drugs which are used to treat various types of cancer, such as HDAC inhibitors, appear to be very important in regulating brain function,” said Subhash C. Pandey, Ph.D., professor and director of the Alcohol Research Center at the University of Illinois Chicago.