September 29, 2011

expert reaction to research on alcohol-related behaviour changes and the immune system, as published in the British Journal of Pharmacology

Research from the University of Adelaide using mice suggested that immune cells in the brain may contribute to behavioural responses to alcohol.

Prof Sir Ian Gilmore from the Royal Liverpool Hospital and University of Liverpool, said:

“This is interesting basic research in mice that pushes forward our understanding of the possible ways in which alcohol may damage the brain. However we should remember that alcohol damages many organs through a variety of mechanisms and for the foreseeable future prevention of harm strategies should focus on reducing the population’s consumption, which has risen so much over recent decades.”

‘Inhibiting the TLR4-MyD88 signalling cascade by genetic orpharmacologic strategies reduces acute alcohol dose-induced sedation and motor impairment in mice’, Yue Wu et al., published in the British Journal of Pharmacology on Thursday 29th September 2011.