Immune protein may drive alcoholism relapse (IMAGE)

Scripps Research Institute

Immune protein may drive alcoholism relapse

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Scripps Research scientists find the immune protein CSF1 may contribute to anxiety during alcohol withdrawal. Some nuclei (blue) have the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 crhr1 gene (red), as well as the glutamate transporter gene slc17a7 (green), but not the glutamate decarboxylase gene gad2 (yellow), suggesting that they predominantly comprise an excitatory population in the medial prefrontal cortex. Alcohol withdrawal results in increased CSF1 in these neurons, mimicking synaptic changes in glutamate transmission seen following alcohol withdrawal, and leading to heightened anxiety.

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Scripps Research

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