| Popis: |
Alcoholism is a serious public health concern that affects millions worldwide with widespread socioeconomic consequences. Clinically, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is referred to as a multifactorial chronic relapsing condition. One of the primary mechanisms causing AUD lies in alcohol's long-lasting effects on the expression of genes involved in synaptic plasticity and neuroadaptation leading to incessant behavioral changes throughout life. During the last decade, epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone posttranslational modifications, DNA methylation and noncoding RNA-mediated gene expression, have received reasonable attention in the neurobiology of alcoholism which could possibly address some of the unanswered questions as to how alcohol might be affecting neuronal functions in the brain. These studies show that chromatin remodeling sculpted by various epigenetic factors in different parts of the brain that control both positive and negative affective states of alcoholism is implicated in initiation and maintenance of alcohol abuse. Although stable, the reversible nature of epigenetic modifications attracts special attention for its emerging potential in therapeutic development. Herein, we give an overview of the studies on neuroepigenetic pathways that might act as a cause or consequence in the process of alcohol addiction and comorbid behaviors, and discuss the findings from a therapeutic and diagnostic standpoint. |
