MELBOURNE, Nov 3: Scientists have identified a drug that may ‘switch off’ the urge of binge drinking in adolescents.
Researchers from University of Adelaide in Australia were able to prevent some of the detrimental behaviours like binge drinking observed in adulthood, by giving mice a drug that blocks a specific response from the immune system in the brain.
They used a drug called Naltrexone known to block the immune receptor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). “During the teen years, the brain is still in a relatively immature state. Binge drinking worsens this situation, as alcohol undermines the normal developmental processes that affect how our brain matures,” said Jon Jacobsen, from the University of Adelaide. (PTI)
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