British scientists from the University of Cambridge examined the effect of chronic alcohol consumption on brain structures. They concluded that alcoholism severely damages certain brain networks, rendering some existing treatments for alcohol addiction ineffective. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Psychological Medicine (PsyMed).
The team used a type of transcranial magnetic stimulation called CPAS to increase the brain’s ability to resist cravings.
The essence of CPAS is the effect of paired magnetic pulses on certain areas of the cerebral cortex to strengthen nerve connections. This type of stimulation allows you to restore or improve the conductivity of neural networks responsible for various processes, including the control of our impulses.
55 people participated in the study, 20 of whom were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder. All volunteers were exposed to magnetic stimulation. It turned out that in healthy people, CPAS effectively suppresses various impulses, shortening the inhibition reaction time. However, the same method did not work in patients with alcohol addiction.
“The lack of improvement suggests that chronic alcohol use may alter the brain’s response to neuromodulation interventions such as CPAS, possibly due to neuroadaptive changes caused by long-term alcohol exposure. The researchers suggest that these changes may affect the brain’s neuroplasticity mechanisms, making it less sensitive to the beneficial effects of magnetic stimulation on brain control.” he stated.
Previously neuroscientists to create A new way to treat alcoholism in people who have experienced trauma.