SEROTONINS ROLE IN ALCOHOLS EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN

Serotonin is an important brain chemical that acts as a neurotransmitt er to communicate information among nerve cells. Serotonin's actions h ave been linked to alcohol's effects on the brain and to alcohol abuse , Alcoholics and experimental animals that consume large quantities of alcohol show evidence of differences in brain serotonin levels compar ed with nonalcoholics, Both short-and long-ft rm alcohol exposure also affect the serotonin receptors that convert the chemical signal produ ced by serotonin into functional changes in the signal-receiving cell. Drugs that act on these receptors alter alcohol consumption in both h umans and animals. Serotonin, along with other neurotransmitters, also may contribute to alcohol's intoxicating and rewarding effects, and a bnormalities in the brain's serotonin system appear to play an importa nt role in the brain processes underlying alcohol abuse.