American scientists have found neurons in the brain that suppress binge drinking. If the research is further advanced, it is expected to lead to the development of treatments for alcohol dependence.
A research team led by Professor Gilles E. Martin at Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts noted on the 12th in the international journal "Nature Neuroscience" that they have identified about 500 of the 100 billion neurons in the brain that play a role in inhibiting binge drinking and alcohol consumption.
Professor Martin stated, "This means that we have begun to understand how a very small number of neurons are involved in specific behaviors," adding that it was "like finding a needle in a haystack."
Alcohol addiction and binge drinking are serious health issues. Millions of people die each year, directly or indirectly, related to alcohol, and there are over 200 diseases associated with alcohol addiction and binge drinking. Recently, specific areas of the brain, such as the frontal lobe, have been found to play a role in suppressing excessive alcohol intake, but the exact neurons in the brain involved in drinking behavior are still not clearly identified.
The research team identified and regulated a small group of neurons that respond to binge drinking through optogenetics experiments on mice. Optogenetics is a method that modifies genes so that specific neurons activate in response to light signals. When the neurons operated in response to alcohol, they emitted fluorescence. They also observed behavioral changes by activating or deactivating specific neurons with light.
While the research team found about 500 neurons that inhibit binge drinking, they expect that ultimately a smaller number of neurons will play a key role. The researchers believe that there are likely only about 20 to 30 neurons that actually suppress binge drinking.
Professor Martin said, "The malfunction of brain areas closely involved in suppressing binge drinking appears to be related to alcohol dependence," noting, "If we can reactivate this, it could be a potential target for alcohol dependence treatment."
References
Nature Neuroscience (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-01970-x