| Abstract |
One of the most important problems that strikes the human existence worldwide is the alcohol use disorders and the consequent addiction. Alcoholism is considered to be a brain disease. The aim of the present bachelor’s thesis is recognition of alcoholism aspects, the causes that lead a person in heavy-like binge-drinking, as well as the ways in which the brain contributes to the establishment and preservation of dependence.
The symptoms that an alcohol dependent individual develops, in addition to withdrawal syndrome and relapse, which are accompanying characteristics of the dependence, are being presented. Furthermore, predispositions that might be created from inheritable-genetic effects, as well as the influence of surroundings in the presentation of the dependence, are being studied. There are, also, reviewed current evidence for the effect of the alcohol to brain, within research of systems of reward, examining the changes of activation and the structural deteriorations. While, individual study of the function of each neurotransmitter, for its ‘kick’ under the presence of alcohol, mainly in animal studies, has been conducted. Finally, there are being screened some suggested medication for the treatment of alcoholism, which act on specific neurotransmitters.
The present review paper ends up to the conclusion that alcohol dependence is a quite complex disorder, because the alterations that occur within the brain could still persist even after the cessation of drinking, driving to relapse. It is becoming essential the further study of systems of reward and the action of neurotransmitters, not only for the entire understanding for alcoholism, but also for the finding of a more efficient medication agency.
Key-words: addiction, alcoholism, systems of reward, neurotransmitters
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