Alcohol alters prefrontal cortex activity through ion channel disruption

Researchers have long believed that abnormal function in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) region of the brain contributes to the impulsive behavior and lack of control over drinking that characterize alcohol dependence, but how this occurred was unknown. This study used rodents to examine the effects of alcohol on three specific ion channels that control the activity of PFC neurons, finding that N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors are especially sensitive to alcohol disruption.