Unveiling the Social Side of Alcohol: A UT Health Science Center Researcher's Revolutionary Approach
The world of addiction science is about to get a lot more fascinating, thanks to the groundbreaking work of Brendan Tunstall, PhD. Dr. Tunstall, an assistant professor of Pharmacology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, is on a mission to revolutionize our understanding of alcohol use disorder by focusing on the often-overlooked aspect of social influence.
In a recent interview, Dr. Tunstall highlighted a critical gap in our knowledge: "Despite our extensive research on the pharmacology and neurobiology of alcohol use disorder, we've historically neglected the powerful impact of social interactions on human behavior."
With a $2.4 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Dr. Tunstall is leading an ambitious project to explore the intricate relationship between social context and alcohol use. His research, titled "Dissecting the Neurobiological Basis of Social Control over Alcohol Self-Administration," delves into the deceptively simple yet profound fact that most alcohol consumption occurs in social settings.
The social context's influence on alcohol use is a complex matter, as it can both encourage and discourage drinking, depending on the situation. For instance, binge-drinking among young people is often driven by the pleasure of the experience and facilitated by peer interactions, such as peer pressure or drinking games. Conversely, for individuals with a long history of heavy drinking, alcohol use may be primarily motivated by stress relief, and social isolation could indicate a worsening of the disorder. Interestingly, continuing to drink despite the negative impact on personal relationships is a key symptom of Alcohol Use Disorder.
Dr. Tunstall's research takes a unique approach by developing a rodent model that allows for the study of alcohol use in both social and solitary environments, systematically manipulating the social factor. Utilizing advanced techniques like pharmacology, neurohistochemistry, optogenetics, and CRISPR-Cas9 gene knockdown, his team aims to identify the distinct brain circuits associated with alcohol-seeking behavior in social settings, understand how alcohol dependence alters these circuits, and explore the role of the brain's oxytocin system in regulating these processes. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide crucial for social bonding in humans and rodents, is a key focus.
Dr. Tunstall's ultimate goal is to transform the way scientists approach and treat alcohol use disorder. He believes that by understanding the interplay between social connections and alcohol use in the brain, we can develop innovative strategies to manage problem drinking. He emphasizes the importance of utilizing all available tools to effectively support recovery, stating, "I hope this research can inform better pharmacological and social approaches to supporting recovery."
This groundbreaking research not only promises to fill a significant research gap but also has the potential to redefine the way we tackle alcohol use disorder, offering new hope for those struggling with alcohol-related issues.
