Ethanol is a chemically simple compound that produces many well-known effects in
humans. The prevailing idea for many years was that ethanol and other alcohols exerted …

Abstract The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the global adult
population smokes. Because tobacco use is on the rise in developing countries, death …

Background Ligand-gated ion channels are considered to be potential general anesthetic
targets. Although most general anesthetics potentiate the function of gamma-aminobutyric …

Alcohol acts on numerous cellular and molecular targets to regulate neuronal
communication within the brain. Chronic alcohol exposure and acute withdrawal generate …

Alcohol dependence is a disease that impacts millions of individuals worldwide. There has
been some progress with pharmacotherapy for alcohol-dependent individuals; however …

The molecular mechanisms of general anaesthetics have remained largely obscure since
their introduction into clinical practice just over 150 years ago. This review describes the …

Widely expressed in the brain, the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is
proposed to play a major role in the mechanisms that lead to and maintain nicotine …

Ethanol (EtOH) has effects on numerous cellular molecular targets, and alterations in
synaptic function are prominent among these effects. Acute exposure to EtOH activates or …

Currently, 8.5% of the US population meets criteria for alcohol use disorders, with a total cost
to the US economy estimated at $234 billion per year. Alcohol and tobacco use share a high …

Ethanol shares with all major dependence producing drugs the ability to activate brain
mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurons, an important part of the brain reward systems. This …