Acute ethanol decreases NPY mRNA but not POMC mRNA in the arcuate nucleus

The acute effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on neuropeptide mRNA expression in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) was assessed. Acetaldehyde was increased in blood following ethanol with cyanamide (a potent inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase) administration. Acetaldehyde is a toxin which can cause a variety of adverse effects following ethanol ingestion in some Oriental people with a genetic lower activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA levels in ARC were significantly decreased in response to ethanol in the presence or absence of cyanamide compared to control. In contrast, proopiomelanocortin mRNA in ARC was not changed. These novel findings suggest that ethanol suppresses NPY gene expression in ARC and may play a role in ethanol-induced changes in neuronal function.