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Updated: May 19, 2026

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
Published on: February 6, 2019
Neurochemical and neurostructural plasticity in alcoholism
Justin T Gass1, M Foster Olive
1Center for Drug and Alcohol Programs, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
Abstract:
The behavioral manifestations of alcoholism are primarily attributable to the numerous and lasting adaptations that occur in the brain as a result of chronic heavy alcohol consumption. As will be reviewed here, these adaptations include alcohol-induced plasticity in chemical neurotransmission, density and morphology of dendritic spines, as well as neurodegeneration and cerebral atrophy. Within the context of these neuroadaptations that have been observed in both human and animal studies, we will discuss how these changes potentially contribute to the cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions that are hallmark features of alcoholism, as well as how they reveal novel potential pharmacological targets for the treatment of this disorder.
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