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Australian Researchers Report New Alcoholism Treatment

December 25, 2006

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Alcoholics often find it hard to navigate the holidays and avoid the temptation to imbibe during the seemingly non-stop celebrations. Now, Australian researchers say they may be able to help.

After a series of trials, scientists say they've successfully blocked the pleasant, euphoric alcohol "high" from reaching the orexin section of the brain of laboratory rats.

Without the "buzz," they say, people addicted to alcohol have no interest in drinking.

As a result, researchers say alcohol dependence may soon be treated with medicine. The drugs would be targeted to the area of the brain known as the hypothalamus that has already been implicated in the controlling the desire to over eat.

Addiction to alcohol is a global health issue, said to cause as much, if not more, death and disability tobacco use and some diseases.

The researchers say the development of drugs, to be used in combination with traditional treatments, could significantly reduce the problem.

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