UNDATED -- Researchers are getting a better understanding of how alcohol affects the brain, and their work may one day develop a pill that helps people with alcohol problems stay sober.
The new research from the University of Adelaide in Australia is published in the British Journal of Pharmacology.
Researchers found the tipsy behavior induced by alcohol can be traced to the brain's immune system. In their lab experiments with mice, they tested drugs that blocked parts of the immune system where alcohol can trigger changes in behavior, such as balance and coordination.
The team found lab mice that were given a shot of alcohol did not have the usual tipsiness when given receptor-blocking drugs.
Lead researcher Dr. Mark Hutchinson said mice have similar reactions to alcohol that humans do, and medicines developed from their research "may prove beneficial in treating alcohol dependence and acute overdoses."
The news release also said the team's research could have "significant implications for identifying individuals who may have bad outcomes after consuming alcohol, and it could lead to a way of detecting people who are at greater risk of developing brain damage after long-term drinking."
News10/KXTV