Ethanol's Action Mechanisms in the Brain: From Lipid General Alterations to Specific Protein Receptor Binding

Abstract

Ethanol is the most popular addictive substance used in the word. Its small and relatively simple structure facilitates its access to brain tissues and binding to many sites. This relatively unspecific action can partially explain the myriad of effects and also the dose-dependent actions of this drug. This chapter highlights ethanol action mechanisms from the early classical studies, showing ethanol effects on lipid neuronal membranes, to recent studies, showing specific binding to many protein receptor targets.