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- Written by: Karla Kaun, Brown University
Many people are wired to seek and respond to rewards. Your brain interprets food as rewarding when you are hungry and water as rewarding when you are thirsty. But addictive substances like alcohol and drugs of abuse can overwhelm the natural reward pathways in your brain, resulting in intolerable cravings and reduced impulse control.
A popular misconception is that addiction is a result of low willpower. But an explosion of knowledge and technology in the field of molecular genetics has changed our basic understanding of addiction drastically over the past decade. The general consensus among scientists and health care professionals is that there is a strong neurobiological and genetic basis for addiction.
As a behavioral neurogeneticist leading a team investigating the molecular mechanisms of addiction, I combine neuroscience with genetics to understand how alcohol and drugs influence the brain. In the past decade, I have seen changes in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of addiction, largely due to a better understanding of how genes are dynamically regulated in the brain. New ways of thinking about how addictions form have the potential to change how we approach treatment.
Alcohol and drugs affect brain gene activity
Each of your brain cells has your genetic code stored in long strands of DNA. For all that DNA to fit into a cell, it needs to be packed tightly. This is achieved by winding the DNA around “spools” of protein called histones. Areas where DNA is unwound contain active genes coding for proteins that serve important functions within the cell.
When gene activity changes, the proteins your cells produce also change. Such changes can range from a single neuronal connection in your brain to how you behave. This genetic choreography suggests that while your genes affect how your brain develops, which genes are turned on or off when you are learning new things is dynamic and adapts to suit your daily needs.
Recent data from animal models suggests that alcohol and drugs of abuse directly influence changes in gene expression in areas of the brain that help drive memory and reward responses.
There are many ways addictive substances can change gene expression. They can alter which proteins bind to DNA to turn genes on and off and which segments of DNA are unwound. They can change the process of how DNA is read and translated into proteins, as well as alter the proteins that determine how cells use energy to function.
For example, alcohol can cause an alternative form of a gene to be expressed in the memory circuits in flies and people, resulting in changes in dopamine receptors and transcription factors involved in reward signaling and neuronal function. Similarly, cocaine can cause an alternative form of a gene to be expressed in the reward centers of mice, leading them to seek out more cocaine.
Exactly how these drugs cause changes in gene regulation is unknown. However, a direct link between alcohol consumption and changes in gene expression in mice provides a clue. A byproduct of alcohol being broken down in the liver called acetate can cross the blood-brain barrier and unwind DNA from histones in mouse memory circuits.
Alcohol, nicotine, cocaine and opioids also all activate important signaling pathways that are central regulators of metabolism. This suggests they can also affect many aspects of neuronal function and consequently affect which genes are expressed.
Changing brain gene activity with lifestyle
How addictive substances change cell function is complex. The version of a gene you’re born with can be modified in many ways before it becomes a functional protein, including exposure to alcohol and drugs. Rather than discouraging researchers, this complexity is empowering because it provides evidence that changes to gene expression in your brain aren’t permanent. They can also be altered by medications and lifestyle choices.
Many commonly prescribed medications for mental health disorders also affect gene expression. Antidepressants and mood stabilizers can change how DNA is modified and which genes are expressed. For example, a commonly prescribed drug for depression called escitalopram affects how tightly wound DNA is and can change the expression of genes important to brain plasticity.
Additionally, mRNA-based therapies can specifically change which genes are expressed to treat diseases like cancer. In the future, we may discover similar therapies for alcohol and substance use disorder. These treatments could potentially target important signaling pathways linked to addiction, altering how brain circuits function and how alcohol and drugs affect them.
Lifestyle choices can also affect gene expression in your brain, though researchers don’t yet know whether they can alter the changes induced by addictive substances.
Like alcohol and drugs, dietary changes can affect gene expression in many ways. In flies, a high sugar diet can reprogram the ability to taste sweetness by tapping into a gene expression network involved in development.
Intensive meditation, even after only one day, can also affect gene regulation in your brain through similar mechanisms. Attending a monthlong meditation retreat reduces the expression of genes that affect inflammation, and experienced meditators can reduce inflammatory genes after just one day of intensive meditation.
Work in animal models has also shown that exercise changes gene expression by altering both histones and the molecular tags directly attached to DNA. This increases the activity of genes important to the activity and plasticity of neurons, supporting the idea that exercise improves learning and memory and can decrease the risk of dementia.
From Dry January and beyond, many factors can have profound effects on your brain biology. Taking steps to reduce consumption of alcohol and drugs and picking up healthy lifestyle practices can help stabilize and bring long-lasting benefits for your physical and mental health.
Karla Kaun, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Brown University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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- Written by: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
It’s official: 2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record, according to an analysis by scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, or NCEI.
Along with the historic heat, Antarctic sea ice coverage dropped to a record low in 2023.
“After seeing the 2023 climate analysis, I have to pause and say that the findings are astounding,” said NOAA Chief Scientist Dr. Sarah Kapnick. “Not only was 2023 the warmest year in NOAA’s 174-year climate record — it was the warmest by far. A warming planet means we need to be prepared for the impacts of climate change that are happening here and now, like extreme weather events that become both more frequent and severe.
"We will continue to see records broken and extreme events grow until emissions go to zero,” Kapnick said. “Government policy can address both emissions, but also actions to reduce climate impacts by building resilience."
Earth’s average land and ocean surface temperature in 2023 was 2.12 degrees F (1.18 degrees C) above the 20th century — the highest global temperature among all years in NOAA’s 1850-2023 climate record. It also beats the next warmest year, 2016, by a record-setting margin of 0.27 of a degree F (0.15 of a degree C).
The 10 warmest years since 1850 have all occurred in the past decade. In fact, the average global temperature for 2023 exceeded the pre-industrial (1850–1900) average by 2.43 degrees F (1.35 degrees C).
Looking ahead, there is a one-in-three chance that 2024 will be warmer than 2023, and a 99% chance that 2024 will rank among the top five warmest years.
2023 as ranked by other scientific organizations
Other scientific organizations, including NASA, the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the UK Met Office have conducted separate but similar analyses that also rank 2023 as the warmest year on record.
Other notable climate findings and events
• Global ocean heat content set a new record high: The 2023 upper ocean heat content, which addresses the amount of heat stored in the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean, was the highest on record. Ocean heat content is a key climate indicator because the ocean stores 90% of the excess heat in the Earth system. The indicator has been tracked globally since 1958, and there has been a steady upward trend since approximately 1970. The five highest values have all occurred in the last five years.
• Polar sea ice was scant: The 2023 annual Antarctic sea ice extent (coverage) averaged 3.79 million square miles in 2023, the lowest on record. The maximum extent in September was 6.55 million square miles, which was the lowest by a record margin. The minimum extent in February was 690,000 square miles, which set a record low for the second consecutive year. Arctic sea ice coverage averaged 4.05 million square miles in 2023, ranking among the 10 lowest years on record. The maximum extent in March was 5.64 million square miles, which ranked fifth lowest, while the minimum extent in September was 1.63 million square miles, which ranked sixth lowest.
• December 2023 set records: Global surface temperature in December 2023 was 2.57 degrees F (1.43 degrees C) above the 20th-century average — the warmest December on record. For the ninth consecutive month, the global ocean surface temperature was also record warm. Looking regionally, North America and South America both had their warmest December on record.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
This highly anticipated event, open to participants of all ages, promises an enchanting evening dedicated to fostering and celebrating the cherished bonds between generations.
This year's dance will be adorned with the theme of love, friendship and hearts — Valentine's.
Attendees can expect a night filled with music, laughter, and memories as they revel in the joy of new and long standing connections.
The event proudly features dozens of prizes generously donated by local businesses, with Lake’s Limos and Tutti Frutti sponsoring a spectacular limo ride and frozen yogurt adventure for one lucky guest and eight of their friends.
The event will be held at Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, 5340 Third St.
On the evening of Feb. 17, there will be two dances. The first dance will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the second dance scheduled for 8 to 10 p.m.
Tickets cost $30 for one adult and one child. Additional tickets for children or adults available for purchase.
The ticket price includes a carnation flower for each child, a professional photo shoot with a souvenir photo, and a lavish box of sweet treats and refreshments.
Purchase your tickets early. Tickets can be purchased at Studebakers Coffee and Deli located in Kelseyville or online through their Facebook page, Kelseyville Father-Daughter Dance or through Eventbrite. Act fast, as tickets sell out every year.
Join them for an unforgettable night of love, laughter and community spirit at the 20th annual Lake County Father-Daughter Dance.
The Father-Daughter Dance team is dedicated to bringing joy to the community and 100% of the proceeds from this event contribute to post-high school scholarships for students in Lake County.
For inquiries or to make a donation, please contact Allison Panella at 707-483-2383.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The proclamation explains that the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, “is one of the most effective tools we have to help lift working families and their children out of poverty. Beyond providing a critical immediate boost in family income to help meet basic needs, research shows that the EITC improves the health and educational outcomes of children in families who receive it.”
It continues, “Here in California, we have not only created our own California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) – which last year provided nearly 3.5 million California filers additional resources to make ends meet and provide for their families – but significantly bolstered the program by promoting more equitable access. California expanded the CalEITC, the Young Child Tax Credit, and the Foster Youth Tax Credit to include immigrant families who file with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN), individuals who file taxes but are ineligible for most federal tax benefits.
“Our state is committed to reaching all the hardworking families eligible for these important supports to help set our kids – California's future – up for success. I encourage all Californians to check if they qualify for the California Earned Income Tax Credit, Young Child Tax Credit, or Foster Youth Tax Credit by visiting ftb.ca.gov/caleitc.”
