Preclinical and clinical sex differences in the effects of alcohol on measures of brain dopamine: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Dopamine is involved in reward processing and plays a critical role in the development and progression of alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, little is known about the effect of sex on the relationship between dopamine and alcohol use/AUD. There is a critical need to identify the neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to sex differences in AUD to inform treatment approaches. This study aimed to review existing literature on sex differences in the effects of alcohol on brain dopamine measures in animals and individuals with heavy drinking/AUD.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed was searched from inception to July 23rd, 2024.

Results

Of the 1,412

SUBMITTER: Barrios N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11980350 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature