Sex Differences in the Brain Transcriptome Related to Alcohol Effects and Alcohol Use Disorder.

ABSTRACT: There is compelling evidence that sex and gender have crucial roles in excessive alcohol (ethanol) consumption. Here, we review some of the data from the perspective of brain transcriptional differences between males and females, focusing on rodent animal models. A key emerging transcriptional feature is the role of neuroimmune processes. Microglia are the resident neuroimmune cells in the brain and exhibit substantial functional differences between males and females. Selective breeding for binge ethanol consumption and the impacts of chronic ethanol consumption and withdrawal from chronic ethanol exposure all demonstrate sex-dependent neuroimmune signatures. A focus is on resolving sex-dependent differences in transcriptional responses to ethanol at the neurocircuitry level. Sex-dependent

SUBMITTER: Hitzemann R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8558111 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature