Researchers at UNC have identified a circuit between two regions of the brain that controls binge drinking of alcohol.

“The puzzle is starting to come together, and is telling us more than we ever knew about before,” said Todd Thiele, who led the study.

The two brain areas, the extended amygdala and the ventral tegmental area, have been implicated in alcohol binge drinking in the past, but this is the first time they have been identified as a functional circuit.

The neutrons that connect the two areas create a substance called the corticotropin releasing factor

“We now know that two brain regions that modulate stress and reward are part of a functional circuit that controls binge drinking and adds to the idea that manipulating the CRF system is an avenue for treating it,” he said.

Thiele and his colleagues showed that when a person drinks, they activate the neurons in the CRF system becoem active in the extended amygdala and act on the ventral tegmental area.

This interaction promotes sustained drinking that becomes a binge.

“It’s very important that we continue to try to identify alternative targets for treating alcohol use disorders,” Thiele said. “If you can stop somebody from binge drinking, you might prevent them from ultimately becoming alcoholics. We know that people who binge drink, especially in their teenage years, are much more likely to become alcoholic-dependent later in life.”

Related Stories
‹
UNC's Drake Powell Headed to Brooklyn Nets in 2025 NBA Draft
Drake Powell is league-bound. The former Tar Heel standout, who spent his lone college season with UNC, was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft Wednesday night. However, due to a three-team trade between the Hawks, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, Powell will be headed to Brooklyn. THE […]
UNC Basketball Legend Phil Ford Inducted into Order of the Long Leaf Pine
UNC men’s basketball legend Phil Ford was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Wednesday, honoring his contributions to the state of North Carolina. Ford was one of nine North Carolinians to receive the honor from Governor Josh Stein. “I am proud to honor this group of outstanding North Carolinians who have made […]
Chansky's Notebook: Money Answers
Art Chansky summarizes Bubba Cunningham's statement on the House settlement and its effects on UNC athletics.
Dean Stoyer Named New UNC Vice Chancellor for Communications
Dean Stoyer was named the next vice chancellor for communications at UNC Monday afternoon. Stoyer comes to Chapel Hill after stints with Nike, Under Armour and in the NBA. In its release announcing its pick, the university said Stoyer’s first day will be June 30. “At Carolina, we want every North Carolinian to feel connected […]
'No Response': UNC's AAUP President on Lack of Transparency from Trustees on Tenure Delay
After an unexplained delay in the tenure approval for 33 faculty this spring, UNC professors are saying the trustees have lost their trust.
'A Significant Evolution': UNC Athletic Director Details New Revenue Sharing, Scholarship Plans
UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham shared an open letter to Tar Heel fans and students Monday morning, addressing this month’s House v. NCAA settlement and its effects on the collegiate landscape. The settlement, which was approved by U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken on June 6, requires schools to share up to $20.5 million in revenue with […]
Chansky's Notebook: One and Dones
Tony Bradley is one of several Tar Heels who left college after their freshman year, when staying might have benefited both them and UNC.
UNC's Lineberger Cancer Center Awarded $28 Million for New Clinical Trial
The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has been awarded $28 million by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The money will be used to develop a new clinical trial for breast cancer which has spread to other part of the body. The trial, “Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium Evolutionary Clinical Trial for Novel […]
Report: Russian Prospect Elizaveta Astakhova Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
According to a report from On3’s Talia Goodman, Elizaveta Astakhova, a six-foot-one wing who spent the 2024-25 basketball season playing professionally in Russia, committed to head coach Courtney Banghart and UNC Tuesday afternoon. NEWS: Russian 2025 prospect Elizaveta Astakhova has committed to North Carolina, her agents Tequan Dean and Alex Karavanen told @On3sports. The 6-1 […]
3 UNC Athletes Finish as National Runners-Up at NCAA Track & Field Championships
Three different Tar Heels – shot putter Tommy Kitchell and runners Makayla Paige and Ethan Strand – finished as the national runners-up in their respective events at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Oregon last week. Kitchell, competing in his last collegiate event, achieved a new personal best and a school record with […]
›