Ethanol is one of the most commonly abused drugs. Although environmental and genetic factors contribute to the etiology of alcohol use disorders, it is ethanol's actions in the brain that explain (1) acute ethanol-related behavioral changes, such as stimulant followed by depressant effects, and (2) chronic changes in behavior, including escalated use, tolerance, compulsive seeking, and dependence. Our knowledge of ethanol use and abuse thus relies on understanding its effects on the brain. Scientists have employed both bottom-up and top-down approaches, building from molecular targets to behavioral analyses and vice versa, respectively. This review highlights current progress in the field, focusing on recent and emerging molecular, cellular, and circuit effects of the drug that impact ethanol-related behaviors. The focus of the field is now on pinpointing which molecular effects in specific neurons within a brain region contribute to behavioral changes across the course of acute and chronic ethanol exposure.

中文翻译：

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酒精和大脑：神经元分子靶标，突触和回路。

乙醇是最常滥用的药物之一。尽管环境和遗传因素助长了酒精使用障碍的病因，但乙醇在大脑中的作用可以解释（1）与乙醇有关的急性行为变化，例如兴奋剂后产生的抑郁作用，以及（2）行为的慢性变化，包括逐步使用，宽容，强迫性寻求和依赖性。因此，我们对乙醇使用和滥用的了解依赖于了解其对大脑的影响。科学家们采用了自下而上和自上而下的方法，分别从分子靶标到行为分析，反之亦然。这篇综述重点介绍了该领域的最新进展，重点关注了影响乙醇相关行为的药物的最新和新兴分子，细胞和回路效应。