Use of Deep Brain Stimulation Offers Promise For Surgical Treatments

Researchers revealed that deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the form of high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) in alcoholic rats consistently reduced alcohol consumption in the animals.

And that the AcbSh could be a target in the future for surgical intervention of addiction. The researchers revealed it during the 81st American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting

Researchers used alcohol-preferring (P) rats as an animal model for alcoholism, with the study assessing whether HFS of the AcbSh in P rats would affect their alcohol consumption. For the study, rats underwent 10 weeks of daily one-hour access to EtOH to establish alcoholism.

Source: Newswise