Sex-Specific Brain Responses to Alcohol Craving

Summary: A new study utilizes fMRI scans to examine how men and women with alcohol use disorder respond differently to stress and alcohol-related cues. The study found that while alcohol cues triggered stronger cravings in men, stress cues had a similar impact on women, suggesting the need for sex-specific treatment strategies.

Brain function analysis showed distinct patterns between the sexes in areas linked to emotion, reward, and impulse control. These findings could inform targeted therapeutic approaches, potentially improving treatment outcomes for alcohol use disorder.

The brain circuits that underlie alcohol craving and heavy drinking share some similarities between men and women, but also some key differences, a new Yale study reveals.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Yale researchers have observed that after viewing stress- or alcohol-related images (as opposed to “neutral” images), the brains of men and women with alcohol use disorder responded differently.

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