Investigation: Chronic alcohol metabolism results in DNA repair infidelity and cell cycle-induced senescence in neurons

This peer-reviewed primary article called "Chronic alcohol metabolism results in DNA repair infidelity and cell cycle-induced senescence in neurons", published in a journal called Aging Cell, discusses the effects of chronic alcohol exposure on the brain's neurons. The study aimed to understand how alcohol consumption could affect neuronal function and contribute to neurodegenerative disorders. The researchers used mouse models to examine the long-term effects of chronic alcohol exposure on DNA repair mechanisms and cell cycle regulation in neurons. The study found that chronic alcohol exposure resulted in impaired DNA repair mechanisms, leading to the accumulation of DNA mutations. The accumulation of DNA mutations triggered cell cycle arrest which, in turn, caused senescence in neurons. Senescence is a cellular state in which cells stop dividing and functioning properly, leading to tissue damage and aging. This finding suggests that chronic alcohol consumption may contribute to neurodegenerative disorders by causing senescence in neurons. The study also found that chronic alcohol exposure activated inflammatory pathways in neurons, which further contributed to DNA damage and impaired DNA repair mechanisms. The activation of inflammatory pathways suggests that chronic alcohol consumption may cause brain inflammation, which can also contribute to neurodegenerative disorders. Overall, the study highlights the long-term effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the brain's neurons. One of the long-term effects that were mentioned included DNA repair infidelity, which can result in genomic instability and cell death, potentially contributing to the development of age-related neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The findings suggest that alcohol-induced DNA damage and impaired DNA repair mechanisms can trigger cell cycle arrest and senescence in neurons, which can, in fact, contribute to neurodegenerative disorders. The authors of this study suggest that limiting alcohol consumption may help maintain neuronal health and prevent potential neurodegenerative disorders from developing in the near or far future.

Source evaluation: This article is from a peer-reviewed journal that was published by Jacquelyne Ka-Li Sun, Deng Wu, Genper Chi-Ngai Wong, Tsun-Ming Lau, Meigui Yang, Ronald P. Hart, Kin-Ming Kwan, Ho Yin Edwin Chan, and Hei-Man Chow. This article was published on January 23, 2023

Chronic alcohol metabolism results in DNA repair infidelity and cell cycle-induced senescence in neurons. (n.d.). Aging Cell. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acel.13772