Unlocking the Power of Your Brain: Substance and Lifestyle Impacts on Genetic Expression

Whether it’s the comforting sight of your favorite comfort food when you’re hungry or a glass of cool water when you’re thirsty, our brains are expertly wired to seek and respond to rewards. However, this finely tuned system can be seriously overwhelmed when introduced to addictive substances like alcohol or drugs, causing intense cravings and shaking our ability to control our impulses. It’s not all about willpower. In fact, breakthrough strides in molecular genetics have drastically altered our understanding of addiction, bringing to the forefront its strong neurobiological and genetic foundations. But the story doesn’t end with addiction—it blossoms into a wider discussion about brain plasticity, the influence of lifestyle, and the potential to harness these transformative processes for improved well-being.

From Substance to System: How Alcohol and Drugs Influence Our Brain and Behavior

Let’s dive into the world inside our brains: multiple cells containing our unique genetic code neatly packed within DNA strands. This DNA is wound up on protein “spools”—histones—activating the genes in the unwound areas to produce the important proteins that service our cells. When those gene activities change, the proteins involved also change, affecting everything—from a solitary neuronal connection to your overall behavior.

Recent studies using animal models hint at how alcohol and drug abuse can directly alter gene expression in our brain’s memory and reward response areas. These addictive substances can change how proteins bind to DNA, how DNA is read and translated into proteins, and alter the proteins determining how cells use energy.

Creative Chemistry: The Direct Link Between Alcohol and Genetic Expression

While it isn’t thoroughly understood how drugs influence gene regulation, some evidence links alcohol consumption and changes in gene expression in mice. Breaking down alcohol in the liver results in a byproduct named acetate that can cross the blood-brain barrier—this process seemingly unwinds DNA from histones in mouse memory circuits. Interestingly, alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and opioids all activate crucial pathways regulating metabolism, influencing neuronal function and gene expression.

Improving Our Equilibrium: Modifying Brain Gene Activity via Lifestyle

Though the process of addictive substances affects cell function intricately, these changes to gene expression in our brains aren’t set in stone. They can be altered by both medications and lifestyle choices. Several mental health medications can change DNA modification and gene expression—for instance, escitalopram, a drug used for treating depression. Researchers are also looking into mRNA-based therapies that could manipulate gene expression specifically to treat disorders like addiction.

Dietary changes and intensive meditation also demonstrate an ability to impact gene expression. For example, a mere day of intensive meditation can reduce the expression of genes that provoke inflammation. Similarly, a diet high in sugar can noticeably affect a gene expression network involved in taste perception. Another powerful tool for positive genetic expression is exercise—shown to modify gene activity by altering histones and the molecular tags attached directly to DNA. This process boosts the activity of genes crucial to the activity and plasticity of neurons, thereby improving learning and memory, and potentially reducing the risk of dementia.

Incorporating such healthy lifestyle practices can facilitate significant and enduring benefits to our mental and physical health. And amidst the often tumultuous journey of life, these practices, if continually cultivated, can serve as empowering steps towards regaining a balanced and positive brain environment no matter the obstacles we may face.

Key Takeaways:

• Substances like alcohol and drugs can significantly alter brain gene activity, leading to changes in behavior, memory, and reward response.
• Our understanding of addiction extends beyond willpower, acknowledging its foundations in neurobiology and genetics.
• Our genetic expression isn’t permanent—it can be influenced by medications and lifestyle choices including diet, intensive meditation, and exercise.
• Continual cultivation of healthy behavioral habits can promote a balanced brain environment and support lasting physical and mental health benefits.

Source Citation: https://www.inverse.com/health/exercise-alcohol-drugs-rewire-brain-neuroscience