Chronic alcohol use reshapes the brain's immune landscape, driving anxiety and addiction

(Scripps Research Institute) Deep within the brain, a small almond-shaped region called the amygdala plays a vital role in how we exhibit emotion, behavior and motivation; it's also strongly implicated in alcohol abuse. Now, for the first time, a Scripps Research team has identified important changes to anti-inflammatory mechanisms and cellular activity in the amygdala that drive alcohol addiction.