Photo: Robina Weermeijer via Unsplash
Scientists say new research into brain activity could help explain why recovery from alcohol dependence is difficult and how the brain may adapt during abstinence.
A study led by the University of Manchester and the University of Huddersfield found that people recovering from alcohol dependence performed as well as healthy volunteers in a learning task, but showed different patterns of brain activity.
Researchers say the findings may help improve understanding of recovery and relapse risk, although larger studies are needed before the results can be used in treatment.
Dr Mica Komarnyckyj, lead author from the University of Manchester, said: “Alcohol dependency is a complex health condition, and despite treatment and support, many individuals find it difficult to maintain recovery.”
She added: “We believe our findings offer fresh insight into how alcohol dependence can influence the brain systems involved in learning and reward.”
The study, published in Clinical Neurophysiology on 22 May, involved 20 abstinent alcohol-dependent participants and 26 healthy volunteers. Participants completed a reward-learning game while their brain activity was recorded using EEG, a method that measures electrical activity in the brain.
Both groups performed similarly in the task. In simple terms, this means people in recovery were able to learn from feedback as effectively as the comparison group. But their brains appeared to process that feedback differently.
One key difference involved a brain signal known as feedback-related negativity, or FRN.
This signal is linked to how the brain reacts to mistakes or negative outcomes.
Researchers found that this signal was reduced in people with a history of alcohol dependence.
They said this could reflect underlying differences in how the brain processes reward and feedback, which may be linked to vulnerability to alcohol problems.
The study also looked at another brain signal, called feedback-P3, which is linked to how strongly the brain pays attention to important feedback.
Among people recovering from alcohol dependence, this signal was strongest in the early stages of abstinence.
After many years of recovery, it looked more similar to the pattern seen in healthy volunteers.
Put plainly, the researchers suggest the brain may work harder or respond differently during earlier recovery, before gradually adapting over time.
The team also used machine-learning analysis to look for hidden patterns in the brain data, which showed unusually early and strong activity in front-centre areas of the brain among people with alcohol dependence, especially those in earlier recovery.
Researchers said this could show heightened sensitivity to feedback, or a possible coping mechanism that helps people maintain performance despite alcohol-related brain changes.
Dr Komarnyckyj said larger and longer-term studies are now needed to understand whether these brain markers could one day help track recovery or identify people who may need extra support.
The study does not suggest that a clinical test for relapse or recovery is currently available, but it adds to research showing that alcohol dependence is not simply a matter of willpower, and that recovery may involve measurable changes in the brain.
