# Role of dopamine in responsiveness to acute ethanol exposure in Caenorhabditis elegans

## TL;DR

This study explores how dopamine affects how the worm C. elegans responds to alcohol exposure.

## Contribution

The study identifies dopamine's role in acute ethanol sensitivity in C. elegans.

## Key findings

- Ethanol exposure causes dopamine release-dependent swimming-induced paralysis in C. elegans.
- Dopamine signaling influences acute sensitivity to ethanol in the worms.
- Findings suggest dopamine mediates acute ethanol responses in C. elegans.

## Abstract

Alcohol use and abuse is a common and prevalent disorder characterized by complex and individually variable physiological effects.

C. elegans

demonstrate multiple ethanol-induced behaviors and are an effective model for experimentally isolating environmental and genetic factors underlying the actions of ethanol. Using wild type and dopamine signaling mutant

C. elegans
,

the current study found that ethanol exposure results in dopamine release-dependent swimming induced paralysis and that dopamine influences acute sensitivity to ethanol. Taken together, the findings support a role for dopamine in mediating acute responses to ethanol.