New York (PTI): An analysis of brain tissue samples from chronic alcoholics reveals changes that occur at the molecular level in alcohol abuse, and suggests a potential treatment target, a new study has revealed.

Researchers at Wake Forest University have found that a protein called beta-catenin, involved in cell signalling and development, is present at higher levels in brains of chronic alcoholics compared to people with no history of alcoholism. "We have identified a protein that may be a cause of alcohol dependence and tolerance, suggesting the possibility of developing a drug to inhibit the molecule and treat the disease," the 'Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research' journal quoted lead researcher Qiang Gu as saying.

Using cutting-edge technology, the researchers analysed postmortem brain tissue samples from 14 male chronic alcoholics and 14 age-matched male individuals with no history of alcohol abuse before reaching the conclusion. The samples were from the superior frontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with alcohol abuse that is a part of the brain pathway which actually involves feelings of desire and reward. In fact, they're able to measure levels of more than 500 different proteins in the tissue samples, and evaluated levels of 17 proteins associated with the catenin-signalling pathway.