NZ Neuroscientists Spark Alcohol Rethink

A new study co-authored by two NZ researchers suggests that long-term, moderate alcohol consumption can help improve the memory. The study, which was published in The Journal of Neuroscience, was undertaken by Maggie Kalev, a research fellow in molecular medicine and pathology at Auckland University, and Matthew During, a professor of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. “We decided to study if beneficial effects of low-dose alcohol drinking already shown by others could be mediated through the mechanism of increasing NR1 [a sub-unit of memory] expression,” said Kalev. “We thought it was worth pursuing, since ethanol drinking is such a common pattern of human behaviour.” The study stresses the issues associated with excessive alcohol consumption.