Both wine and sugar alter brain chemistry by disrupting dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens of the forebrain, the reward center that drives motivation. With prolonged use, the brain becomes dependent on the substance and the addiction preoccupies the addict's thoughts and behaviors, interfering with normal life. Some people with "addictive personalities" are more prone to develop an addiction because they have over-responsive dopamine receptors.
Definition
Substance addiction is defined in the medical literature as an uncontrollable compulsion to use a substance despite negative consequences. An addict will become so fixated on his addiction that it will preoccupy his thoughts and behaviors, interfering with daily life, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Brain Chemistry
This compulsion is caused by an imbalance in the brain, which becomes so dependent on the substance that it cannot function normally without it. Scientific American explains that a biochemical disturbance in the brain's reward center, the nucleus accumbens of the forebrain, is to blame. Under normal circumstances, the neurotransmitter dopamine controls motivation for everything from food to sex. When a craving is satisfied, dopamine delivers a euphoric high.
Addiction and Dopamine
So called "addictive" substances such as cocaine, alcohol, and nicotine alter dopamine levels, upsetting the balance. These substances increase dopamine signaling, resulting in feelings of euphoria and the temptation for abuse. However, at the same time the brain adapts to over-stimulation by decreasing dopamine output. As a result, the brain takes on a depressed state that can only be corrected by additional substance abuse. This is the hallmark of dependency; the addict will require more and more to alleviate the negative state, and exceedingly more to achieve a comparable high.
Wine Addiction
Wine addiction, also known as alcoholism, develops when alcohol triggers dopamine release in the forebrain for prologued periods of time. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines the disease with four essential symptoms: 1. Craving alcohol; 2. Loss of control, inability to stop drinking after one drink; 3. Physical dependence, with withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating or anxiety;
4. Tolerance, requiring greater amounts to achieve the desired effect.
Some people are more likely than others to develop alcoholism because of their genetics. The National Institutes of Health reports that in some people, dopamine response to alcohol is greater, which enhances mood but also increases risk for alcoholism. However, these people are also more likely to benefit from medications used to treat alcohol dependence, which disrupt the dopamine signaling pathway, breaking the cycle of addiction.
Sugar Addiction
While substances such as alcohol, cocaine and nicotine are notorious for their addictive properties, other substances can also affect dopamine levels in the brain. Sugar causes the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, delivering the classic "sugar high." "Neurosciences Behavioral Review" reports that binging on sugar stimulates the same euphoric pathway targeted by hard-core drugs such as cocaine, and can cause similar withdrawal, craving and cross-sensitization. As a result, sweet preferences and sugar addiction often manifest in eating disorders such as bulimia or obesity.
Wine and Sugar Addiction
Both wine and sugar addiction disrupt dopamine levels in the forebrain, creating a biochemical imbalance common to all addictions. Their similarities are underscored by reports in the "Journal of Psychoactive Drugs," which indicate that genes involved in alcoholism are also linked to sweet preference and sugar addiction. In fact, these genes are common in individuals with so-called "addictive personalities" who are prone to various substance abuses, behavioral tendencies such as gambling and preference for sweetness. The addictive tendency is conferred by genes in the dopamine pathway that are particularly sensitive, waiting to be triggered by any stimulus. Scientific American highlights particularly noteworthy mutations in dopamine receptor genes that are over-responsive. Once triggered, the downward spiral to dependency swiftly follows, accelerating like an avalanche that is difficult to stop. Whether initiated by wine, sugar, nicotine, or any other addictive drug or behavior, the compulsion of addiction is all the same... the undeniable desire for dopamine.
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