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Abstract
Alcohol dependence is associated with brain cell loss and other changes leading to brain damage. The issue of which comes first, damage then dependence or vice versa, has not been established. This article provides an overview of our understanding of putative mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced brain damage and the possible involvement of these processes in alcoholism. Potential pharmacological adjuncts to treatment are discussed based on the effectiveness of anti-oxidant drugs in attenuating alcohol-induced neurodegeneration in an animal model of alcohol dependence and the effect of anti-inflammatory drugs on reducing excessive alcohol drinking.