Environmental stimuli like smells may induce craving for alcohol. Alcohol craving may increase the risk of relapse, already high, among alcoholics.
Alcohol consumption is known to increase dopamine levels in the brain.
Anticipation of alcohol may also raise dopamine levels. Training rats to recognize the smells of banana and orange may not seem too exciting to most people, but for alcoholics trying to remain abstinent from alcohol, it could mean the difference between relapse and recovery. In other words, smells may trigger craving for alcohol, which could lead to relapse. Addiction is a relapsing disorder that, even after successful short-term treatments, has a strong tendency to reoccur. We wanted to examine if alcohol-associated cues like smell could also alter dopamine levels.