Considering the common usage of alcohol in society and its direct impact on brain function, relatively little is known about the role of neuronal metabolism of ethanol as an intermediate to link drinking and brain function. Others have reviewed the broad impact of ethanol on a variety of neuronal mechanisms (Abrahao et al., 2017), but recent work suggests that fundamental changes in metabolic pathways are directly linked with changes in neuronal activity. In this review, we will summarize evidence of ethanol metabolism in neurons, link metabolism with electrophysiological activity, and propose a model where metabolic modulation could be an effective therapeutic target for treatment of alcohol use and dependence.
