and metabolic status of the cells. Recent studies show that ethanol, in addition to being metabolized systemically, is metabolized preferentially as a carbon source to produce energy in neurons (Sun et al., 2023). Additionally, GIRK2, a subunit of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel, not only modulates neuronal activity, but also is itself regulated by ethanol and its overexpression affects metabolic flux (Popova et al., 2023, Prytkova et al., 2024). Our goal is to review how neuronal metabolism is altered by ethanol, causing changes in excitability and contributing to functional changes in the brain.
