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Published on: April 15, 2015
Neural plasticity, human genetics, and risk for alcohol dependence
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
International Review of Neurobiology
|September 4, 2010
Summary
Advances in neurobiology reveal that the adolescent brain
Area of Science:
- Neurobiology
- Genetics
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Alcohol dependence research benefits from advanced neurophysiological and neuroimaging tools.
- Identifying genetic susceptibility to alcohol dependence is aided by studying intermediate phenotypes (endophenotypes).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on brain plasticity and developmental changes influencing addiction susceptibility.
- To explore heritable brain characteristics as endophenotypes for familial alcohol dependence risk.
- To summarize studies linking brain structure/function with specific genes.
Main Methods:
- Review of neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies.
- Analysis of genetic research on intermediate phenotypes.
- Synthesis of developmental neuroscience findings.
Main Results:
- The brain exhibits significant postnatal plasticity, particularly during adolescence.
- Heritable developmental brain traits may serve as key endophenotypes for alcohol dependence.
- Associations exist between specific genes and brain structural/functional characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Developmental neurobiology and genetics offer insights into alcohol dependence.
- Endophenotypes, like heritable brain traits, are crucial for understanding genetic risk.
- Future research should integrate neuroimaging, genetics, and developmental data.
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