Pharmacogenetics of Alcoholism: A Clinical Neuroscience Perspective

Abstract

Twin and adoption studies have shown that the heritability of alcoholism may be as high as 50–60% [1]; however, the neuropathophysiology of alcoholism and its underlying genetic architecture is complex and remains largely elusive to scientists in the field. Pharmacogenetics has the potential to aid in the identification of genetic markers for alcoholism risk and treatment response in that the introduction of a CNS drug narrows the genetic focus to those systems involved in the drug’s metabolism and efficacy (pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics). In this editorial, we briefly discuss the pharmacogenetics of alcohol as a drug, the pharmacogenetics of alcoholism treatment, and provide a series of recommendations for future research.