Evidence for the importance of the "genotype" theory in alcohol seeking behavior: a commentary.
Consensus of the literature points towards a neuropsychogenetic model of alcoholism. Evidence in both animals and humans tends to support the proposed "genotype" theory of alcohol-seeking behavior, whereby a predisposition to alcohol preference may be mediated in part by either innate (genetic) or environmentally (stress and/or alcohol) induced brain opioid peptide dysfunction. Potential therapeutic rationale involving the utilization of novel inhibitors of carboxypeptidase A (enkephalinase) which raise endogenous enkephalin levels and possess anti-alcohol seeking effects is emphasized.
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D010450:Endopeptidases; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000378:metabolism; D005838:Genotype; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D015260:Neprilysin; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications
D004745:Enkephalins; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D010450:Endopeptidases; D015260:Neprilysin