The incentive salience of alcohol: translating the effects of genetic variant in CNR1.
BACKGROUND
The gene that codes for cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) represents an important target for investigations designed to elucidate individual differences in the etiology of alcohol dependence.


OBJECTIVE
To achieve a better understanding of the role of the CNR1 gene in the etiology and treatment of alcohol dependence.


METHODS
The present investigation spans multiple levels of analysis, including receptor binding in postmortem brain tissue, neuroimaging, human laboratory models, and analyses of treatment outcome data.


RESULTS
Findings indicate that the C allele of rs2023239 is associated with greater CB1 binding in the prefrontal cortex, greater alcohol cue-elicited brain activation in the midbrain and prefrontal cortex, greater subjective reward when consuming alcohol, and more positive outcomes after treatment with a medication that targets the mesocorticolimbic neurocircuitry. In addition, there were strong correlations between cue-elicited brain activation and alcohol consumption measures in individuals with the C allele.


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with the C allele may be more susceptible to changes in the mesocorticolimbic neurocircuitry that is involved in the attribution of incentive salience after repeated exposure to alcohol.
Hutchison
Kent E
KE
The MIND, 1101 Yale Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. kenth@unm.edu
Haughey
Heather
H
Niculescu
Michelle
M
Schacht
Joe
J
Kaiser
Alan
A
Stitzel
Jerry
J
Horton
William J
WJ
Filbey
Francesca
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D023281:Genomics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000235:genetics*
D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1