VENTRAL STRIATAL DOPAMINE RESPONSE TO ETHANOL AND ITS CUES IN AT-RISK DRINKERS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Animal models show that dopamine (DA) regions such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) are critical parts of the brain's reward circuit, and are implicated in the genetics of alcoholism. We propose using positron emission tomography (PET) to study binding potential changes (BP) in [11C[ Raclopride (RAC, D2/D3 ligand) as a function of ethanol anticipation and consumption in subjects at risk for alcoholism -- High-ethanol drinkers (HED) with a family history of alcoholism (FHA).