NEUROIMAGING IN THE OKLAHOMA FAMILY HEALTH PATTERNS PROJECT

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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. OBJECTIVE: A positive family history of alcoholism (FH+) and behavioral disinhibition are both associated with increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder. The Oklahoma Family Health Patterns project was designed to study healthy, nonabusing FH+ persons who also display evidence of behavioral undercontrol (High Risk). We hypothesize that these High-Risk persons will demonstrate altered limbic system activity in response to emotionally significant stimuli, relative to Low-Risk individuals (FH- and lacking in behavioral undercontrol). RESEARCH PLAN AND METHODS: To test this assertion, we will carry out a targeted fMRI experiment on High-Risk persons and Low Risk persons chosen from a larger cohort in the primary study. The subjects will participate in a facial recognition task using faces displaying negative emotions and regions of brain activation will be measured. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Limbic hyporesponsiveness may be associated with a willingness to make risky decisions about alcohol intake increasing the person's liability for alcohol abuse.