results raise the possibility that polymorphisms in the GABRA2 gene, or perhaps in adjacent genes in high linkage disequlibrium with GABRA2 (Enoch et al., 2009), may alter the mesocorticolimbic circuit's sensitivity to reward cues, particularly in medial prefrontal areas shown to encode subjectively perceived reward value (Hare et al., 2008; Hare et al., 2009). To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effects of a GABRA2 polymorphism using functional neuroimaging. However, future research is needed to replicate this finding in larger samples, and in groups that are more homogeneous in drinking, family history, and race.
