receptor class B, member 2 (SCARB2) are apparently targeted by a myriad of up-regulated miRNAs including miR-586/miR-144/miR-34c-5p/miR-18a and miR-203/miR-586/miR-580/miR-144/miR-380/miR-802/miR-7/miR-339-5p respectively. Genes involved in cytoskeleton (CDC42, FERMT2, LMO7, ABI2, TNKS, CNP, CAPN3, DST, SPAST, SGBC) and cell projection (ALCAM, CDC42, CCDC88A, ULK2, ABI2, RDX, CNP, DST) organization were also among the functional groups enriched among the differentially expressed miRNA targets. Other neurogenesis-related genes such as TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 2 (TIMP2) and TGFB2 appear to be regulated by multiple miRNAs as well. These results support the consensus idea that remodelling of synaptic connections, dependent upon changes in gene expression in response to alcohol, is responsible for the structural and functional alterations seen in alcohol dependence (Pignataro et al., 2009; Wilke et al., 1994). It has also been suggested that the adaptations to alcohol resemble to some extent the brain plasticity taking place during long-term exposure to other drug of abuse such as cocaine and heroin (Pignataro et al., 2009).
