In conclusion, the present study extends the literature on the effects of the OPRM1 gene on subjective response to alcohol by demonstrating that alcohol dependent G-allele carriers report greater alcohol-induced stimulation, vigor, and positive mood, consistent with the hypothesized role of this polymorphism on the rewarding effects of alcohol. This study also advances clinical neuroscience of alcoholism by testing the role of alcohol dependence severity on subjective responses to alcohol, in light of neurobiological theories of changes in motivational drives across alcoholism stages. Future studies are warranted to extend this translational approach in large samples, with a wider range of alcoholism severity, and at larger doses of alcohol.
