Human postmortem brain tissue is a valuable resource for determining the role of gene expression in neuropsychiatric diseases, and establishing a connection with experimental models 5. Whole-genome profiling, primarily using microarrays, has identified subtle alterations in gene expression within discrete brain regions related to alcohol dependence 6, 7. High-throughput sequencing technologies (RNA-Seq) offer novel insights into transcriptome complexity, including non-coding RNAs and alternatively spliced variants, across different tissues and disease states 8. RNA-Seq analysis of postmortem human hippocampus has identified differentially expressed genes, potentially related to neuronal adaptations underlying long-term cocaine and alcohol abuse 9. These changes within human hippocampus are consistent with differential GABAergic gene expression in a rodent model of alcohol dependence 10. Additionally, RNA-Seq has shown alcohol dependence may modify alternative splicing of candidate genes, such as GABBR1, within human brain 11. Continued examination of discrete brain regions through RNA-Seq will provide additional evidence of the transcriptional landscape for alcohol dependence and other psychiatric diseases.
