Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by uncontrolled alcohol drinking due to physical and psychological dependence on alcohol. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), AUD affects 14.1 million (4.2%) adult Americans (8.9 million men and 5.2 million women) [1]. Mounting evidence suggests that AUD is a complex genetic disorder, with an estimated heritability of about 50% [2]. Besides genetic variation, chronic alcohol consumption can lead to neuroadaptive phenomena, such as alcohol tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal [3]. The underlying molecular mechanisms of alcohol-induced neuroadaptations has not been fully explored, but it is believed that gene expression changes in specific brain regions are associated with AUD development.
