against alcoholism.11 Furthermore, in Southwest Indians, ADH1 B*3 has shown protective effects against alcoholism,12 while in Mexican American men, a variant of the alcohol dehydrogenase 1C gene, ADH1C*2, and cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) c2/C alleles are associated with alcohol dependence.13 Not only does ancestral background influence risk for or protection against AUD, but it also affects response to pharmacotherapy (for review see14). Thus far, the most well studied pharmacogenetic effects have been reported for naltrexone (NTX), ondansetron, topiramate, and acamprosate,15 with NTX representing the most widely studied pharmacotherapy. However, very few studies to date have considered ancestry as a moderator of pharmacogenetic response in individuals with AUD, or have replicated findings from participants of European ancestry to ethnically diverse samples.
