Alcoholism arises from the combined effects of multiple biological factors including a wide range of possible genetic variations and/or abnormalities, as well as non-genetic causes including interpersonal and psychosocial relationships, neuroadaptive responses, and gene/environmental interaction (epigenetics)( Enoch, 2013; Koob, 2013; Mayfield et al., 2008; Morozova et al., 2014; Rietschel and Treutlein, 2013). The risk to develop alcoholism is strongly related to the family history, childhood environment particularly the number of life stressors and presence or absence of co-occurring mental disorders (Bierut et al., 1998; Brady and Back, 2012; Brady and Sinha, 2005; Enoch, 2013; Keyes et al., 2012; Schepis et al., 2011). The interface of these relationships are complex and involve overlapping and competing effects of many genes impacting brain development, structure, and function, as well as, alcohol processing and sensitivity (Enoch, 2013; Koob, 2013).
