Some recent studies suggest that alcohol dependence affects the function of brain regions engaged for successful behavioral control. Li et al. (2009) reported the results of an fMRI study comparing alcohol dependent individuals and health control subjects using a Stop-Signal Task, designed to provide a trial-by-trial assessment of response inhibition, error processing, post-error behavioral adjustment, and risk taking by assessing speed and accuracy. Results of the study demonstrated that alcohol dependent individuals demonstrated less activation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during post-error behavioral adjustment compared to healthy controls, and further, alcohol dependent individuals who reported stronger alcohol urges at the time of the fMRI were particularly impaired in dorsolateral prefrontal activation compared to those that did not report any urges. In addition, alcohol dependent individuals showed less activation in cortical and subcortical structures including the putamen, insula, and aymgdala compared to controls during the timed risk-taking trials. (Li et al., 2009). This research is also supported by other studies that have begun to delineate complex cortical-subcortical networks crucial for successful behavioral control (Stevens, Kiehl, Pearlson, & Calhoun, 2007).
