Given the above, pharmacogenetic/pharmacogenomic strategies for the treatment of alcohol abuse and dependence are evolving (Haile et al., 2008; Johnson et al., 2011; Kranzler and Edenberg, 2010; Ray et al., 2009, 2010; Sher et al., 2010; Shields and Lerman, 2008; Wong et al., 2008). However, these approaches need further development. Future work will need to examine genotypic and phenotypic associations both in clinical and preclinical (i.e., rodent) populations. On a parallel track, compounds targeting neuronal systems implicated by certain genotypic-phenotypic associations will need to be evaluated in both the preclinical and clinical settings. As noted by Litten et al. (2012), these compounds, especially those being investigated for repurposing, may be assessed in clinical-like laboratory settings before undergoing FDA-associated clinical trials. Some of this will be trial-and-error, but when appropriate animal models are used, relatively high throughput screening can be undertaken. While an animal model that expresses the desired phenotype is a good starting point, an animal model that expresses both genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of the disorder is preferred. Thus, selectively bred high alcohol-consuming rat lines are ideally suited for
