We have noted that non-human research offers many attractions for characterizing gene-environment interaction effects, through its ability to work at multiple levels of biological organization (neurocircuitry, cellular, genetic, epigenetic), including in particular specific genotype x specific environment interaction effects. The challenge for work in this area is to identify consilient environmental exposures and associated neurobehavioral processes that are analogous in human and nonhuman species even if not strictly homologous. Such processes can be found in multiple domains including punishment and reward systems (associated with motivations to consume alcohol), self-regulatory systems (associated with the ability to inhibit consumption in the context of drinking motivation), and neurocognitive abilities (e.g.learning processes more generally). It seems possible, if not likely, that more careful consideration of specific species for studying specific environmental variables of relevance to humans will result in more theoretically informed and ecologically valid models.
