Examining changes in gene expression resulting from chronic ethanol drinking could provide clues to identifying genes and gene networks involved in maintaining high alcohol drinking behavior, as well as identifying genes involved in the neurotoxic consequences of chronic alcohol consumption. There have been several studies that applied genomics and proteomics analyses to examining the effects of ethanol in rodent models (Bell et al., 2006; Kerns et al., 2005; Mulligan et al., 2006; Rodd et al., 2008; Saito et al., 2002, 2004; Treadwell and Singh, 2004). Studies conducted on post-mortem human tissue examined the neurotoxic effects of chronic alcohol consumption (Alexander-Kaufman et al., 2006, 2007; Flatscher-Bader et al., 2005; Lewohl et al., 2000, 2004; Liu et al., 2004, 2006; Matsumoto et al., 2007; Mayfield et al., 2002). Collectively, these studies indicate that differences between alcoholics and controls could be detected in several brain regions, and these differences could alter neuronal function.
