First, transcriptomic changes identified by RNA-seq or microarray in multiple brain regions of AUD subjects suggest that several cortical and subcortical regions (or components of the reward circuit) are essential for the rewarding effect of alcohol. We observed miRNA and mRNA transcriptomic changes in eight reward-related or alcohol-responsive brain regions of AUD subjects. The reason that we chose these eight brain regions for this study is that they participate in brain functions such as motivation, memory, and pleasure as well as balance and locomotion [42–44]. Certainly, we cannot exclude the possibility that other brain regions also mediate the rewarding effect of ethanol or be involved in AUD-related pathways.
