Some of these neurochemical characteristics of P rats involve the gluta-matergic system and these findings parallel clinical findings in both FHP individuals and chronic alcoholics. The present minireview will focus on the central glutamatergic system and its role in alcohol dependence. The basic structure and function of the glutamatergic system will be outlined; as it pertains to its activity in the brain, its receptors, and transporters as well as the excitatory synapse. A summary of the existing literature on how ethanol affects the structure and function of the central glutamatergic system will be presented in the context of both preclinical and clinical research. A synopsis of the genetic influence on the development and/or expression of alcohol dependence will be described. An overview of the current knowledge regarding how the ethanol–glutamate interaction affects gene and/or protein expression will be presented, again from both preclinical and clinical perspectives. This will be followed by a compilation of our findings with the P rat as it pertains to innate differences in gene and/or protein expression, relative to its NP counterpart, as well as ethanol’s
