had higher baseline ventral striatal DA D2/D3 receptor availability (BPND=2.35 [0.06]) compared to family history negative (FHN) controls (BPND=2.17 [0.02]); an effect driven by social drinking men, not women, in this sample (Alvanzo et al., 2017). Findings suggest alterations in the DA neurotransmitter system in response to alcohol ingestion or in those at-risk for or with AUD, and that these alterations are particularly notable for men. This is consistent with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies (see Other Modalities section) finding differences in the medial forebrain bundle, a key track in the reward circuit in AUD compared to controls (Rivas-Grajales et al., 2018). Future work should further elucidate variations in alcohol-related alterations on the DA system and in SG-based differences in the DA system that may underlie the vulnerability to problematic drinking.
