Perhaps the most obvious class of animals for building consilient animal models for human alcohol consumption is primates. The value of using primates to study GXE interactions involving childhood and proximal stressors on drinking has been clearly demonstrated (Barr et al., 2004, 2008) in the work in Rhesus macaques. However, the cost of conducting this type of research and heightened animal welfare concerns regarding primates constrain the extent that primates can be used and additional species should be considered.
