Ultimately, the scope of alcohol research will have to expand to examine effects on large-scale brain circuitry and how circuits control alcohol-related behaviors. In animal models, this work will be bolstered by techniques allowing for more precise control of neuronal projections (e.g., opto- and chemogenetics), as well as new techniques for widespread measurement of neuronal activity. While these approaches are just beginning to be applied within the field, there are some intriguing findings.
