In general, gene polymorphisms associated with increased risk of alcoholism tend to increase proinflammatory responses. For example, alcohol exposure may increase the expression of proinflammatory cytokines or individuals at risk of alcohol dependence may carry alleles associated with decreased anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion. Thus, multiple innate immune gene polymorphisms are associated with genetic risk for alcoholism in humans, consistent with the assumption that increased brain innate immune gene expression contributes to the neurobiology of alcohol addiction.
