The findings inform our conceptualization of alcohol responses during the processes of continued excessive and harmful drinking leading to AUD. Previous studies relying on proxy measures of brain-behavior relationships to alcohol response(2, 3, 23–29) have not been able to address within-person changes or stabilization in alcohol response over time. The current study’s focus on evaluating alcohol responses longitudinally, in combination with new developments in molecular and cellular studies of the basis of addiction(66), may help identify important substrates for addictive processes leading to and sustaining alcohol use disorder. The findings may have relevance to medication development, as altering euphoric and pleasurable effects of alcohol would be important targets for novel treatments and are hypothesized to underlie in part the efficacy of opioid receptor antagonists, including naltrexone and nalmefene(67–76). Moreover, innovative early intervention and psychoeducation efforts(77, 78) may be further refined to target information on higher sensitivity to stimulating and rewarding alcohol effects to prevent longer-term hazardous dependent drinking.
