A modified version of the semi-structured assessment of genetics of alcoholism (SSAGA; Bucholz et al., 1994) was administered to assess alcohol/substance use and related disorders and family history of these disorders. Individuals with moderate and severe cognitive deficits (<21) on the mini-mental state examination (Folstein et al., 1975) were excluded from the study. Participants were instructed to abstain from alcohol and other substances for at least five days prior to the neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments and were screened on the day of testing. Individuals who tested positive on the alcohol breathalyzer test or reported substance use were either rescheduled or excluded from the study. Individuals with hearing/visual impairment, liver disease, or history of head injury were also excluded. Standard protocols of recruitment for MRI were followed to ensure participants’ safety during the scan. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Experimental procedures and human research protection plans were carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and were approved by the Institutional Review Boards.
