Given that AUD is a genetically heterogeneous disorder, it is commonly agreed that multiple genes (including both coding and noncoding genes) and the interactions among them contribute to the etiology of AUD. Studies have shown that a single miRNA can target hundreds of mRNA transcripts while a single mRNA transcript can be simultaneously regulated by distinct miRNAs [25]. The particular role of miRNAs in posttranscriptional regulation implies that miRNAs fine-tune the expression of numerous genes involved in a variety of cellular functions and thus coordinate multiple cross-communicating pathways. Studies have demonstrated miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks were associated with psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia [26]. However, no studies are known to have explored AUD-associated miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks.
