Examining changes in gene expression resulting from chronic ethanol drinking could provide clues toward identifying genes and gene networks involved in maintaining high alcohol drinking behavior. There have been several studies that applied genomics analyses to examining the effects of ethanol in rodent models (Bell et al., 2009; Kerns et al., 2005; McBride et al., 2010; Mulligan et al., 2006, 2011; Rodd et al., 2008; Saito et al., 2002, 2004; Tabakoff et al., 2009; Treadwell and Singh, 2004). The results of these studies indicated that differences in gene expression between alcohol-drinking rodents and water controls could be detected in several brain regions, and these differences could alter neuronal function.
