yet an understanding of the role of serotonin reuptake in this disorder has been helpful in the development of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) effective in treatment. Understanding the actions of alcohol at the level of an individual BK channel protein is an important piece in the puzzle of addiction but is not sufficient to ‘explain’ the basis of addiction. Indeed, it offers both the potential of examining a molecule that underlies some aspects of behavioral tolerance, as well as providing a model to understand in a more generic sense the mechanisms that are at work to produce adaptive responses in other molecular targets, and to other drugs of abuse and environmental perturbations. Why is now such a propitious time for alcohol and addiction research? In our view, it is because of the convergent maturing of our understanding of both structure–function relationships and the molecular biology of molecules controlling nervous system function, and of our growing insight into the nature of addiction at the behavioral level. Thus, one cannot only associate certain genes and gene products with the propensity for alcoholism but we can now understand the manner in which the environment (including drinking history) can, via epigenetic mechanisms,
