INCLUSION CRITERIA:
Alcohol Dependent Subjects:
Must be male, 18-65 years of age and be able to give written informed consent.
Must be healthy based on history, physical examination, and have no clinically significant coagulopathies or laboratory abnormalities other than those related to alcohol dependence.
Must fulfill DSM-IV criteria (American Psychiatric Association 1987) for alcohol dependence. In addition, they must have an alcohol consumption of 35 or more standard drinks per week, as measured by timeline follow-back during the 28-day period preceding admission, as well as during the 7-day period immediately preceding it.
About half of the patients with alcohol dependence will be carriers of the C allele of the rs2023239 SNP and half will not.
Healthy Subjects:
Must be male, 18-65 years of age and be able to give written informed consent.
Must be healthy based on history, physical examination, and have no clinically significant laboratory abnormalities.
About half of the healthy subjects will currently smoke cigarettes and about half will not.
About half of the healthy subjects will be carriers of the C allele of the rs2023239 SNP and half will not.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
Alcohol Dependent Subjects:
Any serious medical condition as judged by the investigator in consultation with the attending physician in the NIAAA program.
Past or present diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar illness or any other psychotic disorder; any current disorder that has required psychoactive medication (other than oxazepam) within the preceding 28-day period (42 days for fluoxetine). Oxazepam is a relatively short acting benzodiazepine and is used clinically during alcohol withdrawal. Any past or present substance abuse other than alcohol.
Positive test for HIV.
Metallic foreign bodies that would be affected by the MRI scanner magnet, or fear of enclosed spaces likely to make the subject unable to undergo an MRI scan.
Head trauma resulting in a period of unconsciousness lasting longer than 10 minutes.
History of fetal alcohol syndrome or other neurodevelopmental disorder.
History of seizures, other than in childhood and related to fever.
Recent exposure to radiation (i.e., PET from other research) which when combined with this study would be above the allowable limits.
Positive urine drug screen.
Inability to lie flat on camera bed for about 2.5 hours
Healthy Subjects:
Any current Axis I diagnosis; and any past or present substance abuse.
Recent heavy use of alcohol. That is, subjects must have an alcohol audit score of less than or equal to 6 for males. In addition, subjects must agree not to consume any alcohol in the three days prior to the PET scan.
Psychotropic medication use (including benzodiazepines and illicit drugs) during the 28 days (42 days for fluoxetine) prior to the PET scan.
Serious medical problems.
Positive test for HIV.
Metallic foreign bodies that would be affected by the MRI magnet, or fear of enclosed spaces likely to make the subject unable to undergo an MRI scan.
Head trauma resulting in a period of unconsciousness lasting longer than 10 minutes.
History of fetal alcohol syndrome or other neurodevelopmental disorder.
History of seizures, other than in childhood and related to fever.
Recent exposure to radiation (i.e., PET from other research) which when combined with this study would be above the allowable limits.
Positive urine drug screen.
Inability to lie flat on camera bed for about 2.5 hours.