ALCOHOLISM - THE ROLE OF DIFFERENT MOTIVATIONAL SYSTEMS

Individuals use and misuse alcohol (and other drugs) because of the ph armacologically mediated effects these substances have on the operatio n of 4 psychobiological systems, mediating response to motivationally relevant unconditioned and conditioned stimuli. These 4 systems have u nique neuroanatomical structure, biochemical modes of operation, assoc iation with affect, behavior and cognition, and responsiveness to drug s of abuse. Individual variation in the operation of these systems det ermines individual susceptibility to initiation and maintenance of dru g use and abuse. Sources of such variation differ, in a vitally import ant fashion, in various specific populations of individuals at heighte ned risk for drug abuse, Nonalcoholic sons of male alcoholics, with mu ltigenerational family histories of male alcoholism, appear to be at h eightened risk for the development of alcohol abuse because alcohol el iminates their heightened response to threat, and because they are hyp ersensitive to ethanol's psychomotor stimulant effects. Anxiety-sensit ive individuals also appear attracted to alcohol for its anxiolytic pr operties. Many other important sources of idiosyncratic variability ex ist. Detailed analysis of such sources may lead to the development of more effective prevention and treatment programs.