Alcohol effects on Brain DNA methylation and gene expression in rhesus macaque

Sustained alcohol use can lead to alcohol abuse and dependence, collectively known as alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and ultimately to life-threatening medical, psychological and social consequences. Risk for hazardous drinking has been ascribed to an array of genetic and environmental factors, such early life stress or abuse, while the transition to dependence involves neuronal adaptations that evolve over time. These adaptations translate to behavioral changes that persist long after alcohol abstinence, underlying the high rates of relapse.Here we present a study in which we hypothesized that prolonged alcohol consumption is associated with DNA methylation changes in the genome. In addition, we investigated whether the levels of alcohol consumed had a different impact on the DNA methylation levels.