Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in alcohol use disorders: A potential new endophenotype?

Background: Current effort is directed at defining new classification schemes for alcohol use disorders (AUD) based on genetic/biological, physiological, and behavioral endophenotypes. Methods: We describe briefly findings of in vivo brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1 MRS) studies in AUD and propose that they be further explored and expanded regarding their value as a potential endophenotype for AUD. Results: In vivo H-1 MRS, as part of the emerging field of "imaging genomics," may provide readily accessible, objective, functionally significant and region-specific neurobiological measures that successfully link genotypes to neurocognition and to psychiatric symptomatology in relatively small patient cohorts. We discuss several functional gene variants that may affect specific H-1 MRS-detectable metabolites and provide recent data from our own work that supports the view of genetic effects on metabolite measures. Conclusions: MRS-genetics research will not only offer clues to the functional significance and downstream effects of genetic differences in AUD, but, via monitoring and/or predicting the efficacy of pharmacological and behavioral interventions as a function of genotype, has the potential to influence future clinical management of AUD.