Dopamine Release in the Human Brain Following Alcohol Administration

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy males and females of any ethnic origin between 21 and 45 years old.
• Reported consumption of at least two heavy drinking episodes (according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) criterion of 5 drinks for males or 4 for females) in the past 30 days prior to assessment.
• Willing and capable to provide written informed consent
• Good command of the English language

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) diagnosis of alcohol dependence; receiving treatment for alcohol dependence
• Taking medications or have any medical condition for which alcohol is contraindicated
• Any medical condition requiring immediate investigation or treatment
• Previous head trauma/neurological condition such as clinically significant history of seizure disorder, a history of clinically significant head trauma (i.e., concussion resulting in clinically significant loss of consciousness) or past intracranial surgery
• Beck Depression Inventory score >16
• Current active or past suicidal ideation
• Pregnancy tested by urine and blood screen each PET study day or lactation
• Current DSM-IV diagnosis of any Axis I psychiatric disorder
• Regular use of any therapeutic or recreational psychoactive drug use during the last three months (with the exception of nicotine and alcohol) or other substance use disorder (including nicotine)
• Abnormal body mass (as defined as not within 20% of normal body mass index).
• Current past or anticipated exposure to radiation exceeding 20 mSv in the last year.
• Metal implants or paramagnetic objects within the body which may interfere with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Claustrophobia or a history of panic attacks
• Abnormal clinical laboratory findings including serum creatinine greater than 2.0 mg/dl, abnormal liver function tests, elevated serum bilirubin (more than 1.5 times upper limit of normal), or pre-trial electrocardiogram (EKG) results demonstrating clinical significant abnormality