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The Latest Alcohol Research: Current Reviews

Edited by Shivendra D. Shukla, Ph.D., and Samir Zakhari, Ph.D.

The term “epigenetics” is rapidly becoming one of the more important watchwords in the field of alcohol research. Put simply, epigenetics is the study of changes in gene function that occur without a change in the body’s genetic code. Instead epigenetic “markers” turn genes “on” and “off.” By acting on these epigenetic markers, environmental factors such as diet, stress, and prenatal nutrition can make an imprint on the genes that are active in different tissues and at various stages of life. Even more importantly, these alterations may be passed along from one generation to the next. The result is that the influences from harmful environmental factors can be extended beyond the individual and passed to his or her offspring. This issue of Alcohol Research: Current Reviews explores the concept of epigenetics and how it may influence the body’s response to alcohol and the development of alcohol use disorders and various disease states.

Each article is available online in full text. Files also are available for downloading to your favorite e-reader.

1 Editors’ Note [PDF]

4 In This Issue [PDF]

6 Alcohol Metabolism and Epigenetic Changes [PDF]

Samir Zakhari, Ph.D.

18 Dysregulation of microRNA Expression and Function Contributes to the Etiology of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders [PDF]

Sridevi Balaraman, Ph.D.; Joseph D. Tingling; Pai-Chi Tsai; and Rajesh C. Miranda, Ph.D.

25 Alcohol, DNA Methylation, and Cancer [PDF]

Marta Varela-Rey, Ph.D.; Ashwin Woodhoo, Ph.D.; Maria-Luz Martinez-Chantar, Ph.D.; José M. Mato, Ph.D.; and Shelly C. Lu, M.D.

37 In Utero Alcohol Exposure, Epigenetic Changes, and Their Consequences [PDF]

Michelle Ungerer; Jaysen Knezovich, M.Sc.; and Michele Ramsay, Ph.D.

47 Epigenetic Effects of Ethanol on the Liver and Gastrointestinal System [PDF]