Fig. 6.6.

Alcoholism is a complex disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. The neural changes characterized by alcoholism result from a complex dynamic system with a plethora of contributing factors. These factors are both environmental and internal. These internal factors depend on complex genetic states and molecular interactions. Since the normal brain is one of recursive feedback loops and regulatory controls, a drug like alcohol (whose effects are global) demonstrates radical alterations with a variety of entry points. Articulating the causes of alcoholism thus relies on research at a variety of scales and modalities. (Adapted from Starkman et al., 2012.)