2-AG	2-Arachidonoylglycerol
5-HT	Serotonin
A(+)	alcohol’s +ve effects
A(−)	alcohol’s −ve effects
AA	arachidonic acid
AC	adenylyl cyclase
ACh	Acetylcholine
AChergic	ACh releasing neurons
ADH	alcohol dehydrogenase
ALDH	acetaldehy6de dehydrogenase
AMPA	α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid
AUC	area under curve
AUD	alcohol use disorder
cAMP	cyclic adenosine monophosphate
CL	clearance
Cmax	maximum concentration
COMT	catechol-O-methyl-transferase
COX	Cyclooxygenase
CYP	cytochrome P450
DA	Dopamine
DA	dopamine}
DAG	Diacylglycerol
DAGL	diacylglycerol lipase
DAR1	dopamine receptor 1
DAT	dopamine transporter
DOR	delta OPRs
DPDEP	D-Pen2, D-Pen5 enkephalin, DOR agonist
EAA	excitatory amino acids
eCB	Endocannabinoid
eOP	endogenous opioids
ERK	extracellular-signal-regulated kinase
GABA	γ-aminobutyric acid
GABABR	GABA B receptor
GABAergic	GABA releasing neurons
GHB	γ-hydroxybutyric acid
GHBD	GHB dehydrogenase
GIRK	G protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium channels
Glu	Glutamate
Gluergic	glutamate releasing neurons
Gly	Glycine
IP3	inositol trisphosphate
KOR	kappa OPRs
LDTg	laterodorsal tegmental nucleus
LPS	Lipopolysaccharide
METH	Methamphetamine
mGluR2/3	metabolic Glu receptors 2/3
MOR	mu OPRs
NAc	nucleus accumbens
nAChR	nicotinic ACh receptor
NAPQI	N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine
NE	Noradrenaline
NMDA	N-methyl-d-Aspartate receptors
OP	Opioid
OPR	opioid receptors
OPRM1	A118G variant of the MOR1
PIP2	poly inositol diphosphate
pptg	pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus
SERT	serotonin transporter
sOP	synthetic opioids
SSA	succinic semialdehyde
T	elimination half-life
THC	Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol
tmax	time to Cmax
TMU	1,3,7-trimethyluric acid
U50488H	KOR agonist
VGSC	voltage gated sodium ion (Na+) channel
VGCC	voltage gated calcium ion (Ca2+) channel
VTA	ventral tegmental area
α7 and α4β2	nicotinic receptor subtypes