Using Neuroeconomics to Characterize State-Based Increases and Decreases in Alcohol Value

Alcohol use disorder confers a massive public health burden and clinical advances depend on basic advances in biobehavioral research. In two studies, the proposed research will apply a neuroeconomic approach to understand brain activity patterns associated with increases and decreases in the reinforcing value of alcohol in the context of two clinically-relevant factors: a) increases in the value of alcohol in the presence of alcohol-related beverage cues; and b) decreases in the value of alcohol in the presence of a significant next day responsibility (e.g., work-related activity). Determining the neural signatures of change in alcohol demand in response to these real-world external influences has high potential to increase our understanding of how the brain supports decisions to modulate drinking in real-world drinking situations.