Alcohol Alert, Number 90

Illustration of translational research, from research to practice.

Improving Health Through Translational Alcohol Research

Translational research is the process of turning observations made in the laboratory, clinic, and community into interventions that improve health—from diagnostics and therapeutics to medical procedures and behavior change. Over the past several decades, scientists have made great strides in illuminating the biological and behavioral underpinnings of alcohol misuse and “translating” this knowledge into effective preventive and treatment interventions for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other substance use disorders.

This Alcohol Alert addresses a key area of translational research—the neurobiology of AUD. Drawing on human and animal research, it offers a brief overview of the changes in the brain that underlie the development and progression of AUD—from moderate to excessive to compulsive drinking—and how our understanding of these changes is informing—or being translated into—the development of interventions to help people reduce or abstain from alcohol use altogether.