Altered dopamine transmission as a familial risk trait for addictions

Is altered dopamine transmission a pre-existing vulnerability trait for addiction? Preliminary support for this hypothesis has been provided by recent neuroimaging studies. While most effects remain to be replicated, there is now evidence that, compared to healthy controls, people at familial risk for substance use disorders exhibit both increases and decreases in striatal dopamine function. The following review assesses the strength of this evidence, considers explanations for discrepant results, and discusses potential implications for understanding pathways to addiction.