Alcohol dependence and alcohol-associated diseases play an important role in nowadays society. Providing adequate therapy and prevention demands a broad understanding of moleculare mechanisms of alcohol-associated diseases. In this context „Epigenetic“ plays a significant role. Chronic alcohol-consumption in patients with alcohol dependence is associated with elevated homocysteine levels. The amino acid homocysteine acts as an agonist at the NMDA-receptor.
Excitotoxcity, induced by hyperhomocysteineaemia, offers an explanation for alcohol-withdrawal seizures and alcoholism-associated brain atrophy. Furthermore elevated levels effect epigenetic regulation-mechanisms. Global DNA-methylation is affected as well as promoterspecific methylation-status. Recent studies of genes (i.e. HERP, Alpha-Synnuclein), involved in addictive disorders, showed a global DNA-hypermethylation and a hypermethylation of their promoters. These findings offer a first moleculargenetic explanation for homocysteine-induced dysfunctions in patients with alcohol dependence.