Since 1978, the Center on the Etiology and Treatment of Alcohol Dependence (University of Connecticut ARC) has been devoted to a systematic exploration of the etiology and the treatment of alcohol dependence. This P60 application requests five years of continued funding for the Center's research programs on vulnerability to alcohol dependence and promising biological and psychosocial treatment interventions. Component I describes the University of Connecticut ARC's organizational framework, quality control mechanisms related to research and publications, and core research facilities. A visiting scholars program, consulting and mentoring activities, and journal editorship activities are described that strengthen the role of the University of Connecticut ARC as a regional and national resource. Component II focuses on the use of neurophysiologic, genetic and psychological factors to predict treatment outcome among conduct disordered adolescents receiving treatment for alcohol and substance abuse problems. This study continues the Center's focus on the etiology of alcohol use problems by focusing on high risk, early onset alcohol use and problematic high risk youth. Component III, a second study of vulnerability, will focus on several stress-related pathways that may increase the susceptibility for developing heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems among college students. This study will examine simultaneously the roles of learned and genetic risk factors for college student drinking in response to stress and affect-related triggers. Continuing our Center's emphasis on novel treatments for alcohol dependence, we propose two research components in this area. Component IV builds upon current work and will evaluate the efficacy of prize-based CM administered over 12 versus 24 weeks as well as the effect of different probabilities and magnitudes of reinforcement upon treatment outcomes. Component V is a placebo controlled trial of topiramate and will evaluate the safety and efficacy of topiramate (TOP) in combination with medical management (MM). Reductions in drinking, the persistence of treatment effects, and the role of GABA alleles and glutamate receptors in moderating the response to TOP will also be examined. Component VI describes a program of translational, dissemination and educational activities that are integrated with the Center's theme, investigators, and research programs. Finally, the proposed pilot studies component (VII) will support six studies that relate directly to the Center's themes of vulnerability and novel treatments for alcohol dependence.
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