Physiological, molecular and genetic aspects of alpha-synuclein and its correlation with high alcohol consumption

Abstract Introduction: Significant changes in the expression of α-synuclein (SNCA) can be seen in subjects with high alcohol consumption, altering neuroprotection and causing changes in the reward system. Objective: To present state-of-the-art studies on the physiological, molecular and genetic aspects of SNCA related to high alcohol consumption. Materials and methods: A search of records published from 2007 to 2017 in PUBMED, ScienceDirect and Cochrane was carried out using the following terms: alpha-synuclein, alcoholism, genetic polymorphism, gene expression, DNA methylation and molecular biology. Results: The search yielded 1 331 references, of which 51 full-text studies were selected. The results describe the current evidence of the physiological and pathological aspects of α-synuclein (SNCA) and the genetic and epigenetic changes related to its expression in people with high alcohol consumption. Conclusions: The evidence suggests that there is a differential expression of α-synuclein (SNCA) in subjects with high alcohol consumption, as a result of modifications in the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, leading to physipathological neuroadaptations. SNCA is a promising marker in the field of alcoholism research; therefore, more studies addressing this topic are required, taking into account the genetic heterogeneity of each population.