Genetic Epidemiology, Translational Neurogenomics, Psychiatric Genetics and Statistical Genetics Laboratories investigate the pattern of disease in families, particularly identical and non-identical twins, to assess the relative importance of genes and environment in a variety of important health problems.
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PMID
8974316
TITLE
Genetic effects on alcohol consumption patterns and problems in women.
ABSTRACT
We review evidence that genetic factors play no less important a role in the etiology of alcoholism in women than in men. Potential mediators of this genetic influence (differences in personality or alcohol sensitivity) exhibit equal heritability in men and women. Genetically determined differences in alcohol preference (or consumption level), a phenotype widely used in animal models of alcoholism, have been neglected as a mechanism of alcoholism inheritance. Using data from the 1992-3 interview survey of the Australian twin panel (N = 5995 twins), we have reexamined the mediating role of personality and alcohol consumption variables. By comparing the non-alcoholic co-twins of alcoholic twins, and twins from concordant unaffected pairs (separately for MZ and DZ pairs), we have avoided the problem of obtaining consumption and personality assessments that are contaminated by history of alcoholism. In MZ pairs, in both genders, co-twin's heavy alcohol exposure (drinking 5+ drinks in one day) and co-twin's Novelty Seeking score, are both predictive of alcoholism in the respondent. The effect of co-twin's heavy alcohol exposure remains significant even when the respondent's personality variables are controlled for, implying that there are genetic effects on alcoholism risk mediated through consumption pattern that are independent of those mediated through personality differences.
DATE PUBLISHED
1994
HISTORY
PUBSTATUS PUBSTATUSDATE
pubmed 1994/01/01
medline 1994/01/01 00:01
entrez 1994/01/01 00:00
AUTHORS
NAME COLLECTIVENAME LASTNAME FORENAME INITIALS AFFILIATION AFFILIATIONINFO
Heath AC Heath A C AC Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, USA.
Slutske WS Slutske W S WS
Madden PA Madden P A PA
Bucholz KK Bucholz K K KK
Dinwiddie SH Dinwiddie S H SH
Whitfield JB Whitfield J B JB
Dunne MP Dunne M P MP
Statham D Statham D D
Martin NG Martin N G NG
INVESTIGATORS
JOURNAL
VOLUME: 2
ISSUE:
TITLE: Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire). Supplement
ISOABBREVIATION: Alcohol Alcohol Suppl
YEAR: 1994
MONTH:
DAY:
MEDLINEDATE:
SEASON:
CITEDMEDIUM: Print
ISSN: 1358-6173
ISSNTYPE: Print
MEDLINE JOURNAL
MEDLINETA: Alcohol Alcohol Suppl
COUNTRY: ENGLAND
ISSNLINKING: 1358-6173
NLMUNIQUEID: 8804836
PUBLICATION TYPE
PUBLICATIONTYPE TEXT
Comparative Study
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
Review
COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
GRANTS
GRANTID AGENCY COUNTRY
AA07535 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA07728 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
DA07261 NIDA NIH HHS United States
GENERAL NOTE
KEYWORDS
MESH HEADINGS
DESCRIPTORNAME QUALIFIERNAME
Alcohol Drinking psychology
Alcoholism psychology
Australia psychology
Diseases in Twins genetics
Female genetics
Humans genetics
Male genetics
Personality genetics
Risk Factors genetics
Sex Characteristics genetics
SUPPLEMENTARY MESH
GENE SYMBOLS
CHEMICALS
OTHER ID's