Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026

An Inexpensive, Scalable Behavioral Assay for Measuring Ethanol Sedation Sensitivity and Rapid Tolerance in Drosophila
Published on: April 15, 2015
Genetic Influences on Alcoholism Risk: A Review of Adoption and Twin Studies
1Andrew C. Heath, D.Phil., is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
Abstract:
Researchers have used two different strategies to determine the relative contributions of genes and shared environment to the development of alcoholism among family members: the adoption study and the twin study. Adoption studies compare the risk to biological relatives with the risk to adoptive relatives of alcoholics. Twin studies compare identical and fraternal pairs of twins reared in the same environment. Evidence indicates an important genetic influence on alcoholism risk; this influence appears as strong in women as in men. These results have been remarkably consistent despite major differences between research methods.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Gene-Environment Interactions
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
Inheritance
Each gene exists in pairs, and the combination of these genes from both parents forms an individual's genotype. This genotype is a blueprint of potential traits. Examples of genotype...
Heritability

