Relationship between familial alcoholism and head injury

In 76 alcoholic men who were Veterans Administration inpatients, the presence of familial alcoholism was ascertained by means of an investigator-expanded version of the family history section of the Renard Diagnostic Interview. Subjects who had experienced 5 min of unconsciousness resulting from trauma, or at least two periods of unconsciousness or hospitalization as a result of injury were categorized as head injured. Of the familial alcoholics, 60.4% were found to be head injured, as contrasted with 34.8% of nonfamilial alcoholics, a statistically significant group difference. The possible etiological origins of this difference and its behavioral and treatment implications are discussed.