Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Alcohol sensitivity and dependence

M A Schuckit1

  • 1San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center, CA.

EXS
|January 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A lower response to alcohol in young adults can predict future alcohol abuse. This diminished sensitivity, particularly in sons of alcoholics, is a strong indicator of later alcohol dependence, independent of family history.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Biological phenotypes associated with individuals at high risk for developing alcohol-related disorders. Part 2.

Addiction biology·2010
Same author

Genetic factors influencing alcohol dependence.

British journal of pharmacology·2008
Same author

Co-occurring risk factors for alcohol dependence and habitual smoking.

Alcohol research & health : the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism·2005
Same author

A 5-year prospective evaluation of DSM-IV alcohol dependence with and without a physiological component.

Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research·2003
Same author

A five-year prospective study of diagnostic orphans for alcohol use disorders.

Journal of studies on alcohol·2003
Same author

A comparison of alcohol-induced and independent depression in alcoholics with histories of suicide attempts.

Journal of studies on alcohol·2002

Area of Science:

  • Addiction research
  • Psychiatry
  • Genetics of alcoholism

Background:

  • Understanding predictors of alcohol use disorders is crucial for prevention.
  • Family history of alcoholism is a known risk factor for developing alcohol dependence.
  • Individual differences in response to alcohol may play a significant role.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between intensity of alcohol response in young adults and the subsequent development of alcohol abuse or dependence.
  • To determine if a diminished response to alcohol predicts future alcohol-related problems.
  • To compare these predictors between individuals with a family history of alcoholism and controls.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 454 young adults (18-25 years) was studied, including sons of alcohol-dependent fathers and controls.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Participants underwent an alcohol challenge to assess subjective, physiological, and motor responses.
  • A long-term follow-up (average 9.3 years) assessed the incidence of alcohol abuse/dependence, drug dependence, and psychiatric disorders.

    • Main Results:

    • Approximately 40% of sons of alcoholics showed a diminished response to alcohol compared to less than 10% of controls.
    • A diminished response to alcohol at age 20 was a potent predictor of future alcohol abuse or dependence.
    • Family history of alcoholism or intensity of alcohol response did not predict drug dependence or major psychiatric disorders.

    Conclusions:

    • Reduced sensitivity to alcohol's effects in young adulthood is a significant predictor of developing alcohol abuse or dependence later in life.
    • This finding highlights the importance of assessing individual response to alcohol as a potential biomarker for risk.
    • The study did not find a link between early alcohol response or family history and later drug dependence or psychiatric illness.