The biological basis of alcoholism

Biological Basis of Alcoholism

Alcoholism has been regarded as both a disease and a hereditary trait The relationship between genetics and alcoholism , albeit still under scrutiny for the cause-and-effect claims , has been established by researches through various familial studies on alcoholism . In one twin study , for example , it was found that there was a high hereditability for the rate of ethanol elimination in twins (Vessell , Page Passananti , 1971 ) suggesting a genetic component as a probable cause of alcoholism . Ethyl alcohol , or ethanol , has been known to affect the central nervous system

by disrupting the membrane lipids of the neurons especially in high dosage . This in turn , results to the changes experienced during alcohol intoxication . Thus , the findings of Vessell et al 's twin study suggests that there is a gene action in moderating the neurobiological interaction of alcohol vis-a-vis short term exposure to ethanol . One study , however , argued that genetic component coupled with environmental factors could contribute to the tendency for alcoholism . Through their study involving adopted adult children of alcoholics and non-alcoholics , Shuckit , Goodwin , and Winokur (1972 ) were able to demonstrate that the sons of alcoholics were four times likely to become alcoholics than the sons of non-alcoholics even if the former were adopted by non-alcoholic parents . They also found out that males tended to have longer histories of alcoholism than females . These results were later corroborated by other studies involving adopted children of alcoholic parents

There had been a claim during the early 1990 's that an actual gene exists , known as the D2 dopamine receptor gene (DRD2 , that could responsible for one 's propensity to alcoholism (Blum , et al 1990 . The study suggested that since polymorphisms were found at the DRD2 gene of alcohol dependents , there might be a link between this gene and one 's susceptibility to alcoholism . Several studies , however , have asserted that the gene-alcoholism relationship could actually be a by-product of multiple gene interactions (Schork Schork , 1998 ) and possibly other unrelated factors such as gender , ethnicity (Hall Smith , 1991 ) and the severity of alcohol abuse (Pickens Svikis , 1991

However debatable the results of past research linking genetics and alcoholism could be , it is still important to understand the role that heredity plays over alcohol misuse and dependence , together with other social , developmental and environmental factors in to come up with effective behavioral as well as medical interventions to control such an addiction . Genetics enables scientists and physicians to understand the biological basis of an addictive behavior such as alcoholism which , in turn , helps them identify more appropriate treatments and prevention methods that would minimize one 's propensity for alcohol misuse and dependence , should there be any Bibliography

Blum , K Nobel , E .P Sheridan ,

.J Montgomery , A Ritchie , T Jagadeeswaran ,

p Nogami , H Briggs , A .H Cohn , J .B , 1990 . Allelic Association of Human Dopamine [D .sub .2] Receptor Gene in Alcoholism . Journal of American Medical Association , 263 , 2055-2060

Hill , S .Y Smith , T .R (1991 . Evidence for Genetic Mediation of Alcoholism in...