title: Genetic and biochemical factors relevant to alcoholism.
abstract: Important biochemical clues from animal and human studies as well as epidemiologic studies of twins and adoptees suggest that genetic factors may predispose to alcohol addiction. This paper critically examines the epidemiology and biochemistry literature to assess the strength of the evidence supporting a genetic element in alcohol addiction. Then, a biochemical hypothesis is presented that involves the identification of specific metabolic pathways, pathway controls, and metabolites that may be unique to alcoholics, and which has been tested by experiment.
mesh_terms: D000300:Adoption; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002072:Butylene Glycols / Q000097:blood; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D051379:Mice; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002072:Butylene Glycols; D005819:Genetic Markers; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D000431:Ethanol; C026978:2,3-butylene glycol; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase