title: Genetic analysis of drinking behavior in World War II veteran twins.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to investigate longitudinal changes in drinking behaviors of adult male twins and model these changes as a function of genetic and environmental influences. Alcohol data available for World War II veteran twins, first surveyed in 1967-69 and followed up during 1983-85, were used to examine components of variability in measures of alcohol consumption. Multivariate biometric analysis of these data indicated 1) longitudinal stability of drinking behaviors in this cohort, 2) a significant contribution of genetic factors to the observed stability that accounted for more than 80% of the stable variation in frequency and in quantity of alcohol consumed per drinking occasion, and 3) evidence for a significant contribution of shared environmental influences to drinking of specific beverages (e.g., wine). The implications of these results for issues of health in the elderly are considered.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Program, SRI International, Menlo Park, California 94025.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carmelli
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robinette
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics*; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008957:Models, Genetic; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics*; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics*; D014728:Veterans; D014857:Warfare