Bulimia nervosa and substance dependence: association and family transmission.
Alcohol and drug use disorders are common among women with bulimia nervosa (BN) and their family members. However, it is not known whether there is a familial relationship between BN and substance use disorders. We compared 47 women with BN and 44 non-eating-disordered community control women, and their first-degree relatives (177 and 190, respectively). BN probands were stratified by the presence (43%) or absence (57%) of lifetime alcohol and/or drug dependence. The first-degree relatives of substance-dependent BN probands had significantly higher lifetime rates of alcohol/drug dependence (38%), compared with relatives of nonsubstance-dependent BN probands (10%) or relatives of community controls (18%). These data suggest that BN and substance dependence are transmitted independently in families.
Kaye
W H
WH
Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Lilenfeld
L R
LR
Plotnicov
K
K
Merikangas
K R
KR
Nagy
L
L
Strober
M
M
Bulik
C M
CM
Moss
H
H
Greeno
C G
CG
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs