title: Bulimia nervosa and substance dependence: association and family transmission.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Lilenfeld
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Plotnicov
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Merikangas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strober
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bulik
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Greeno
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs