title: Serotonin in early-onset alcoholism.
abstract: This chapter examines current, common schemes to subgroup alcoholics to arrive at relatively homogeneous groups of patients to facilitate psychobiological and molecular genetic studies. Early-onset, male-limited alcoholism is commonly associated with antisocial personality disorder or antisocial behavioral traits. It is often preceded by early-onset aggressiveness, which is followed by conduct disorder. Early-onset alcoholism among men is associated with low central serotonin turnover rate. The data concerning platelet MAO activity and serotonin uptake to platelets among early-onset alcoholics are conflicting. Recent molecular genetic and brain imaging studies on early-onset alcoholics are preliminary but appear very promising.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virkkunen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linnoila
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase