title: Evidence supporting the independent inheritance of primary affective disorders and primary alcoholism in the families of bipolar patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study explored the nature of the association between bipolar disorder and alcoholism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors studied 814 first-degree relatives of 121 bipolar patients, divided on the basis of response to lithium prophylaxis. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the contribution of demographic, familial and clinical variables to the risk of primary alcoholism in the relatives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The risk of primary alcoholism in relatives was not related to the degree of affective loading in the family or to the proband's lithium response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study does not support a shared genetic liability between bipolar disorder and alcoholism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study lacked a control group, but the analysis accounted for this.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These disorders are not alternative forms of the same illness.
authors.affiliation: Royal Ottawa Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grof
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grof
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zvolsky
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008094:Lithium