Alcohol dependence symptoms and alcohol dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism: Israeli Ashkenazis, Sephardics, and recent Russian immigrants.
BACKGROUND
Jews have lower rates of alcohol-related problems than other Caucasians. The ADH2*2 allele of the alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (ADH2 ) gene protects against alcoholism in Asians and is found in approximately 20% of Jews. We studied the relationship of ADH2*2 to DSM-IV dependence severity in a random community sample of Israeli Ashkenazis, recent Russian immigrants (also Ashkenazis), and Sephardics.


METHODS
Subjects participated in a structured interview that included highly reliable questions on DSM-IV alcohol dependence symptoms. ADH2 genotype was determined for 68 subjects.


RESULTS
Recent Russian immigrants had more past and lifetime DSM-IV dependence symptoms. Sephardics had a higher prevalence of ADH2*2 than Ashkenazis. Controlling for group and other potentially confounding factors, ADH2*2 was associated with a lower lifetime DSM-IV alcohol dependence severity, although this differed somewhat within groups.


CONCLUSIONS
ADH2*2 protects against dependence severity in Jewish samples. Future work in larger samples should address genetic and environmental factors that affect the relationship of ADH2*2 to alcohol consumption and dependence.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D007585:Jews / Q000235:genetics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase