Aggressiveness, family history of alcoholism, and the heart rate response to alcohol intoxication.
Some sons of male alcoholics (SOMAs) are characterized by an increased heart rate (HR) response to alcohol intoxication, which is thought to reflect increased sensitivity to alcohol-induced reward. Such a response has also been related to increased physical aggression. However, the confounding effect of aggression in SOMAs may be obscuring the interpretation of these findings. The HR response to alcohol was therefore assessed in 4 groups: high/low aggressive SOMAs and high/low aggressive non-SOMAs. Results indicate that aggressive SOMAs had the highest intoxicated HR response and that they reported the most alcohol consumption. This suggests that in some cases the high comorbidity between alcohol misuse and aggression is related to an increased sensitivity to alcohol-induced reward.
Assaad
Jean-Marc
JM
Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Pihl
Robert O
RO
Séguin
Jean R
JR
Nagin
Daniel
D
Vitaro
Frank
F
Carbonneau
René
R
Tremblay
Richard E
RE
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires