title: Alcoholism and seasonal affective disorder.
abstract: Seasonal changes in mood and behavior (seasonality) may be closely related to alcoholism. Some patients with alcoholism have a seasonal pattern to their alcohol misuse. They may be self-medicating an underlying seasonal affective disorder (SAD) with alcohol or manifesting a seasonal pattern to alcohol-induced depression. Both genetic and environmental factors play a role in the etiology and pathogenesis of alcoholism and SAD, operating, at least in part, through the brain serotonergic system. Family and molecular genetic studies suggest that there may be a genetic link between seasonality and alcoholism. Certain environmental and social factors may contribute to the development of seasonality in patients with alcoholism. The fact that SAD and alcoholism may be comorbid shows the importance of a thorough diagnostic interview. Both mental health and drug and alcohol professionals should be provided with education to assist with appropriate identification, management, and referral of patients presenting with comorbid alcoholism and SAD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sher
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012931:Social Environment; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins