title: The relationship of spinal cord injury trauma to alcohol misuse: a study of monozygotic twins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Substance misuse frequently is correlated with serious trauma such as spinal cord injury (SCI). Two hypotheses to this effect are (a) substance abuse predates injury and is a risk factor or trigger for serious injury such as SCI; or (b)substance abuse begins postinjury, and alcohol or other drugs are used to ameliorate the physical and emotional distress that result from SCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  To test these two hypotheses, 1 4 pairs of monozygotic twins, in which 1 of each pair had sustained an SCI, were studied. The twin without SCI was used as a control for preinjury substance misuse status for the twin with SCI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences between SCI and non-SCI co-twins' substance use patterns were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that drinking patterns might not be significantly affected by SCI and that substance misuse might precede injury.
authors.affiliation: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666, USA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seltz
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Radnitz
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Bauman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic