title: Characteristics of Japanese alcoholics with inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase: clinical features of alcoholics with ALDH2*2.
abstract: Abstract In a person with inactive ALDH2 (ALDH2*2) the blood aldehyde concentration tends to rise faster and higher and there are flushing responses which are considered to be a restraint against excessive alcohol drinking. The subjects in this study comprised 71 Japanese alcoholics. Psychiatrists interviewed the patients concerning the clinical features. Alcoholics homozygous (n = 59) for ALDH2*1/ALDH2*1 (Group I) and those heterozygous (n = 12) for ALDH2*1/ALDH2*2 (Group II) were compared. Group II alcoholics included significantly more cases of guilt or personality disorder. These findings indicate that alcoholics with the ALDH2*2 genotype showed generally typical clinical features.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa Medical University, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwahashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ameno
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fukunishi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suwaki