title: Healthy subjects with a family history of alcoholism show increased stimulative subjective effects of alcohol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research has shown that subjects with a family history positive (FHP) of alcoholism are at increased risk for alcoholism and that this group reacts differently to alcohol than family history negative (FHN) subjects. These different levels of sensitivity may make FHP persons more likely to consume alcohol. Here, we tested the hypothesis that subjects FHP for type 1 alcoholism (according to Cloninger) are more sensitive than control subjects to the stimulative, properties of alcohol following a single moderate dose of alcohol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one healthy men and women (22 FHP and 29 FHN) participated in 2 laboratory sessions, in which they consumed a beverage containing ethanol (0.6 g/kg in juice) or placebo (juice alone) in a randomized order. Primary dependent measures were self-report questionnaires of mood states.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with family history of type 1 alcoholism showed increased stimulative responses and an elevated positive mood state after ethanol compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At this moderate dose, ethanol increased stimulative subjective responses in individuals who were "family history positive." This enhanced sensitivity could motivate to exaggerated drinking and thereby increase the risk for developing alcoholism.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Neurophysiology, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. anna.soderpalm@neuro.gu.se
authors.forename: Anna H V
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Söderpalm Gordh
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Söderpalm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001944:Breath Tests; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000506:poisoning*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000506:poisoning*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D011594:Psychometrics; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D010919:Placebos; D000431:Ethanol