title: Subjective response to alcohol and ADH polymorphisms in a select sample of young adult male East Indians and Africans in Trinidad and Tobago.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Level of response to alcohol has been associated with risk of alcohol dependence in a number of ethnic groups. In the present study, subjective and objective responses to alcohol were evaluated in Indo-Trinidadians (Indo-T) and Afro-Trinidadians (Afro-T). Associations of alcohol dehydrogenase polymorphisms with response to alcohol, using the Subjective High Assessment Scale (SHAS), and breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC) were tested.
  
  
  METHODS
  Regular male drinkers without alcohol dependence (n = 112) ages 18-25 years participated in alcohol challenge sessions consisting of placebo and two doses of alcohol (target BrAC: 0 g/dl for placebo, .04 g/dl low dose, and .08 g/dl high dose) and genotyped for variants in ADH1B*3 and ADH1C*2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Indo-T had significantly higher BrAC, pulse rates, and cortisol levels when compared with Afro-T but did not have significantly higher SHAS values. Higher responses on the SHAS items muddle/confused and nauseated were significantly associated with the presence of at least one ADH1B*3 allele following the high dose of alcohol in Afro-T. Indo-T with at least one ADH1C*2 allele displayed significantly different Drug × Time interactions for the SHAS item effects of alcohol at the low dose and for the SHAS items clumsy, muddle/confused, effects of alcohol, floating, drunk, and total at the high dose from Indo-T with two ADH1C*1 alleles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study that has investigated individual sensitivity to alcohol in a Caribbean population and in people of East Indian descent. Indo-T with at least one ADH1C*2 allele may be at higher risk for heavy drinking by feeling less of the effects of alcohol, including nausea. In Afro-T, having at least one ADH1B*3 allele appears to exert a protective effect by enhancing the unpleasant effects of alcohol, such as nausea and confusion.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Unit, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Lazara Karelia
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Montane Jaime
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shafe
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Tiebing
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Derek N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Wills
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Greta I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Cindy L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ehlers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D044383:Black People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C489332:ADH1B protein, human; C420272:ADH1C protein, human; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase