Evidence for genetic predisposition to alcohol dependence
Twin studies provide evidence that alcohol dependence is at least partly genetically determined. Picken's study of alcoholic male twins showed that the relative importance of predisposing factors were:
- 50% family environment
- 36% genetic
- 14% other environmental factors
(Pickens et al. Heterogeneity in the inheritance of alcoholism. Archives of general psychiatry 1991)
The genetic contribution to alcoholism in females is lower: 20-25%
(Ball. Genetic approaches to alcohol dependence. British J psychiatry 2004)
Which genes might be responsible? It seems likely that genes which determine how effectively we metabolise alcohol play at least some role. For example: