TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic and environmental contributions to alcohol dependence risk in a national twin sample
T2 - Consistency of findings in women and men
AU - Heath, A. C.
AU - Bucholz, K. K.
AU - Madden, P. A.F.
AU - Dinwiddie, S. H.
AU - Slutske, W. S.
AU - Bierut, L. J.
AU - Statham, D. J.
AU - Dunne, M. P.
AU - Whitfield, J. B.
AU - Martin, N. G.
PY - 1997/11
Y1 - 1997/11
N2 - Background. Genetic influences on alcoholism risk are well-documented in men, but uncertain in women. We tested for gender differences in genetic influences on, and risk-factors for, DSM-III-R alcohol dependence (AD). Method. Diagnostic follow-up interviews were conducted in 1992-3 by telephone with twins from an Australian twin panel first surveyed in 1980-82(N = 588 respondents). Data were analysed using logistic regression models. Results. Significantly higher twin pair concordances were observed in MZ compared to DZ same-sex twin pairs in women and men, even when data were weighted to adjust for over-representation of well-educated respondents, and for selective attrition. AD risk was increased in younger birth cohorts, in Catholic males or women reporting no religious affiliation, in those reporting a history of conduct disorder or major depression and in those with high Neuroticism, Social Nonconformity, Toughmindedness, Novelty-Seeking or (in women only) Extraversion scores; and decreased in 'Other Protestants', weekly church attenders, and university-educated males. Controlling for these variables, however, did not remove the significant association with having an alcoholic MZ co-twin, implying that much of the genetic influence on AD risk remained unexplained. No significant gender difference in the genetic variance in AD was found (64% heritability, 95% confidence interval 32-73%). Conclusions. Genetic risk-factors play as important a role in determining AD risk in women as in men. With the exception of certain sociocultural variables such as religious affiliation, the same personality, sociodemographic and axis I correlates of alcoholism risk are observed in women and men.
AB - Background. Genetic influences on alcoholism risk are well-documented in men, but uncertain in women. We tested for gender differences in genetic influences on, and risk-factors for, DSM-III-R alcohol dependence (AD). Method. Diagnostic follow-up interviews were conducted in 1992-3 by telephone with twins from an Australian twin panel first surveyed in 1980-82(N = 588 respondents). Data were analysed using logistic regression models. Results. Significantly higher twin pair concordances were observed in MZ compared to DZ same-sex twin pairs in women and men, even when data were weighted to adjust for over-representation of well-educated respondents, and for selective attrition. AD risk was increased in younger birth cohorts, in Catholic males or women reporting no religious affiliation, in those reporting a history of conduct disorder or major depression and in those with high Neuroticism, Social Nonconformity, Toughmindedness, Novelty-Seeking or (in women only) Extraversion scores; and decreased in 'Other Protestants', weekly church attenders, and university-educated males. Controlling for these variables, however, did not remove the significant association with having an alcoholic MZ co-twin, implying that much of the genetic influence on AD risk remained unexplained. No significant gender difference in the genetic variance in AD was found (64% heritability, 95% confidence interval 32-73%). Conclusions. Genetic risk-factors play as important a role in determining AD risk in women as in men. With the exception of certain sociocultural variables such as religious affiliation, the same personality, sociodemographic and axis I correlates of alcoholism risk are observed in women and men.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030734275&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0033291797005643
DO - 10.1017/S0033291797005643
M3 - Article
C2 - 9403910
AN - SCOPUS:0030734275
SN - 0033-2917
VL - 27
SP - 1381
EP - 1396
JO - Psychological medicine
JF - Psychological medicine
IS - 6
ER -