Alcohol
Volume 44, Issue 2 , Pages 131-139, March 2010

Early onset alcohol dependence with high density of family history is not “male limited”

  • Åsa Magnusson

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
    • ,
  • Mona Göransson

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
    • ,
  • Markus Heilig

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
    • Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD 20892-1610, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 10 Center Drive, 10/1E-5334, Bethesda, MD 20892-1610, USA. Tel.: +1-301-435-9386; fax: +1-301-451-7498.

Received 27 August 2009; received in revised form 18 January 2010; accepted 18 January 2010.

Abstract 

Objective

Based on classical adoption studies, early onset type II alcoholism was originally described as “male limited.” We examined the possible expression of this subtype in present day alcohol-dependent women. Detailed systematic assessment was obtained from 200 treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent women and 189 healthy population controls. Women fulfilling type II alcoholism criteria had higher alcoholism severity as measured by The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and markedly higher use of illicit drugs. Both alcoholism subtypes scored higher than normal on anxiety and impulsivity traits, but type II women scored markedly higher on aggression subscales than either of the other groups. Importantly, density of family history was markedly higher in type II women, suggesting a higher heritability. Despite its original description as male limited, early onset alcoholism with high density of family history is likely to be a valid construct in women. Its recognition has important implications for diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Keywords: Alcoholism, Women, Subtypes, Personality, Heritability, Illicit drugs

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PII: S0741-8329(10)00002-9

doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2010.01.001

Alcohol
Volume 44, Issue 2 , Pages 131-139, March 2010

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