Background
A low level of response to alcohol has been associated with both the genetic constitution
of the regulatory region (SLC6A4) of the human serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT)
transporter (5-HTT) and with future alcohol intake and an increased risk for alcoholism.
To date, all studies of relevant polymorphisms have been carried out in populations
in the United States.
Methods
Data were extracted from a subset (n = 243) of a cohort of children who have been observed since birth through evaluation
of the family history of alcoholism and psychosocial risk influences. At age 16 years,
the response to alcohol was assessed with the Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol
(SRE) questionnaire, and the average amount of alcohol intake per month was assessed
during the prior 6 months. Additional variables that were measured included the 5-HTT
genotype, externalizing behavior, and sociodemographic variables, such as gender and
age.
Results
The level of response to alcohol was significantly lower among carriers of two long
alleles of the 5-HTT regulatory region compared with carriers of one or two short
alleles (Mann-Whitney U = 5225.0, p = .005). In a multiple regression analysis, the level of response to alcohol and
externalizing behavior but not psychosocial factors significantly predicted the average
amount of alcohol intake per month.
Conclusions
This study demonstrates that, independent of the assessed psychosocial variables,
the 5-HTT genotype correlated with the level of response to alcohol and predicted
alcohol intake among 16-year-old adolescents.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 22, 2006
Accepted:
December 8,
2005
Received in revised form:
October 16,
2005
Received:
May 9,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
