Biomaterial Database

Potential biochemical markers for the predisposition toward alcoholism. 1991

R Eskay, and M Linnoila

Laboratory of Clinical Studies, DICBR, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.

For over two decades, evidence has been accumulating that supports a genetic predisposition to alcoholism and the presence of subgroups among alcoholics. With this knowledge, searches are underway for biological markers, including biochemical trait markers, for predisposition to alcoholism. Most promising results to date have been obtained in studies on various enzyme activities in lymphocytes, platelets, and fibroblasts. Measurement of monoamine oxidase activity in platelets and adenylate cyclase activity in platelets and lymphocytes should enable rapid investigation of relatively large groups of subjects at high risk to become alcoholics. Such studies could generate a valid biochemical marker for vulnerability in alcoholism, which is not available at the present time.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004798	Enzymes	Biological molecules that possess catalytic activity. They may occur naturally or be synthetically created. Enzymes are usually proteins, however CATALYTIC RNA and CATALYTIC DNA molecules have also been identified.	Biocatalyst,Enzyme,Biocatalysts
D005819	Genetic Markers	A phenotypically recognizable genetic trait which can be used to identify a genetic locus, a linkage group, or a recombination event.	Chromosome Markers,DNA Markers,Markers, DNA,Markers, Genetic,Genetic Marker,Marker, Genetic,Chromosome Marker,DNA Marker,Marker, Chromosome,Marker, DNA,Markers, Chromosome
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000437	Alcoholism	A primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. Each of these symptoms may be continuous or periodic. (Morse & Flavin for the Joint Commission of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine to Study the Definition and Criteria for the Diagnosis of Alcoholism: in JAMA 1992;268:1012-4)	Alcohol Abuse,Alcoholic Intoxication, Chronic,Ethanol Abuse,Alcohol Addiction,Alcohol Dependence,Alcohol Use Disorder,Abuse, Alcohol,Abuse, Ethanol,Addiction, Alcohol,Alcohol Use Disorders,Chronic Alcoholic Intoxication,Dependence, Alcohol,Intoxication, Chronic Alcoholic,Use Disorders, Alcohol
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D016241	Child of Impaired Parents	Child with one or more parents afflicted by a physical or mental disorder.	Children of Impaired Parents,Offspring of Impaired Parents,Impaired Parents' Children,Children, Impaired Parents',Impaired Parents Offspring,Impaired Parents Offsprings,Parents Offspring, Impaired,Parents Offsprings, Impaired