Aversive reactions and alcohol use in Europeans.

Erythrocyte aldehyde dehydrogenase activity: lack of association with alcohol use and dependence or alcohol reactions in Australian twins.

AIM Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been advocated as a marker of alcohol intake. The absence or low levels of ALDH1 may be associated with alcohol-induced flushing or other reactions to alcohol in Europeans and therefore, with reduced alcohol use. This study tested whether variation in erythrocyte ALDH1 activity was associated with alcohol use, alcohol dependence or reactions to alcohol i...

Alcohol Use Disorders: Implications for the Clinical Toxicologist

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are a health problem of high prevalence in most communities and such problems account for 5% of the total burden of disease worldwide. Clinical toxicologists are commonly required to treat patients having AUDs and associated drug/alcohol-related harm. There have been recent changes to some of the diagnostic criteria (notably in DSM V) relevant to AUDs, with older te...

Alcohol-Medication Interactions: The Acetaldehyde Syndrome

Medications that inhibit aldehyde dehydrogenase when coadministered with alcohol produce accumulation of acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde toxic effects are characterized by facial flushing, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia and hypotension, symptoms known as acetaldehyde syndrome, disulfiram-like reactions or antabuse effects. Severe and even fatal outcomes are reported. Besides the aversive drugs used i...

Effects of variation at the ALDH2 locus on alcohol metabolism, sensitivity, consumption, and dependence in Europeans.

BACKGROUND The low-activity variant of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene found in East Asian populations leads to the alcohol flush reaction and reduces alcohol consumption and risk of alcohol dependence (AD). We have tested whether other polymorphisms in the ALDH2 gene have similar effects in people of European ancestry. METHODS Serial measurements of blood and breath alcohol, subjec...

Parent and offspring alcohol use; imitative and aversive transmission.