Gene-Environment Interations Underlying Alcoholism Vulne

童年的逆境往往早于反社会行为等外化行为和抑郁等内化行为，这两种行为都是饮酒问题和酗酒的危险因素。我们使用来自父母和教师自我报告问卷调查的数据，这些数据来自英国雅芳父母和儿童纵向研究（ALSPAC）中大约7000名白人女孩和男孩的队列，这些母亲是在怀孕早期招募的，他们的孩子直到8岁。我们对这些孩子进行了基因分型？3个基因：单胺氧化酶A （MAOA）、血清素转运蛋白（HTT）和儿茶酚o -甲基转移酶（COMT）。我们正在研究基因-环境相互作用对酒精中毒易感性障碍发展的纵向影响。

Childhood adversity often pre-dates externalizing behaviors such as antisocial behavior and internalizing behaviors such as depression, both of which are risk factors for problem drinking and alcoholism. We are using data derived from parental and teacher self-report questionnaires in a cohort of approximately 7000 Caucasian girls and boys from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), U.K. Mothers were recruited in early pregnancy and data is available on their children up to age 8. We have genotyped the children?s DNA for functional polymorphisms in three genes: monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), serotonin transporter (HTT) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). We are looking at the longitudinal influence of gene-environment interactions on the development of alcoholism vulnerability disorders. We have found that maternal psychopathology experienced by children at age 0 ? 2 years has a significant effect on conduct, hyperactivity and ADHD that persists at least until age 8. Stressful life events experienced during the same time frame has the same, although less powerful, influence. We have found an interaction between the MAOA VNTR variant and life events on behavior, particularly hyperactivity, in both boys and girls. Further analyses are underway. Preliminary analyses on the interaction between the HTT promoter polymorphism, HTTLPR, and life events indicate an influence on emotionality. In contrast, preliminary analyses of the interaction of the COMT Val158Met and life events indicate no influence on childhood emotionality.