Alcohol Involvement in Asian American Men and Women

描述(申请人提供)：酒精中毒(酒精滥用和依赖)是一种常见的疾病，发病年龄高峰在成年早期，病因复杂。主要由欧洲高加索血统的参与者组成的双胞胎研究表明，遗传因素导致了男女酒精依赖风险的40%-60%。然而，目前关于基因对酒精中毒的影响是如何中介或调节的(例如，基因与环境的相互作用)，人们知之甚少。到目前为止，乙醛脱氢酶ALDH2基因与酒精依赖有最强烈和最一致的关联。变异的ALDH2*2等位基因在亚洲人群中的患病率很高，几乎是独一无二的。这项研究以18-19岁的中国和韩裔美国大学生为样本，旨在前瞻性地测试一种机制途径的关键要素，该途径被假设为解释拥有ALDH2*2等位基因如何保护个人免受酒精使用障碍(AUD)的影响。据推测，ALDH2*2将导致对酒精的高度反应，降低对酒精的积极预期，并降低饮酒率、过度使用和不良饮酒后果。这项拟议的研究还旨在测试ALDH2*2和酒精参与变量之间关系的潜在调节因素。假设女性、韩国人、高度文化适应、高度宗教、高度反社会、高度行为失控、有更大的负面情绪、有AUDS家族史、父母酗酒、兄弟姐妹酗酒、同龄人酗酒、没有ADH1B*2等位基因将降低ALDH2*2的效应大小。该研究的一个探索性目的是检查其他ADH和ALDH基因多态与酒精参与变量的关联。这项研究的发现将为研究不足的人群--亚裔美国人男性和女性--在饮酒行为(上大学)的高环境风险时期的酒精使用和酒精问题的发展历程提供重要信息。使用明确测量的变量识别基因修饰物将更全面地理解酒精参与的病因学中涉及的因素和过程的复杂相互作用。公共卫生相关性：这项研究的结果将有助于更全面地了解ALDH2基因与酒精相关行为进展之间的因果关系，以及涉及酒精参与的病因学的因素和过程的复杂相互作用。尽管对普通人群中酗酒的病因还有很多需要了解的地方，这些发现将有助于更好地理解涉及酒精的原因和后果的种族和民族差异，以及研究结果在不同群体中的普适性。通过这种理解，拟议研究的结果有可能导致更有效地预防酒精中毒。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Alcoholism (alcohol abuse and dependence) is a common disorder with a peak age of onset in early adulthood and a complex etiology. Twin studies comprised predominantly of participants of European Caucasian ancestry have shown genetic factors contribute 40-60 percent of the risk for the development of alcohol dependence in both sexes. Yet, very little is currently known about how genetic influences on alcoholism are mediated or moderated (e.g., gene-environment interactions). The aldehyde dehydrogenase ALDH2 gene, to date, has the strongest and most consistent associations with alcohol dependence. The variant ALDH2*2 allele is found in high prevalence, and almost exclusively, in Asian populations. Using a sample of 18-19 year-old Chinese and Korean American college students, the proposed study aims to prospectively test key elements of a mechanistic pathway hypothesized to explain how possession of ALDH2*2 alleles protect individuals against alcohol use disorders (AUDs). It is hypothesized ALDH2*2 will lead to heightened responses to alcohol, reduced positive expectancies about alcohol, and decreased rates of use, heavy use, and adverse drinking consequences. The proposed study also aims to test for potential moderators of the relationships between ALDH2*2 and alcohol involvement variables. It is hypothesized that being female, Korean, highly acculturated, highly religious, highly antisocial, highly behaviorally undercontrolled, with greater negative affect, with a family history of AUDs, with parents who drink more heavily, with siblings who drink more heavily, with peers who drink more heavily, and without ADH1B*2 alleles will decrease the effect sizes of ALDH2*2. An exploratory aim of the proposed study is to examine other ADH and ALDH gene polymorphisms for associations with alcohol involvement variables. Findings from this research will provide important information about the developmental course of alcohol use and alcohol problems in an understudied population, Asian American men and women, during a period of high environmental risk for drinking behavior (college attendance). The identification of gene modifiers using explicitly measured variables will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay of factors and processes involved in the etiology of alcohol involvement. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Results from this study will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the causal relationship between the ALDH2 gene and the progression of alcohol-related behaviors, as well as the complex interplay of factors and processes involved in the etiology of alcohol involvement. Insofar as much remains to be learned about the etiology of alcoholism in the general population, these findings will contribute to a greater understanding of racial and ethnic disparities in the causes and consequences of alcohol involvement and the generalizability of findings across groups. Through this understanding, findings from the proposed research have the potential to lead to more effective prevention of alcoholism.