Genetics and Addiction to Alcohol

Abstract

In contrast to the generally accepted view that alcoholism may result from cultural, environmental and psychologic influences, newer epidemiologic evidence suggests that in addition to environmental factors there is probably a strong genetic component in this disease. Similar results in simultaneous long-range studies in three countries have been reported. In Sweden, in the records of a cohort of adopted children followed for 25 to 30 years as of October, 1976, Bohman has demonstrated that among the 89 males officially registered as alcoholics, 39.4 per cent of their biologic fathers were also registered (Bohman M: personal communication). This finding is in . . .