Nature-Nurture Interactions in Alcoholism Twin, Adoption, and High-Risk Studies

Abstract

It is an old observation that alcoholism runs in families. The nature-nurture discussion of the etiology of alcoholism has been strengthend by new research strategies, namely twin and adoption studies. In this paper the main results from such family studies are reviewed, suggesting a considerable genetic (biologic) component in the etiology of alcoholism. Finally, the longitudinal high-risk method is emphasized as a suitable research strategy to test both biologic and environmental hypotheses in the development of alcoholism.