Effects of Psychosocial Factors and the Genotypes of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase II and Tryptophan Hydroxylase on the Alcohol Use in Freshmen of a University / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to investigate the genetic polymorphism of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) II and Tryptophan Hydroxylase (TPH) and examine effects of socio-demographic, psychological and genetic factors on the alcohol use in freshmen of a university in Korea. METHODS: ALDH II (N=534) and TPH (N=504) genotypes of 551 subjects were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The severity of alcohol drinking was assessed by average alcohol use per drinking episode and frequency of drinking per month. Characteristics of alcohol related behaviors, socio-demographic information, and motives and expectancies of drinking in the subjects, were assessed by designed questionnaires and selfreport scales. RESULTS: The frequencies of NN, ND, and DD genotype of ALDH II (N=534) were 64.0%, 30.1%, and 5.8%, while those of AA, AC, and CC genotypes of TPH (N=504) were 31.7%, 48.4%, 19.8% respectively. The distribution of ALDH II genotypes was not correlated with that of TPH genotypes. Subjects with D (-) (NN) genotype showed more average alcohol use per drinking episode (chi2 trend=29.42, p=0.001) and higher severity index of alcohol drinking (F=9.36, df=2, p=0.000) compared with those with D (+) (ND or DD) genotypes. Subjects with D (-) genotype showed higher frequency of heavy drinking behavior (chi2 trend=5.25, p=0.022) and blackout episode (chi2 trend=17.84, p=0.001). Socio-demographic, psychological, and genetic factors seemed to contribute to the severity of alcohol drinking in the subjects. CONCLUSIONS: C allele of TPH genotypes is important in determining the severity of drinking in subjects with NN genotype of ALDH II. Social motive, gender, and D allele of ALDH II genotype are contributing factors to determine the severity of drinking in total subjects. D allele of ALDH II genotypes plays an important role in determining the severity and motives of drinking, and other alcoholrelated behaviors.

Effect of the Genotypes of ALDH II and the Ways of Coping with Stress on the Alcohol Use in Freshmen of a University / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The authors investigated the genotypes of ALDH II and the ways of coping with stress affecting the alcohol use of university freshmen to see the differences associated with the alcohol use according to genotype. METHODS: Five hundred fifty one Chungbuk National University freshmen were investigated on the amount of alcohol consumption per episode, the frequency of alcohol use, and the ways of coping with stress by using a self-questionnaires. Their blood samples were also analysed for their ALDH II genotypes by PCR-RFLP method. The degree of alcohol use was calculated by integrating the amount and the frequency of alcohol use, was assessed according to ALDH II genotype, sex, the ways of coping with stress associated. Collected data was analysed by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis according to genotype and sex. RESULTS: There was a significant difference of the amount of alcohol use per episode according to ALDH II genotype. But there was no difference of the frequency of alcohol use according to ALDH II genotype. Subjects with ND and DD genotype showed significantly lower degree of alcohol use than NN genotype. Women showed significantly lower amount, frequency and degree of alcohol use than men. Active coping, emotional expression, religious seeking, and support seeking for problem solving were associated with the degree of alcohol use in the group with D allele. Religious coping and fatalism were associated with the degree of alcohol use in women. CONCLUSION: There are significant differences of the degree of alcohol use and the ways of coping to stress according to sex and ALDH II genotype.