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ADH2 and Alcohol-Related Phenotypes in Ashkenazic Jewish American College Students

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Abstract

A variety of genetically influenced alcohol-related phenotypes relate to risk for alcohol dependence. In Asians, variation in the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH2) gene relates to alcohol dependence, alcohol consumption, and reported alcohol-related symptoms, even after controlling for variation in the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) gene. The association of ADH2 polymorphisms with alcohol-related behavior, however, has not been well characterized in non-Asians. This study evaluated 84 Ashkenazic Jewish American college students to determine the prevalence of the ADH2*2 allele (0.31). Carriers of ADH2*2 reported significantly fewer drinking days per month. ADH2*2, however, was not related to alcohol use disorders, alcohol-induced flushing and associated symptoms, number of binge drinking episodes in the past 90 days, maximum number of drinks ever consumed, or self-reported levels of response to alcohol. Results suggest that Ashkenazic Jewish Americans with ADH2*2 alleles drink less frequently, which might contribute, in part, to the overall lower rates of alcoholism in this population.

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Shea, S.H., Wall, T.L., Carr, L.G. et al. ADH2 and Alcohol-Related Phenotypes in Ashkenazic Jewish American College Students. Behav Genet 31, 231–239 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010261713092

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