Citation

Virkkunen M, Linnoila M. Recent. Dev. Alcohol. 1997; 13: 173-189.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Plenum Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9122495

Abstract

This chapter examines current, common schemes to subgroup alcoholics to arrive at relatively homogeneous groups of patients to facilitate psychobiological and molecular genetic studies. Early-onset, male-limited alcoholism is commonly associated with antisocial personality disorder or antisocial behavioral traits. It is often preceded by early-onset aggressiveness, which is followed by conduct disorder. Early-onset alcoholism among men is associated with low central serotonin turnover rate. The data concerning platelet MAO activity and serotonin uptake to platelets among early-onset alcoholics are conflicting. Recent molecular genetic and brain imaging studies on early-onset alcoholics are preliminary but appear very promising.

Language: en