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Old 12-08-2008, 09:33 PM
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doorknob
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Davenport, WA
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From Chapter 7: Genetic Headlines Meet Laboratory Realities

My friend Kevin comes from a mixed Native American and Irish background. On his father’s side, all the male ancestors as far back as anyone can remember died of alcoholism, directly or indirectly. Six of his mother’s sisters died of alcoholism, and so did both maternal grandparents. It is a safe bet that if alcoholism comes in the genes, Kevin has those genes. But Kevin doesn’t drink or do other drugs. He’s had a few nips now and then at ceremonial occasions but as a general rule he doesn’t touch the stuff. It just doesn’t appeal to him.

Sarah was Jewish. Nobody in her family tree, going back at least four generations, has ever had an issue with drinking or other addictions. Sarah started drinking in a college sorority, started doing pills not long after, and kept this up for almost three decades. When I met her, her friends said she was drinking two liters of vodka per day. Her skin was yellowing, a sign of liver failure. She refused to consider slowing down or stopping. She died at 49.

These examples touch only the surface of the problem of determining what role genetic factors play in the development of alcoholism and other addictions. Almost everyone knows a heavy drinker with a long family history of alcoholism who very probably inherited alcoholism in their genes. But almost everyone also knows people who break that stereotype, people like Kevin who should be alcoholics by family history but who don’t drink, and others like Sarah who have no sign of genetic background but drink and suffer with the worst of them.

Newspapers headlines occasionally announce that “the alcoholism gene” has been found. Headlines appear such as “Born to the Bottle” and “Gene and Tonic: Science Proves that Alcoholics Can’t Help it.” Popular excitement follows. But when the research is checked by other laboratories, the claims become smaller, and soon they evaporate.
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