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Monoamine oxidases and alcoholism. II. Studies in alcoholic families

Journal Article · · American Journal of Medical Genetics
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Washington Univ. School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (United States)
Thirty-five alcoholic families have been studied to investigate the relationship between DNA markers at the monoamine oxidase (MAO) loci and (1) platelet activity levels and (2) alcoholism. A quantitative linkage analysis failed to reveal any evidence that the variation in activity levels cosegregates with the DNA markers. A sib-pair analysis did not reveal a significant excess of MAO haplotype sharing among alcoholic sibs, although the deviation from random sharing was in the direction consistent with an X-linked component. A reanalysis of platelet MAO activity levels in a subset of these families revealed that the lower levels previously found in alcoholics is more likely due to the differences between males and females. Only among males and only when a {open_quotes}broad{close_quotes} definition of alcoholism is used (and MAO activity levels are transformed to normality) does it appear that alcoholics have depressed activities compared to nonalcoholics. Finally, when the confounding due to gender difference is removed, no differences between type I and type II alcoholics are found in these families. 63 refs., 6 tabs.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
254386
Journal Information:
American Journal of Medical Genetics, Journal Name: American Journal of Medical Genetics Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 60; ISSN 0148-7299; ISSN AJMGDA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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