Four chromosome contains genes that affect drinking behaviors in smokers
The researchers believe that alcoholism is a complex behavior that draws from both environmental and genetic factors. A recent survey of families selected for their smoking behavior, the same region of chromosome four that was based on earlier studies at the onset of alcohol has been identified. The findings are published in the December issue of Alcoholism: Clinical N. Christina Lessov-Schlaggar, Karen S. Hudmon and Huijun Z. Ring, Center for Health Sciences at SRI International, Christopher Amos M. UTD. Anderson Cancer Center, Heidi S. Feiler of the neurology department at the Institute for Gallo, Judy A. Andrews, Elizabeth Tildesley and Hyman Hops of the Oregon Research Institute, and Neal L. Benowitz, Division of Pharmacology, University of California at San Francisco. Thestudy was funded by the University of California research program on snuff and diseases of California. (Funding for the initial study was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.Kirk C. Wilhelmsen, MD, Ph.D. Gary E. Gallo Institute kirkmed.unc.edu Swan, Ph.D. gary.