Abstract
Alcohol is one of the most widely used chemical substances in our society. Nearly 75% of American adults use alcohol, and 15% of these adults develop lifelong health problems associated with its abuse. Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) is characterized by the development of tolerance (a reduction in the effect of alcohol after single or repeated administration), withdrawal (a state of central nervous system hyperexcitability once alcohol is removed), and a maladaptive pattern of use (loss of control). Why some individuals become alcoholics and others do not has been a question under active investigation by researchers for a number of years. There are clear genetic components to the multidimensional disorder of alcoholism supported by half-sibling and adoption studies.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Nutrient-Gene Interactions in Health and Disease |
| Publisher | CRC Press |
| Pages | 131-162 |
| Number of pages | 32 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781420039108 |
| ISBN (Print) | 0849322162, 9780849322167 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2001 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)