ALDH2, ADH1B and alcohol expectancies: Integrating genetic and learning perspectives.

The present study evaluated associations of ALDH2 and ADH1B genotypes with alcohol expectancies and drinking behavior in a sample of Asian American young adults. In addition to assessing global alcohol expectancies, the authors developed a measure of physiological expectancies to evaluate an expectancy phenotype specific to the mechanism by which ALDH2 and ADH1B variations presumably influence drinking behavior. Compared with individuals with the ALDH2*1/*1 genotype, those with the ALDH2*2 allele reported greater negative alcohol expectancies, greater expectancies for physiological effects of alcohol and lower rates of alcohol use. ADH1B was not associated with alcohol expectancies or drinking behavior. Hierarchical models showed that demographic factors, ALDH2 genotype, and expectancy variables explained unique variance in drinking outcomes. Mediation tests showed significant indirect effects of ALDH2 on drinking frequency and peak lifetime consumption through expectancies. These results provide support for influences of genetic factors and alcohol sensitivity on alcohol-related learning and suggest the importance of developing biopsychosocial models of drinking behavior in Asian Americans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Integrating biological and behavioral factors in alcohol use risk: The role of ALDH2 status and alcohol expectancies in a sample of Asian Americans.

Prior studies have shown that the ALDH2*2 genetic variant, most common in individuals of Asian descent, is related to heightened sensitivity to alcohol and can serve as a protective factor against alcohol problems. This study explored the effect of this factor on alcohol expectancies. It was hypothesized that (a) individuals with ALDH2*2 alleles would have lower positive expectancies and higher negative expectancies, (b) expectancies would mediate the ALDH2-drinking relation, and (c) ALDH2 status would moderate the expectancy-drinking relation. Data were collected from 171 Asian American university students. Positive expectancy and ALDH2 status were correlated with alcohol use. Mediation and moderation hypotheses were supported only in the female sample. Results were not significant for negative expectancies. These results indicate that ALDH2 status may protect against drinking by lowering positive expectancies and reducing the expectancy-drinking relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol metabolism in Asian-American men with genetic polymorphisms of aldehyde dehydrogenase

BACKGROUND: About half of certain Asians have a deficiency of the low-Km aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) isoenzyme. This deficiency results from inheritance of a mutant ALDH2*2 allele. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Asian Americans with ALDH2*2 alleles differ from Asian Americans without this mutation in terms of blood levels of alcohol and acetaldehyde after ingestion of a moderate amount of alcohol. DESIGN: Double-blind, crossover study. SETTING: Private research institute. PARTICIPANTS: 35 healthy Asian-American men. Three men who became ill after alcohol ingestion and one who had outlying data were excluded. INTERVENTION: Alcoholic beverage, containing 0.56 g of alcohol per kg of body weight, or placebo beverage, containing 3 mL of alcohol, given orally on separate occasions. MEASUREMENTS: Blood levels of alcohol and acetaldehyde measured before and several times after ingestion of the alcoholic or placebo beverage. RESULTS: Participants with ALDH2*2 alleles had significantly higher blood acetaldehyde levels after ingesting alcoholic and placebo beverages than did participants with ALDH2*1 alleles, despite similar blood alcohol concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Blood acetaldehyde levels rather than blood alcohol concentration may mediate enhanced alcohol sensitivity among Asians with ALDH2*2 alleles.     

Binge drinking in Chinese, Korean, and White college students: Genetic and ethnic group differences.

Studies of Asian college students have found that rates of binge drinking are associated with variation in the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) gene. Chinese and Koreans have different prevalence rates of the ALDH2?*?2 allele, alcohol use, and alcoholism. The association of ALDH2 status and ethnic group with binge drinking was examined in 328 Chinese, Korean, and White college students. Ethnic group differences were found, with Whites having the highest rate of binge drinking, followed by Koreans and then Chinese. Among Asian participants, ALDH2 status and ethnicity related to binge drinking in an additive manner. Possessing an ALDH2?*?2 allele and being Chinese were protective factors, and being White and being Korean without an ALDH2?*?2 allele were risk factors for binge drinking. These results suggest that ALDH2 status, as well as other factors that differ in Koreans and Chinese, but do not interact with ALDH2, are associated with binge drinking among Asians. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genetic Associations of Alcohol Dehydrogenase With Alcohol Use Disorders and Endophenotypes in White College Students.

Associations of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) gene polymorphisms (ADH1B*2 and ADH1C*1) with a lifetime alcohol use disorder (AUD) were examined in White college students. Alcohol-related endophenotypes likely to be influenced by elevations in acetaldehyde were also assessed. Individuals with an ADH1B*2 allele had lower rates of AUDs, consumed a lower maximum number of drinks in a 24-hr period, reported a greater level of response to alcohol, were more likely to have experienced alcohol-induced headaches following 1 or 2 drinks, and reported more severe hangovers than those lacking this allele. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that enhanced sensitivity to alcohol and lower levels of alcohol use reflect the mechanism by which ADH1B*2 protects against developing an AUD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol-related cancers and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 in Japanese alcoholics

Aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) eliminates most of the acetaldehyde produced during alcohol metabolism. In some drinkers, a mutant ALDH2 allele contributes to diminished activity of the enzyme, dramatically increasing the risk for esophageal cancer. This study was designed to evaluate the ALDH2 gene polymorphism as a predictor of the development of cancers prevalent in Japanese alcoholics. We performed ALDH2 genotyping on lymphocyte DNA samples from Japanese alcoholic men (487 cancer-free; 237 with cancer, including 34 oropharyngolaryngeal, 87 esophageal, 58 stomach, 46 colon, 18 liver, 7 lung, 9 other sites, and 19 multiple primary cancers in two or three organs). The frequencies of the mutant ALDH2*2 allele were significantly higher in alcoholics with oropharyngolaryngeal (52.9%), esophageal (52.9%), stomach (22.4%), colon (21.7%) and esophageal cancer concomitant with oropharyngolaryngeal and/or stomach cancer (78.6%), than in cancer-free alcoholics (9.0%). After adjustment for age, daily alcohol consumption and amount of cigarette smoking, significantly increased risks (odds ratios) in the presence of the ALDH2 *2 allele were found for oropharyngolaryngeal (11.14), esophageal (12.50), stomach (3.49), colon (3.35), lung (8.20) and esophageal cancer concomitant with oropharyngolaryngeal and/or stomach cancer (54.20) but not for liver or other cancers. These results suggest a general role of acetaldehyde, a recognized animal carcinogen, in the development of human cancers.     

Development of a questionnaire method to discriminate between typical and atypical genotypes of low Km aldehyde dehydrogenase in a Japanese population

Nearly half of all Orientals exhibit aversive symptoms, such as "Oriental flushing" or palpitation, during alcohol consumption. This high alcohol sensitivity among Orientals has been attributed to a highly prevalent polymorphism in low Km aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2). In the present study, we attempted to develop a reliable questionnaire method to probe the frequency of alcohol drinking-related symptoms to estimate the ALDH2 genotype. Four-hundred twenty-four male and 100 female workers provided blood samples for polymerase chain reaction analysis and completed the questionnaire. We performed a stepwise logistic regression analysis to discriminate between the typical homozygote (ALDH2*1/*1) and the atypical heterozygote (ALDH2*1/*2) in male subjects. Because of the limitation in the sample size for ALDH2*2/*2, this genotype was not included in the analysis. Results revealed that only three symptoms (facial flushing, flushing elsewhere, and palpitation) were enough to correctly predict the ALDH2 genotypes in approximately 89% of all subjects. The present questionnaire method (ALcohol Sensitivity screening Test; ALST) takes a little time and effort for the genotype determination, and may be especially useful in epidemiological studies with a large sample size or with subjects from whom DNA samples are not available.     

Meta-analyses of ALDH2 and ADH1B with alcohol dependence in Asians.

Meta-analyses were conducted to determine the magnitude of relationships between polymorphisms in 2 genes, ALDH2 and ADH1B, with alcohol dependence in Asians. For each gene, possession of 1 variant *2 allele was protective against alcohol dependence, and possession of a 2nd *2 allele did not offer significant additional protection. The protective effects of these 2 gene polymorphisms were independent. Diagnostic criteria, recruitment strategy, and Japanese ethnicity moderated the effect of ALDH2*2. Recruitment strategy and gender moderated the effect of ADH1B*2. These findings highlight the importance of methodological issues and potential gene-gene and gene-environment interactions that must be considered when examining relationships between genetic polymorphisms and phenotypes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Racial variation of factor VII activity and antigen levels and their correlates in healthy Chinese and Indians at low and high risk for coronary artery disease

We examined the genotypes of ALDH2, ADH2, ADH3 and P-4502E1 loci of alcoholics and nonalcoholics. Also we compared the frequencies of the homozygous ALDH2*1/1 genotype and heterozygous ALDH2*1/2 genotypes in alcoholics. Our study reported differences in the allelic frequencies of ALDH2, ADH2 and ADH3 loci between alcoholics and nonalcoholics. For alcoholics, it was indicated that ADH2 and ADH3 plays an important role for alcoholism. For genotypes of P-4502E1, no significant difference was observed between alcoholics and nonalcoholics. Alcoholics with the heterozygous ALDH2*1/2 genotype had significantly higher frequency of the ADH2*1 than that of alcoholics with ALDH2*1/1 genotype. Concerning the alcoholics with the heterozygous ALDH2*1/2 genotype, we assumed that ADH2*1 plays a role for the development of alcoholism.     

The relation of alcohol use to HIV-risk sexual behavior among adults with a severe and persistent mental illness.

The authors examined the relationship between alcohol use and HIV-risk sexual behavior and tested whether alcohol use immediately prior to sex is related to decreased condom use. The participants were 159 adults living with a severe and persistent mental illness. Each participated in a structured interview to assess all sexual and drug-use behavior over a 3-month period. Analysis of 3,026 sexual behaviors reported by 123 sexually active participants indicated that at the global level, participants who drank more heavily were more likely to have engaged in sexual risk behavior. At the event level, however, alcohol use was not related to condom use during vaginal or anal intercourse; that is, participants who used condoms when sober tended to use them to the same extent when drinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dodecylphosphocholine micelles as a membrane-like environment: new results from NMR relaxation and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement analysis

PURPOSE: To identify specific alcohol use beliefs and behaviors among local high school students; to determine whether relationships exist between alcohol use and various sociodemographic and lifestyle behaviors; and to assist in the development and implementation of alcohol abuse prevention programs. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved the completion of a questionnaire by 1236 Grade 9-13 students (86% response rate) from 62 randomly selected classrooms in three Canadian urban schools. Data analyzed here are part of a larger lifestyle survey. RESULTS: A total of 24% of students reported never having tasted alcohol, 22% have tasted alcohol but do not currently drink, 39% are current moderate drinkers, 11% are current heavy drinkers (five or more drinks on one occasion at least once a month), and 5% did not answer. Reasons stated most often for not drinking were "bad for health" and "upbringing," while reasons stated most often for drinking were "enjoy it" and "to get in a party mood." Student drinking patterns were significantly related to gender, ethnicity, grade, and the reported drinking habits of parents and friends. Older male adolescents who describe their ethnicity as Canadian are at higher risk for heavy drinking than students who are younger or female, or identify their ethnicity as European or Asian. Current heavy drinkers are at higher risk than other students for engaging in other high-risk behaviors such as drinking and driving, being a passenger in a car when the driver is intoxicated, and daily smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy alcohol use in adolescents remains an important community health concern. Older self-described Canadian and Canadian-born male adolescents are at higher risk for heavy drinking. Current and heavy drinking rises significantly between Grades 9 and 12. Students who drink heavily are more likely to drink and drive, to smoke daily, and to have friends and parents who drink alcohol.     

Examining possible gender differences among cocaine-dependent outpatients.

Potential differences in sociodemographics, drug use, and measures of treatment outcome were examined among 137 male and 51 female cocaine-dependent outpatients. More women than men were unemployed, received public assistance, and were living with their children. Women reported fewer years of regular cocaine use, spending less money per week on cocaine, less prior treatment for cocaine abuse, and were more likely than men to test positive for cocaine at intake. With respect to other drug use, fewer women than men reported using sedatives and tested positive for sedatives at intake. Women reported a lower frequency of alcohol use before intake, and fewer women than men met criteria for cannabis dependence. Men and women experienced comparable improvement during the course of treatment and follow-up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol and risky sexual behavior: Event-based analyses among a sample of high-risk women.

The effect of alcohol consumption on sexual behavior was examined in a sample of 123 heterosexually active single women who consume alcohol moderately to heavily. Via event-based methodology, women were asked to describe 2 recent sexual encounters with a new or occasional partner, 1 involving alcohol and 1 not involving alcohol. Women were significantly more likely to have sex with a partner they had just met in the encounter involving alcohol than in the encounter not involving alcohol. However, women were no less likely to discuss birth control or AIDS prevention during the alcohol encounter, nor did they perceive less risk of pregnancy, HIV, or sexually transmitted diseases in the alcohol encounter. Although women were more likely to use condoms if they had discussed birth control or HIV prevention, condom use was not affected by alcohol consumption. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Help-seeking tendencies in Asian Americans with suicidal ideation and attempts.

Among rising concerns surrounding heightened suicide in certain subgroups of Asian Americans, it is important to understand the help-seeking rates and pathways among Asian Americans experiencing suicidality. This study examined perceived need for care, help-seeking behavior, and chosen sources of care among Asian Americans compared with Latinos in the National Latino and Asian American Study who reported a history of lifetime suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, or mental disorders without history of suicide. Consistent with existing literature in Caucasians, suicide attempts in Asian Americans and Latinos were related to greater help seeking and perceived need beyond that of mental disorders only. However, Asian Americans with suicide attempts still reported lower perceived need and help-seeking behaviors compared with Latinos. In contrast to both the existing literature and Latinos in this study, Asian Americans with suicidal ideation were no more likely to perceive a need for help or seek help than Asian Americans with a mental disorder without history of suicide and were less likely to seek and perceive a need for help than Latinos with suicidal ideation. These findings point to the idea that Asian Americans who have serious suicidal ideation or attempts may underestimate the importance of their condition and do not receive the level of attention and support needed. Findings also show that Asian Americans with suicidal ideation and attempts prefer seeking help from nonprofessional rather than professional sources of help, other than medical professionals. Clinical implications for outreach, assessment, and management of suicide are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

ALDH2 Status and Conduct Disorder Mediate the Relationship Between Ethnicity and Alcohol Dependence in Chinese, Korean, and White American College Students.

This study examined aldehyde dehydrogense (ALDH2) gene status, alcohol dehydrogense (ADH2) gene status, conduct disorder, and alcohol dependence in Chinese, Korean, and White American college students. Chinese had a lower rate of alcohol dependence (5%) than Koreans (13%) and Whites (17%). Koreans had a higher rate of conduct disorder (15%) than Whites (9%) and Chinese (6%). The relationship of ethnicity to alcohol dependence was mediated by ALDH2 status and conduct disorder, although Chinese ethnicity remained significant. ADH2 status was not related to alcohol dependence with ALDH2 included, and no interactions were significant. Results suggest that different rates of risk (e.g., conduct disorder) and protective (e.g., ALDH2 status) factors partially account for ethnic differences in rates of alcohol dependence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Polymorphism in ALDH2-genotype in Japanese men and the alcohol-blood pressure relationship

Aldehyde dehydrogenase with a low Michaelis constant (Km), ALDH2, is a major enzyme involved in the conversion of acetaldehyde, a toxic metabolite of ethanol, into acetic acid in the liver. Inherited deficiency of ALDH2 activity is found in half of Japanese, and is characterized by "Oriental flushing" after alcohol consumption. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the influence of the genetic polymorphism in alcohol metabolism on the sensitivity to the pressor effect of alcohol. Genotypes of ALDH2 were determined in 403 middle-aged Japanese men using genomic DNA extracted from white blood cells. Two hundred and forty-three (60%) of the subjects were shown to be homozygotes for the normal ALDH2 gene, 25 (6%) of the subjects were homozygotes for the mutant ALDH2 gene, and the remaining 135 (33%) were heterozygotes. None of the homozygotes for the mutant gene drank enough to show the pressor effect of alcohol. Elevations of blood pressure associated with increasing alcohol consumption or with elevations of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptide (GTP) level were not different between the other two ALDH2-genotypes. It can be concluded that polymorphism in the ALDH2-genotype found in Japanese men does not affect the individual sensitivity to the pressor effect of alcohol.     

Alcohol myopia and condom use: Can alcohol intoxication be associated with more prudent behavior?

We tested 2 competing theories about the effects of alcohol on intentions to engage in risky behavior. Disinhibition predicts that intoxicated people will exhibit risky behavior regardless of environmental cues, whereas alcohol myopia (C. M. Steele & R. A. Josephs, 1990) predicts that intoxicated people will be more or less likely to exhibit risky behavior, depending on the cues provided. In 4 studies, we found an interaction between intoxication and cue type. When impelling cues were present, intoxicated people reported greater intentions to have unprotected sex than did sober people. When subtle inhibiting cues were present, intoxicated and sober people reported equally cautious intentions (Studies 1-3). When strong inhibiting cues were present, intoxicated people reported more prudent intentions than did sober people (Study 4). We suggest that alcohol myopia provides a more comprehensive account of the effects of alcohol than does disinhibition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Short-term effects of a brief motivational intervention to reduce alcohol and drug risk among homeless adolescents.

The short-term results of a randomized trial testing a brief feedback and motivational intervention for substance use among homeless adolescents are presented. Homeless adolescents ages 14-19 (N = 285) recruited from drop-in centers at agencies and from street intercept were randomly assigned to either a brief motivational enhancement (ME) group or 1 of 2 control groups. The 1-session motivational intervention presented personal feedback about patterns of risks related to alcohol or substance use in a style consistent with motivational interviewing. Follow-up interviews were conducted at 1 and 3 months postintervention. Youths who received the motivational intervention reported reduced illicit drug use other than marijuana at 1-month follow-up compared with youths in the control groups. Treatment effects were not found with respect to alcohol or marijuana. Post hoc analyses within the ME group suggested that those who were rated as more engaged and more likely to benefit showed greater drug use reduction than did those rated as less engaged. Limitations of the study are discussed as are implications for development of future substance use interventions for this high-risk group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health-Related Behavior and Beliefs of Pregnant Smokers.

To determine the association of smoking with other health-compromising behavior and beliefs during pregnancy, a cross-sectional survey of 1,203 women in the United Kingdom assessed smoking status, stage of change, fetal health locus of control, alcohol consumption, folic acid intake, and use of vitamin and iron supplements. Twenty percent were current smokers, and 33% were alcohol users. Pregnant smokers (especially those in the precontemplative stage) were less likely to increase folic acid intake, less likely to take vitamin and iron supplements, and less likely to feel personally responsible for the health of the fetus. Infants of smokers may be placed at an intrauterine disadvantage, not only in terms of smoking, but also in terms of nutrition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The development of children's intentions to use alcohol: Direct and indirect effects of parent alcohol use and parenting behaviors.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of parent alcohol use and parenting behavior on the development of children's intentions to use alcohol in Grades 1 through 8. The authors hypothesized that the effect of parent alcohol use on children's intention to use alcohol would be mediated through parenting behavior, specifically monitoring/supervision, positive parenting, and inconsistent discipline. Using cohort-sequential latent growth modeling (LGM), the authors tested 3 models examining the effect of the development of parent alcohol use on the development of children's intentions to use alcohol, as mediated by the development of each of the 3 parenting behaviors. Multiple group analyses were used to explore gender differences. The effect of growth in parent alcohol use on growth in children's intentions was mediated only by parent monitoring/supervision and was significant only for girls. The effect of inconsistent discipline was directly related to growth in intentions for both boys and girls. Although parent alcohol use was related to less positive parenting, positive parenting was unrelated to children's intentions to use alcohol. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)