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Alcohol and Alcoholism Vol. 37, No. 6, pp. 522-533, 2002
© 2002 Medical Council on Alcohol

REVIEW

NEUROCHEMICAL MARKERS OF ALCOHOLISM VULNERABILITY IN HUMANS

Joelle E. Ratsma*, Odin Van Der Stelt1 and W. Boudewijn Gunning

Academic Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, P. O. Box 12474, 1100 AL Amsterdam, The Netherlands and
1 Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

Received 22 March 2002; accepted 10 May 2002

ABSTRACT

This review considers several neurochemical characteristics or trait markers that may be related to a genetic vulnerability to alcoholism. These potential neurochemical markers of alcoholism vulnerability include indices of activity of five neurotransmitter systems, namely {gamma}-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline and ß-endorphin. This review evaluates whether potential abnormalities in these neurochemical indices, as assessed in alcoholics and in the children of alcoholics, meet three criteria for the identification of a vulnerability marker of alcoholism: (1) heritable; (2) associated with alcoholism in the general population; (3) state independent. It is concluded that, at present, indices of increased baseline activity of the serotonin transporter in platelets and of increased responsiveness of the pituitary ß-endorphin system may fulfil each of these three criteria. Additional research efforts should be devoted to the evaluation of trait marker properties of neurochemical indices in individuals at high risk for alcoholism.


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