Tsuang M T, Bar J L, Harley R M, Lyons M J
Harvard Institute of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Genetics, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2001 Nov-Dec;9(6):267-79.
The Harvard Twin Study of Substance Abuse was carried out with the members of the Vietnam Era Twin (VET) Registry. The VET Registry comprises over 8000 male twins who served in the United States military between 1965 and 1975 and were subsequently interviewed regarding their use of licit and illicit substances, as well as various types of psychopathology. Our research has demonstrated significant influences by genetic, shared environmental, and unique environmental factors on the abuse of illicit substances. Multivariate analyses have indicated that the co-occurrence of abuse of various types of illicit drugs reflects a common vulnerability, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, that cuts across all categories of illicit drugs. We have also demonstrated that some drugs have unique determinants, both genetic and environmental, that are not shared with other drugs. In part, the genetic influence on marijuana abuse is mediated by genetic influence on subjective effects in response to the drug. The determinants of transitions from one stage of drug use to another differ depending on which drug or which transition is examined. We determined significant genetic influences on several aspects of nicotine and alcohol use separately, as well as genetic influences shared by both substances. We found that the co-occurrence of illicit drug abuse and major depression is due to unique environmental influences. The phenotypic association between symptoms of conduct disorder and alcohol and marijuana dependence is due largely to shared environmental influences. Our results, thus far, indicate a complex pattern of genetic and environmental influences on substance use and abuse.
哈佛药物滥用双胞胎研究是针对越南战争时期双胞胎登记处（VET登记处）的成员开展的。VET登记处包含8000多名男性双胞胎，他们在1965年至1975年期间在美国军队服役，随后接受了关于其合法和非法药物使用情况以及各类精神病理学问题的访谈。我们的研究表明，基因、共同环境和独特环境因素对非法药物滥用有重大影响。多变量分析表明，各类非法药物滥用的同时出现反映了一种共同的易感性，这种易感性受到基因和环境因素的影响，涵盖了所有类别的非法药物。我们还证明，一些药物具有独特的决定因素，包括基因和环境方面的，这些因素与其他药物不同。部分而言，对大麻滥用的基因影响是通过对药物主观反应的基因影响来介导的。从一个药物使用阶段过渡到另一个阶段的决定因素因所研究的药物或过渡类型而异。我们分别确定了基因对尼古丁和酒精使用几个方面的重大影响，以及这两种物质共有的基因影响。我们发现，非法药物滥用与重度抑郁症的同时出现是由于独特的环境影响。品行障碍症状与酒精和大麻依赖之间的表型关联很大程度上是由于共同的环境影响。我们目前的研究结果表明，基因和环境对药物使用和滥用的影响呈现出复杂的模式。
