Potential biochemical markers for the predisposition toward alcoholism.

For over two decades, evidence has been accumulating that supports a genetic predisposition to alcoholism and the presence of subgroups among alcoholics. With this knowledge, searches are underway for biological markers, including biochemical trait markers, for predisposition to alcoholism. Most promising results to date have been obtained in studies on various enzyme activities in lymphocytes, platelets, and fibroblasts. Measurement of monoamine oxidase activity in platelets and adenylate cyclase activity in platelets and lymphocytes should enable rapid investigation of relatively large groups of subjects at high risk to become alcoholics. Such studies could generate a valid biochemical marker for vulnerability in alcoholism, which is not available at the present time.