Biological phenotypes associated with individuals at high risk for developing alcohol-related disorders. Part 2.

This paper reviews comparisons of populations at higher and lower risk for alcoholism on biological phenotypes. The results of studies must be considered in the context of the research methods used including the need for large, carefully defined samples and longitudinal designs. Comparisons of children of alcoholics and controls have revealed potentially important differences on level of response to alcohol, cognitive attributes and differences in alcohol-metabolizing and other enzyme systems responsible for various aspects of the body's reaction to alcohol. Many opportunities for future research in this area exist, including large-scale, longitudinal studies that simultaneously evaluate multiple domains of influence, and searches for candidate genes or other biological material that will simplify procedures and increase the accuracy of measurement.