Hill S Y
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15213, USA.
Recent Dev Alcohol. 1995;12:9-28.
The etiology of alcoholism in women is no longer a question of nature or nurture. Most observers would agree that alcoholism, both male and female, is mediated by genetic factors. The question is how much of the variance is explained by genetic factors and to what degree is this genetically mediated disorder moderated by personal characteristics of the woman. Among the most salient personal characteristics moderating the genetic vulnerability may be factors such as age, ethnicity, and presence of psychiatric comorbidity. Cultural factors and familial environmental factors are most likely predictors as well. Therefore, the chapter will discuss the genetic epidemiology of alcoholism in women. Genetic heterogeneity will be discussed and evidence presented that suggests the existence of two forms of alcoholism in women: one more environmentally determined and one more influenced by genetic mediation. Evidence for the existence of a genetic diathesis in women will be presented, noting extant literature involving twin and adoption designs. Suggestions for what might be transmitted from generation to generation (e.g., neurobiological factors, temperament) with special reference to preadolescent and adolescent girls will also be discussed.
女性酗酒的病因不再是天性或养育的问题。大多数观察家会认同，无论男性还是女性，酗酒都由遗传因素介导。问题在于遗传因素能解释多少差异，以及这种由基因介导的疾病在多大程度上会因女性的个人特征而得到缓和。在缓和遗传易感性的最显著个人特征中，可能包括年龄、种族和精神疾病共病情况等因素。文化因素和家庭环境因素很可能也是预测因素。因此，本章将讨论女性酗酒的遗传流行病学。将探讨遗传异质性，并给出证据表明女性酗酒存在两种形式：一种更多由环境决定，另一种更多受基因介导的影响。还将呈现女性存在遗传素质的证据，并提及涉及双胞胎和收养研究设计的现有文献。此外，还将讨论可能代代相传的因素（如神经生物学因素、气质），特别针对青春期前和青春期女孩。
