primitives discuss genetic alcoholism

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7649273

Oh my.

The things the primitives dream of, to think about.

The Straight Story  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 06:36 PM
THE CROOKED TALE PRIMITIVE
Original message

Genes may protect against alcohol issues

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say a pattern of genetic markers seems to protect against alcohol problems.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis looked at adults sexually abused as children and at high risk for alcohol problems who did not become alcohol dependent.

The researchers had access to DNA samples of study participants and found a handful of specific sites in the genome that allowed classification into one of two sets of genetic variations -- haplotypes -- known as H1 or H2.

The study, published in Addiction Biology, found those with the H1 haplotype had three times the risk of heavy drinking and alcohol dependence as those who had not been sexually abused, but abuse victims with the H2 haplotype seemed to be protected against the risks.

Lead author Dr. Elliot Nelson and colleagues analyzed data from more than 1,100 people in 476 Australian families in the Nicotine Addiction Genetics project, which also looked at whether participants met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2010/02/05/Genes-may-pro...

laughingliberal  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-05-10 06:41 PM
Response to Original message
 
4. Have been in recovery from alcoholism for 32 years and come from a long line of them

Most of us who have dealt with alcoholism have long suspected a genetic connection. I suspect we will find it to be true of all addictive disease, eventually.

virgogal (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-05-10 06:48 PM
Response to Reply #4
 
5. Me too-----29 years for me and a family plagued with alcoholism-----some made it, some didn't.

monmouth  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 06:56 PM
Response to Original message
 
7. Me too! Ten years this time. Long line on both sides right on down to my kids who are both in recovery for a long time now...Thank God or whatever higher power we thank every day..Whew, glad that chaos is over..

pipi_k  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-05-10 07:02 PM
Response to Original message
 
8. I guess I lucked out, then

I've got alcoholics on both sides of the family tree. My father was an alcoholic...so was his father...probably uncles as well.

My mother wasn't/isn't an alcoholic, but her mother died from alcoholism at the age of 34, when I was only 3 months old. Who knows how far back that problem goes in her family tree...

The family is rife with alcoholism, but I never became an alcoholic myself. There's wine and rum and beer in the house that's almost a decade old. I'm happy with a (tiny) drink once or twice a year. That's it. One of my two full blooded sisters is an alcoholic. Go figure. And my two kids do have problems with alcohol.

My half brother, who had a different father, shares my mom's genes with me but also has his father's genes...a man who died at the age of 44 of complications associated with alcoholism. My brother will be 40 in April, and he is already killing himself with booze. His wife took the kids and left...he's almost gotten fired from work, and he tried to admit himself to a rehab program but they told him he should be in a hospital instead because his skin was so yellow.

Odd how it all works...

Redstone  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-05-10 07:30 PM
CHIEF S ITTING BULL, THE BIRD-SMACKING STONED RED-FACED PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message
 
12. I'm half American Indian and half Irish...I'm genetically doomed.

[The Village Idiot]

I am thinking "John" will be there sooner or later

[Specbid]

Redstone  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-05-10 07:30 PM
CHIEF S ITTING BULL, THE BIRD-SMACKING STONED RED-FACED PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message
 
12. I'm half American Indian and half Irish...I'm genetically doomed.

Doomed??? Hell son, you have it made. Whatever tribe you're from must have a casino. That means you're entitled to a piece. Where you been?

[franksolich]

Doomed??? Hell son, you have it made. Whatever tribe you're from must have a casino. That means you're entitled to a piece. Where you been?

The problem here is that Chief S itting Bull, like any other applicants for Indian casino cash, has to provide something he doesn't have.

[Specbid]

The problem here is that Chief S itting Bull, like any other applicants for Indian casino cash, has to provide something he doesn't have.

Are you saying he has the same problem our president has?

[franksolich]

Are you saying he has the same problem our president has?

Essentially, yes.

[AllosaursRus]

The problem here is that Chief S itting Bull, like any other applicants for Indian casino cash, has to provide something he doesn't have.

Yeah, a frikkin' blood sample that will prove it! I already have, but I have no need to exploit it. Arapaho. All you have to do is look at me though. I have the nose, the cheek bones, the complexion, and the attitude, heh, heh! Specially after a fifth of Johnny Walker!

ETA: ( most of all, the frikkin' genetics! )