J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  1998 Jan;37(1):149-158.

Genetic Frequencies of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 in Korean patients with Alcohol Dependence

• Paik IH
• Lee C
• Lee SJ
• Lee CU
• Kim JJ
• Jun TY
• Han SI
• Hahm W

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the association of ALDH2 genetic types with the risk and clinical variables of alcohol dependence in Korean patients.
METHODS
ALDH2 genotypes were typed with restriction fragment length polymorphism method in 141 patients with alcohol dependence and 144 normal controls. The frequencies of ALDH2 genetic types were compared between patients and controls. Among the patients, the frequencies of ALDH2 genotypes were compared in terms of clinical variables.
RESULTS
1) The genotypic frequencies of the subjects with ALDH2*1/1 were higher and those with variant ALDH2, that is, ALDH2*1/2 and ALDH2*2/2 were lower in patients than in normal controls. 2) The genetic frequencies of the patients with ALDH2 were not related to family history of alcohol dependence. 3) There were no differences for the age of first drink and onset age of alcohol dependence between the patients with ALDH2*1/1 and those with ALDH2*1/2 or ALDH2*2/2.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest ALDH2 genotypes might be associated with the risk of alcohol dependence.

Keyword

Alcohol dependence; Aldehyde dehydrogenase; Molecular genetics; Genotypes

MeSH Terms

Age of Onset
Alcoholism*
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase*
Genotype
Humans
Molecular Biology
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase