Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is one of the two enzymes primarily involved in alcohol metabolism. Several variants exist of the gene that produces ALDH. One of these gene variants, which generates a nonfunctional enzyme, is present in Asians but not in Caucasians and African-Americans. People with two copies of the defective gene respond to alcohol consumption with intense flushing and other unpleasant reactions, such as nausea. Consequently, these people consume very little alcohol and are at a much lower risk for alcoholism than people with functional ALDH genes. People with one copy of the defective gene also flush after ingesting alcohol and are at relatively lower risk for alcoholism than people with fully functional genes. In addition, these people have more intense, but not necessarily less pleasant, reactions to alcohol as assessed by both physiological and psychological measures. People with the defective gene variant also respond to alcohol consumption with characteristic changes in brain activity.
ABSTRACT
PUBLICATION RECORD
- Publication year
1995
- Venue
Alcohol health and research world
- Publication date
Unknown publication date
- Fields of study
Medicine, Psychology
- Identifiers
- External record
- Source metadata
Semantic Scholar, PubMed
CITATION MAP
EXTRACTION MAP
CLAIMS
CONCEPTS
- alcohol-induced flushing
A visible flushing reaction that occurs after alcohol ingestion and is used here as a genotype-linked symptom.
Aliases: flushing response, facial flushing
- alcoholism risk
The likelihood of developing alcoholism that is discussed in relation to ALDH genotype.
Aliases: alcoholism susceptibility, risk of alcoholism
- aldehyde dehydrogenase (aldh)
An enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism and referenced as one of the main enzymes handling alcohol breakdown.
Aliases: ALDH
- asian populations
The population group named in the abstract as carrying the defective ALDH gene variant.
Aliases: Asians
- brain activity changes
Neural response patterns observed after alcohol consumption in people with the defective ALDH variant.
Aliases: brain activity
- defective aldh gene variant
The ALDH gene version described here as producing a nonfunctional enzyme and differing in its population distribution.
Aliases: defective ALDH allele, nonfunctional ALDH variant
- physiological and psychological measures
Measures used to characterize alcohol-related responses across bodily and subjective dimensions.
Aliases: physiological and psychological assessments
REFERENCES
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