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There's been a fruitless search for the alcoholism gene. It's based on the mistaken belief that alcohol dependence is a single disease and one gene can explain everything. There's been a fruitless search for the alcoholism gene. It's based on the mistaken belief that alcohol dependence is a single disease, and therefore it's so simple that one gene can explain everything. Genes do play an important role in alcoholism but there are many involved and they may not always work the way you think. For example, research in Australian twins has found there's a genetic component to heavy drinking, independent of addiction. This is important because heavy drinking usually leads to dependence and bashing the booze can lead to serious damage to the liver, brain and other organs. Comparing identical to non identical twins, the researchers found that consistent heavy drinking has up to a 70 per cent genetic contribution. The genes that contribute to alcoholism include those which code for enzymes that break down alcohol. Also involved are genes that make some people more or less tolerant to alcohol, and its effects more or less pleasant. There are probably genes involved which affect the brain too. This doesn't mean you can abandon yourself to your genes but it does imply that some people may be able to understand their susceptibility and perhaps put a brake on the booze early in life.
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