NO ASSOCIATION OF PROP TASTER STATUS AND PATERNAL HISTORY OF ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE

Taste sensitivity to bitter substances, including ethanol, may play a moderating role both in the initiation of drinking and in the intensit y and frequency of drinking once it is initiated, A study (Pelchat and Danowski, Physiol Behav 51:1261-1266, 1992) showed an association bet ween the capacity to taste PROP (6-n-propylthiouracil), a bitter tasti ng compound, and a family history of alcoholism. The implication of th at finding is that family-history-negative individuals may be protecte d from early initiation of drinking or heavy consumption of alcohol on ce drinking is initiated. The present study sought to replicate those findings by using direct interview methods (versus history methods) to obtain alcohol use and alcohol problem information from the parents o f ''at risk''' individuals and by examining a larger number of subject s. A bimodal distribution of the ability to taste PROP was found, simi lar to that observed in the general population. No association was fou nd between the ability to taste PROP and a paternal history of alcohol ism regardless of the taste threshold employed or after controlling fo r several potentially confounding variables. A lack of association wit h alcoholism risk was also observed for subjects' self-reports of reas ons for drinking or not drinking alcohol based upon taste preference: high-risk and low-risk for alcoholism groups were not distinguished by either a stated preference for the taste of alcohol as a reason for d rinking or a stated dislike for the taste of alcohol as a reason for l imiting drinking, Thus, neither taste sensitivity for PROP nor the pal atability of ethanol appear to influence the choice to drink among ado lescent and young adult individuals at high risk for developing alcoho l-related problems.