Linkage analysis in alcohol dependence

Alcohol dependence often is a familial disorder and has a genetic component . Research in causative factors of alcoholism is coordinated by a multi-cen ter program, COGA [The Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism Be gleiter et al., 1995]. We analyzed a subset of the COGA family sample, 84 p edigrees of Caucasian ancestry comprising 745 persons, 339 of whom are affe cted according to DSM-III-R and Feighner criteria. Using parametric and non parametric methods, evidence for linkage was found on chromosome 1 (near ma rkers D1S532, D1S1588, and D1S534), as well as on chromosome 15 (near marke r D15S642). Other regions of the genome showed suggestive evidence for cont ributing loci. Related findings are discussed in recent publications invest igating linkage in humans [Reich ct al., 1998] and mice [Melo et al., 1996] . (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.