Genetics of alcohol withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal is a clinically and etiologically heterogeneous syndrome caused by a complex interaction of environmental (e.g., amount of ethanol) and genetic factors. Multiple genes are considered to be involved in vario us components of the syndrome, each of them contributing only modestly to w ithdrawal vulnerability. Association studies using candidate genes of the d opamine, serotonin, gabaergic and opioidergic systems are reviewed and meth odological limitations are discussed. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et me dicales Elsevier SAS.