Characteristics of Japanese alcoholics with inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase: clinical features of alcoholics with ALDH2*2

In a person with inactive ALDH2 (ALDH2*2) the blood aldehyde concentration tends to rise faster and higher and there are flushing responses which are considered to be a restraint against excessive alcohol drinking. The subjec ts in this study comprised 71 Japanese alcoholics. Psychiatrists interviewe d the patients concerning the clinical features. Alcoholics homozygous (n = 59) for ALDH2*1/ALDH2*1 (Group I) and those heterozygous (n = 12) for ALDH 2*1/ALDH2*2 (Group II) were compared. Group II alcoholics included signific antly more cases of guilt or personality disorder. These findings indicate that alcoholics with the ALDH2*2 genotype showed generally typical clinical features.