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Depression, Criminality and Psychopathology Associated with Alcoholism: Evidence from a Twin Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

H.M.D. Gurling ,
B.E. Oppenheim  and
R.M. Murray
H.M.D. Gurling*
Affiliation:
Genetics Section, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
B.E. Oppenheim
Affiliation:
Genetics Section, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
R.M. Murray
Affiliation:
Genetics Section, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
*
Genetics Section, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, U.K.

Abstract

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A study of 74 twin pairs with alcoholic probands from the Maudsley Hospital is reported. Pairwise concordance for alcoholism as categorised by the SADS-L Research Diagnostic Criteria is similar in MZ twins (29%, 8/22) and DZ twins (33%, 13/39). Concordance for all diagnoses other than alcoholism is however significantly greater in MZ twins (48%, 13/27) than DZ twins (21%, 8/39, P < 0.001). Concordance in MZ and DZ twins for all diagnoses other than alcoholism, inlcuding depression, did not coincide with concordance for alcoholism. Data on criminality revealed that 21% (32/148) of the twin sample had non-alcohol, non-traffic offences on record at the UK Home Office. Of the 32 with criminal records, 28 were alcoholic probands and pairwise concordance for criminality was found in only 1 MZ and 2 DZ pairs.

Keywords

AlcoholismDepressionCriminalityTwins
Type
Genetics of Psychopathology
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 33 , Issue 2 , April 1984 , pp. 333 - 339
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1984

References

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