Increased anxiety and other similarities in temperament of alcoholics with and without antisocial personality disorder across three diverse populations

Abstract

According to Cloninger's model, Type I alcoholics are thought to be innately vulnerable to anxiety and depression. In contrast, Type-II alcoholics are thought to have increased likelihood of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and reduced anxiety. However, allostatic activations of stress, anxiety and dysphoria may be a common thread in alcohol use disorders (AUD). Our aim was to find commonalities and differences in temperament of alcoholics with and without ASPD in three diverse populations. By sib-sib comparisons, we also evaluated the extent to which the temperament traits were moderated by familial factors including inheritance. We compared harm avoidance (HA), novelty seeking (NS), and reward dependence (RD) in alcoholics with ASPD, alcoholics without ASPD and controls. Correlations for each temperament dimension were evaluated in pairs of siblings concordant and discordant for AUD. Participants were derived from three independent populations: Finnish Caucasians (N=453, men = 100%, including a sample of alcoholic criminals), a Plains American Indian community sample (N=378; men = 42%) and a subset of the familial and predominantly Caucasian COGA sample (N=967, men = 47%). In all three populations both alcoholics with and without ASPD were higher in HA than controls. The increase of HA among alcoholics as compared to controls ranged from 54% to 12%. In two populations (COGA and Finns), NS was highest in alcoholics with ASPD, intermediate in alcoholics without ASPD, and lowest in controls. HA levels were correlated in sib-pairs concordant (either affected or unaffected) for AUD but not in discordant pairs. In conclusions, despite cultural diversity and different modes of ascertainment we found a consistent pattern of elevated HA in all groups of alcoholics, including alcoholics with ASPD. Even in alcoholics with long-term exposure to the anxiogenic effects of repeated cycles of alcohol withdrawal, genetic and other familial influences seem to play a role in moderating anxiety.

The role of GABAA receptors in the development of alcoholism

“…This study showed that although there was no haplotype association with alcoholism per se, alcoholics with high trait anxiety (TPQ harm avoidance) had the highest frequency of the more abundant haplotype, alcoholics with low anxiety had the highest frequency of the less abundant haplotype and non-alcoholics had intermediate frequencies (Enoch et al, 2006). Alcoholics, including those with antisocial personality disorder, have been shown to have higher trait anxiety than non-alcoholics (Ducci et al, 2007;Goodwin and Hamilton, 2003). If trait anxiety does indeed play a role in mediating linkage of GABRA2 haplotypes with alcoholism then the Enoch et al (2006) study would predict that COGA alcoholics have higher trait anxiety than the treatment seeking alcoholics of other studies (Covault et al, 2004;Fehr et al, 2006;Lappalainen et al, 2005).…”

“…If trait anxiety does indeed play a role in mediating linkage of GABRA2 haplotypes with alcoholism then the Enoch et al (2006) study would predict that COGA alcoholics have higher trait anxiety than the treatment seeking alcoholics of other studies (Covault et al, 2004;Fehr et al, 2006;Lappalainen et al, 2005). Indeed, it has been demonstrated that COGA alcoholics have higher trait anxiety than non-alcoholics (Ducci et al, 2007). Moreover, supportive evidence comes from the fact that in the Covault et al (2004) study the effect got stronger when alcoholics with major depression (who are likely to have high trait anxiety) were removed.…”

Expression of α-synuclein is increased in the hippocampus of rats with high levels of innate anxiety

“…43,44 The tension-reduction Figure 4 Levels of a-synuclein mRNA in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of Spontaneously Hypertensive (SHR) and Lewis (LEW) rats (n = 7-8 per strain). Bars represent means±s.e.…”

Polymorphisms in ABLIM1 are Associated with Personality Traits and Alcohol Dependence

“…Thus, the temperament scales are potential endophenotypes for these behaviors and disorders (Verweij et al 2010). It has been shown that personality traits are considered to be important factors that contribute to the development of AD while AD and personality traits may share genetic components (Cloninger et al 1988;Khan et al 2005;Grucza et al 2006;Ducci et al 2007). Some genes/loci such as DRD4, DYZ3, GAL, 5-HTT, and MAOA, have been suggested to influence both AD and personality traits (Kittles et al 1999;Wiesbeck et al 2004;Belfer et al 2006;Contini et al 2006;Laucht et al 2007).…”