Association Between Sweet Preference and Paternal History of Alcoholism in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Patients

  1. A. B. Kampov-Polevoy*,
  2. D. Ziedonis,
  3. M. L. Steinberg,
  4. I. Pinsky,
  5. J. Krejci,
  6. C. Eick,
  7. G. Boland,
  8. E. Khalitov,
  9. F. T. Crews

Article first published online: 3 MAY 2006

DOI: 10.1097/01.ALC.0000099265.60216.23

Issue

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

Volume 27, Issue 12, pages 1929–1936, December 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kampov-Polevoy, A. B., Ziedonis, D., Steinberg, M. L., Pinsky, I., Krejci, J., Eick, C., Boland, G., Khalitov, E. and Crews, F. T. (2003), Association Between Sweet Preference and Paternal History of Alcoholism in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Patients. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 27: 1929–1936. doi: 10.1097/01.ALC.0000099265.60216.23

Author Information

  1. Mount Sinai School of Medicine (ABK-P), Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York; University of Medicine and Dentistry (DZ, MLS, IP, JK), Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Piscataway, New Jersey; Pavillon International (CE, GB), Mill Spring, North Carolina; School of Statistics (EK), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (FTC), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

*Alexey B. Kampov-Polevoy, MD, PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 130 W. Kingsbridge Rd., Bronx, NY 10468; Fax: 718-741-4709; E-mail: alexei.kampov@med.va.gov.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 3 MAY 2006
  2. Article first published online: 3 MAY 2006
  3. Received for publication September 27, 2002; accepted September 17, 2003.

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Keywords:

  • Sweet Preference;
  • Alcoholism;
  • Genetic Risk

Background: The relationship between preference for stronger sweet solutions and propensity to excessive alcohol drinking is supported by both animal and human studies. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that sweet preference is associated with the genetic risk of alcoholism as measured by a paternal history of alcoholism.

Methods: Participants were 180 patients admitted to a residential treatment program for the treatment of alcoholism, drug dependence, or psychiatric conditions. In addition to a routine medical examination, patients completed the standard sweet preference test twice (on the 9th and 24th days after admission), and the family history of alcoholism was evaluated.

Results: Sweet preference was shown to be stable over time. It was strongly associated with a paternal history of alcoholism, with family history–positive patients approximately 5 times more likely to prefer stronger sweet solutions than family history–negative subjects. Such factors as dependence on alcohol, cocaine, opiates, cannabis, other drugs (including prescription drugs), and tobacco smoking, as well as demographics (gender and age), did not significantly interfere with association between sweet preference and paternal history of alcoholism.

Conclusions: These findings provide some support for the hypothesis that preference for stronger sweet solutions is associated with a genetic predisposition to alcoholism as measured by a paternal history of alcoholism.

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