BRAIN ENZYMES THE LINK Genetic factor causes alcoholism A. CONCORDIA University research group has discovered a genetic factor involved in alcoholism. A group lead by Dr. Zalman Amit, a psychology professor at Concordia’s Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, has Studied the genetics of alcoholism for 10 years. They feel they now have a com- plete explanation of the genetic component of alcohol addiction. However, psychological and social factors need to be taken into account also, Dr. Amit points out. The genetic link is in the en- zymes in the brain that act in the breakdown of alcohol. GENETIC MAKE-UP The concentrations of. these en- zymes are. determined by an indi- - vidual’s genetic make-up, Dr. Amit says. Dr. Amit focussed on brain en- zymes in. alcohol ‘breakdown. He~ believes... that: _aleohol-induced ~ euphoria and’ alcohol dependence’ function in the brain. _ Although as much as 85 per cent Chasa: :-Aps - acetaldehyde oung.clean and pretty ee Black. ‘Lab; Yellow Lab aeage : Short/H., Pointer; p/b Golden Lab.; p/b English Cocker; 6 mo. Corgi X; yr. ren OOF 9 mo: Choe. Lab. _X 10 mo. gentle obed. Tan Shep. of all alcohol is metabolized in the liver, the smali quantity metabolized in the brain is the key factor, he says. Euphoria is what controls dependence and the processes in- volved in euphoria occur in the brain, not the liver, he says. Alcohol is broken down in the body to two different chemicals — first acetaldehyde and then acetate — by enzymes. DEPENDENCE The first step of Dr. Amit's research was to show that acetaldehyde in the brain mediates the euphoric effects of alcoho! and therefore causes dependence. To test this theory, Dr. Amit . allowed rats to have unlimited ac- : cess to acetaldehyde. ‘By pressing .a lever..in their cages, they received an injection of through tubes at- tached directly to their brains. In sucha set- up, the -acetaldehyde was found to be as ‘addictive as morphine. ~ The next. step .was to show a. relation between the enzyme that ocker Spaniel Chow; Terrier - scriptions. Please calt 929-4266. or.988-7461.- .. une 14 (10'a:m. to noon) at St. Catherines Church ® Collision repairs to all makes * Latest equipment ¢ 1.C.B.C. claims old (as illustrated). phone breaks down acetaldehyde and alcohol consumption. In another test, rats were allow- ed to access alcohol instead of water. A direct relation was found between high alcohol consumption and a high concentration of the enzyme in the brain. Finally, Amit had to show that acetaldehyde was produced in. the brain. Acetaldehyde is produced in the liver after alcohol consump- tion, and then enters the blocdstream, but does not reach . the brain. Further, the enzyme that makes acetaldehyde from alcohol is not present in the brain. However, another enzyme in the brain, calléd catalase, can produce acetaldehyde from alcohol. FURTHER EVIDENCE In another test, Dr. Amit allow- ed rats access to both water and alcohol. A large voluntary alcohol in- take was directly related to: high :.. brain catalase concentration. In a further series of tests, Dr. Amit was able to show that these 1981 Olds" cats 5 Supr. WEEKEND SAl Stock prt . Sharp drop. = 96,195 high concentrations of catalase ex- isted in heavy-drinking rats before they consumed the aicohoi. So the enzyme levels presumably caused the alcohol consumption, not vice versa. The high concentration of brain catalase causes .a rapidly-peaking conversion of alcohol to acetaldehyde in the brain. SHARP EFFECTS High concentrations of the en- .zyme that break down acetaldehyde cause an equally This short of acetaldehyde is alcohol’s euphoric effects. , “The way the mechanism works ‘spike’ in the brain is that there must be a - fast rise and then a fast fall in the concentration of acetaldehyde, and we see that high levels of both en- zymes are necessary for alcoholism to be present in rats,’? Dr. Amit says. to study alcoholism in humans: He has started liis study with 10 ‘1982 Glds Cullass Supr. $8,995 WEEKEND SALE: Stock. #9-48450 1980 Pontiac WEEKEND. SALE Slock #92 3008 © ns $5,895 the cause of | dr. Amit’s work now focuses on. _ using the experimental knowledge _ - Sunday, June 8, 1986 - North Shore News volunteers. They completed an extensive questionnaire and also gave a blood sample to determine their catalase level. Since alcoholism is not only dependent on genetic make-up in humans, Dr. Amit is also looking at sociological and psychological factors. However, he will at least con- tinue studying people with a family history of _alcoholism and heavy drinkers ‘in order to find out if ‘these occurrences are related to high blood catalase concentrations (which imply high brain catalase concentrations). “ Initial. tests ‘show that’ enzyme activity: is higher when’, there is evidence of alcoholism in the fami- ly.” Eventually, Dr. Amit hopes to develop a test to inform young people, especially,: if they - risk becoming alcoholic. It would: in- volve taking a few drops of blood for on the spot chemical analysis. ~ Individuals with: high levels’: of . the..‘alcoaolic’ enzymes would: be ‘told ‘they have a possible predisposition for alcohol abuse. 1981 Boda WEEKEND. SALE“. ; F Stock 46-1954 1: 1980 Firebird TIA $7,995 °° "WEEKEND -SALE".. Stock #9:48950 ~ | 1982 Pontiac P. ne » WEEKEND SALE Stock #9-47370.." 1981 Pontiac Trans Am $8,995. 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