Primary and secondary prevention of alcoholism: emerging trends and research strategy

Nosology and diagnosis of alcoholism. Issues and perspectives in subtyping (DSM III) simple alcoholism and alcoholism associated with other psychopathologies

The presence of psychopathological syndromes in alcoholic in-patients was assessed using the NIMH-Diagnosis. The most stricking finding of this study was the high percentage of additional psychopathological syndromes associated to alcoholism. Based on this finding, a tentative classification of alcoholism is proposed. The urgent need for a comprehensive diagnostic scheme for alcoholism is underlined.

Biological markers in major psychosis and alcoholism: phenotypic and genotypic markers

Some basic concepts and trends which appear to be essential in the search for biological markers in mental disorders are discussed. Comments related to major psychosis and alcoholism are presented under three headings: (i) heterogeneity of disorders (ii) multifactoriality of disorders and (iii) mental disorders as genetically influenced disorders. Tentative classification and terminology of biological markers are given. Various types of phenotypic markers are discussed and alcoholism is taken as a model for a more detailed discussion of available putative phenotypic markers and of research strategies to be used, namely the pharmacological challenge in high risk subjects (e.g. ethanol and TRH challenge). Some highlights from the field of DNA markers are described, mainly the basic procedures which may be used to investigate genetic aspects of mental disorders by recombinant DNA technology.