Investigations show that some alcoholics begin to drink due to social pressures or in response to stressing situations in their lives. Since the drinking behavior is initiated, its fixation is conditioned by the alcohol-induced psychophysiological reward. Contrariwise other alcoholics seem to be driven to use and abuse alcoholic beverages by an internal compulsion.

Types of Alcoholism

Cloninger, Sigvardson & Bohman – in Alcohol Health and Research World – vol. 20, nr. 1, 1996

It seems that the same happens in relation to other psychoactive substances.

Genetic and inborn factors as well as learned and acquired factors for the drug abuse can thus be identified.

The influence of genetic factors on alcoholism was already anticipated in ancient times. Plutarch stated that "drunkards beget drunkards". In his book "Alcohol and the addictive brain", Kenneth Blum summarizes the results of decades of studies about genetics vs. alcoholism stressing that:

• Increased resistance to the depressor effects of alcohol.

  A smaller EEG alpha frequency response to alchool ingestion.

  Lower mean cerebrospinal fluid levels of 5HIAA ( 5-hydroxy-indolacetic acid) the major metabolite of serotonin.

  Enhanced sensitivity of the pituitary b -endorphin system to alcohol intake.

  Behavior patterns similar to those observed in people with mild dysfunction of the frontal lobes (impulsiveness, attention deficits, hyperactivity, and poor emotional regulation).

Monozygotics twins of alcoholics are at significantly higher risk of developing alcoholism than dizygotic twins.

Children of alcoholics are approximately four times as likely to become alcoholics as children of non-alcoholics, even when the children of alcoholics are separeted from their biological parents at birth, and reared by non-alcoholic adoptive parents.

Children of non-alchoholic parents have a low rate of alcoholism, even when adopted by alcoholic parents.

There is a 25-50% lifetime risk of alcoholism among sons and brothers of severely alchoholic men. Alcoholics and their offspring show several neurobiochemical abnormalities, such as:

In a paper that appared in a 1996 issue of American Scientist, Blum et al advance, as the physiological basis for drug abuse, what they call reward deficiency syndrome.

The Brain’s Drug Reward Systems

The brain’s drug reward system – NIDA Notes – vol. 11, nr. 4, September/October, 1996

• Drug Abuse
• Why People Use Drugs?
• The Types of Drugs of Abuse
• Mechanisms of Action of Drug in the Brain
• The causes of Drug Abuse
• Chemical Changes Induced by Drugs in the Brain
  • Alcohol
  • Psychostimulants
    • Amphetamine
    • Cocaine
  • The Hallucinogens
  • Marijuana and Hashish
• Clinical manifestations of Drug Abuse
• The Treatment of Drug Abuse
• Bibliography