The irrepressible Michael Sylvester asked: > > why is the incidence of alcoholism among Jews very low? There've been varied answers to this question (including "myth" and "Manischevitz", the latter admittedly having some plausibility) but no one seems to have come up with the very recent study in the news on this topic. Not only is it not a myth, but it seems there's a gene for it (isn't there always). The Columbia University researchers who reported the finding are said to believe that the gene increases acetaldehyde levels in metabolizing alcohol, with unpleasant consequences (Telegraph news). The researchers also claim an interesting interaction with the environment, in that the effect of the gene seems to be overwhelmed in Russian Jews by their alcohol-imbibing cultural milieu. L'chaim!
Two on-line sources (the paper itself doesn't seem to be listed in PubMed, although they have another recent one there which seems close): http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/09/17/wgene17.xml&sSheet=/news/2002/09/17/ixnewstop.ht ml and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2262318.stm -Stephen _______________________________________________________ Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at: http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/southerly/tips ________________________________________________________ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
