Genetically influenced differences in alcohol metabolism have been implicated strongly in the etiology of alcoholism. These variations mainly result from naturally occurring variations (i.e., polymorphisms) in the genes that code for the enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism. Thus, these genes have been considered candidates that could contribute to individual differences in alcohol metabolism and, consequently, response to alcohol and vulnerability to developing alcohol dependence and alcohol-related disabilities (Crabb 1995; Li et al. 2000).
