Offspring of alcoholics tend to have higher baseline heart rates (Harden and Pihl 1995; Hill et al. 1992), and show increased cardiovascular reactivity to aversive stimuli (Finn and Pihl 1988; Finn et al. 1990; Harden and Pihl 1995; Peterson et al. 1993; Stewart et al. 1992). Also, offspring from families with AD individuals may be hypersensitive to the effects of alcohol on cardiovascular activity (Finn and Pihl 1988; Peterson et al. 1993; Shuckit 1994; Schuckit et al. 1996). Alcohol may serve to dampen heart rate and electrodermal reactivity to stress more in young adults with a family history of alcoholism than in offspring without a family history (Finn et al. 1990; Peterson et al. 1993, 1996; Stewart et al. 1992). Slowing of heart rate may be associated with increased perception of relaxation making alcohol more rewarding to high risk offspring.
