Schuckit (Schuckit 1985) was the first to describe a measure that indexes the amount of body sway or static ataxia a person displays following an alcohol challenge. The Schuckit group initially used this measure in a study of 68 individuals who were either FHP of FHN for AD. He demonstrated that at baseline, the two groups were virtually identical; however, the level of body sway was significantly less for the FHP group after an alcohol challenge especially at the low (0.75 mL/kg) dose. These findings were replicated in a separate lab with a sample of women, where those who were FHP also showed smaller alcohol-induced increases in body sway (Lex et al. 1988). These effects have been replicated in several other populations as well [see (Schuckit 2009)].
