Only one recent study has looked at the acute adaptive response to alcohol. Using BrAC clamping, Roh et al. (Roh et al., 2011) tested the association of 6 GABRA2 SNPs with subjective responses to alcohol in a sample of Japanese adults. These authors found that in individuals with the alcohol dehydrogenase gene ALDH2*1/*1, the GABRA2 SNP rs279837 was associated with differences in acute adaptation to alcohol (Sensation Scale dynamic-peripheral, BAES stimulant, and BAES sedative subscales; direction of difference not reported). But no significant effects were found for our SNP (rs279858) or for the other 5 GABRA2 SNPs tested. This lack of consistency may be due to the difference in subject populations, and in our use of recent drinking history as a cofactor. Other differences between Roh et al. and the present study include the proportion of family history positive individuals (2.6% vs 50%, respectively), different BrAC levels of intravenous clamping (50 mg/dL vs. 60 mg/dL), different subjective scales, number of items, content and number of times given; and differences in the calculation of acute adaptation.
