A review of the evidence for a genetic component in the etiology of substance dependence in Native Americans was conducted. A literature search was conducted using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases and keywords related to Native Americans, alcohol and substance abuse and dependence. The reference sections of identified studies were reviewed to identify additional studies. Because the present review was qualitative in nature, all identified studies that reported either qualitative or quantitative results for a Native American sample were included in the present review. Reviewed studies were primarily conducted in three populations, a California Indian population (Mission Indians), a Southwest American Indian population, and a Plains Indian population. The names of the tribes included in this review are not formally identified in order to avoid potential stigma to the populations studied. The three primary sources of genetic studies (California, Southwest, Plains) utilized community samples. Studies estimating the heritability of substance dependence diagnoses and related phenotypes are reviewed first, followed by reviews of genetic linkage studies examining these phenotypes, thirdly with a review of candidate gene studies, and finally a summary.
