Cocaine use, abuse and dependence in a population-based sample of female twins

1998 ◽  
Vol 173 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth S. Kendler ◽  
Carol A. Prescott

BackgroundAlthough cocaine use in women has increased substantially over the past half-century, we understand little about the aetiology in women of cocaine use and abuse, and know almost nothing about the role of genetic factors.MethodWe obtained by telephone interview a history of lifetime cocaine use, abuse and dependence from 1934 individual twins from female–female pairs ascertained through a population-based registry, including both members of 485 monozygotic (MZ) and 335 dizygotic (DZ) pairs.ResultsThe prevalence of lifetime cocaine use, abuse and dependence were 14.0%, 3.3% and 2.3%. Probandwise concordance rates, in MZ and DZ twins, respectively, were: cocaine use 54% and 42%; cocaine abuse 47% and 8% and cocaine dependence 35% and 0%. In MZ and DZ twins, odds ratios were: cocaine use 14.2 and 6.7 and cocaine abuse 40.8 and 2.7. Biometrical model-fitting suggested that twin resemblance for liability to cocaine use was due to both genetic and familial–environmental factors while twin resemblance for cocaine abuse and symptoms of dependence was due solely to genetic factors. Estimated heritabilities were: cocaine use 0.39, cocaine abuse 0.79 and symptoms of dependence 0.65.ConclusionsThe vulnerability to cocaine use and particularly cocaine abuse and dependence in women is substantially influenced by genetic factors.

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1455-1460 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. KENDLER ◽  
L. M. KARKOWSKI ◽  
C. A. PRESCOTT

Background. In the assessment of stressful life events (SLEs), researchers have often tried to evaluate whether individual events are dependent or independent of the respondent's behaviour. We sought to validate this evaluation using a twin methodology. We predicted that dependent SLEs would be more heritable than independent SLEs.Methods. We explored, by twin modelling, the resemblance in two pairs of past-year personal and network SLEs rated individually, by trained interviewers, on a four-point dependence–independence scale. We examined results from two waves of interviews with 785 female–female twin pairs ascertained from a population based registry.Results. Twin model-fitting found no evidence for genetic effects on personal or network independent SLEs. However, familial–environmental factors played an important role in the aetiology of network independent SLEs. For personal and network dependent SLEs, by contrast, three of four analyses suggested a significant aetiological role for genetic factors with estimated heritabilities ranging from 19 to 51%.Conclusions. Our results support the validity of interviewer assessments of dependence versus independence of SLEs. As predicted, these assessments were relatively successful at distinguishing SLEs that were influenced by genetic factors from those that were not.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Huei Huang ◽  
Chang-Fu Kuo ◽  
Lu-Hsiang Huang ◽  
Mei-Yun Hsieh

Psoriasis is considered to result from the interaction of genetic factors and environmental exposure. The evidence for familial aggregation in psoriasis has been reported but population-based studies related to the magnitude of genetic contribution to psoriasis are rare. This study aimed to evaluate the relative risks of psoriasis in individuals with affected relatives and to calculate the proportion of genetic, shared, and non-shared environmental factors contributing to psoriasis. The study cohort included 69,828 patients diagnosed with psoriasis enrolled in National health Insurance in 2010. The adjusted relative risks (RR) for individuals with an affected first-degree relative and affected second-degree relative were 5.50 (95% CI (Confidence Interval), 5.19–5.82) and 2.54 (95% CI, 2.08–3.12) respectively. For those who have affected first-degree relatives, their RR was 1.45 (95% CI, 1.17–1.79) for Sjogren’s syndrome and 1.94 (95% CI, 1.15–3.27) for systemic sclerosis. This nationwide study ascertains that family history of psoriasis is a risk factor for psoriasis. Individuals with relatives affected by psoriasis have higher risks of developing some autoimmune diseases.


Blood ◽  
1949 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 1085-1108 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. HOMBURGER ◽  
M. L. PETERMANN

Abstract 1. A new syndrome, idiopathic familial dysproteinemia, is described in 4 adult members of one generation, in 2 of their paternal uncles and in 4 members of the second generation. The syndrome is characterized by hypoproteinemia and/or abnormalities in the electrophoretic patterns of the blood plasma (dysproteinemia). These are accompanied in the adult by peripheral vascular changes (ulcers of the legs in the men, low oscillometric indices in the women) and edema. There are also malformations of the thoracic cage and of the occipital hair distribution in some of the cases. 2. The idiopathic nature of the disease was ascertained in some of the patients by study of the nutritional history, of the renal, hepatic and adrenal functions, and of the response to a high-protein diet under controlled conditions. 3. In one case detailed studies of the mechanisms of plasma protein regulation resulted in findings that indicate a disturbance in the production of certain protein components. The disappearance rate of injected albumin and the rate of replacement of acutely withdrawn plasma protein were normal. 4. The clinical and physio-pathologic significance of this syndrome and the possible role of genetic factors are discussed.


2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaqueline M. Vink ◽  
Annemieke S. Staphorsius ◽  
Dorret I. Boomsma

AbstractCaffeine is by far the most commonly used psychoactive substance. Caffeine is consumed regularly as an ingredient of coffee. Coffee consumption and coffee preference was explored in a sample of 4,495 twins (including 1,231 pairs) registered with the Netherlands Twin Registry. Twin resemblance was assessed by tetrachoric correlations and the influence of both genetic and environmental factors was explored with model fitting analysis in MX. Results showed moderate genetic influences (39%) on coffee consumption. The remaining variance was explained by shared environmental factors (21%) and unique environmental factors (40%). The variance in coffee preference (defined as the proportion of coffee consumption relative to the consumption of coffee and tea in total) was explained by genetic factors (62%) and unique environmental factors (38%).


2019 ◽  
Vol 119 (06) ◽  
pp. 981-991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thalia S. Field ◽  
Bob Weijs ◽  
Antonio Curcio ◽  
Michela Giustozzi ◽  
Saulius Sudikas ◽  
...  

Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with dementia. Anticoagulation may modify this relationship, but it is unclear if this is due to stroke reduction alone. Methods Age- and sex-matched individuals from the U.K. Clinical Practice Research Datalink (2008–2016) with and without an incident diagnosis of AF were followed for a new dementia diagnosis. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for incident dementia diagnosis in the AF cohort, overall and stratified by anticoagulation status, using the matched non-AF cohorts as reference. We performed a sensitivity analysis excluding individuals with stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) before the observation period. Results Over 193,082 person-years (mean follow-up 25.7 ± 0.1 months), 347/15,276 AF (2.3%) and 1,085/76,096 non-AF (1.4%) were newly diagnosed with dementia (aHR, 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 1.15–1.49). The AF group had more co-morbidity and higher rates of dementia, both with and without anticoagulation, than non-AF. When those with history of stroke/ TIA before the observation period were excluded and those with incident stroke/TIA during the observation period were censored, AF individuals not on anticoagulation had significantly higher rates of dementia compared with non-AF, aHR 1.30 (1.06–1.58). Conclusion Our findings support the hypothesis that AF is a distinct risk factor for dementia, independent of stroke/TIA and other vascular risk factors. In those without stroke/TIA, risk of dementia is increased only in those who are not on anticoagulation, suggesting anticoagulation is protective presumably through reduction of sub-clinical embolic events. Further prospective research is needed to better ascertain the role of anticoagulation amongst targeted therapeutic strategies to reduce cognitive decline in AF.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-23
Author(s):  
Nurullo Tursunov ◽  

The article aims to study the ethnographic status of the studied region, the impact of historical events on ethno-cultural processes, the role of socio-political processes in the material culture of the region's population based on historical and ethnographic materials


2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (7) ◽  
pp. 1385-1395 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. Singh ◽  
B. M. D'Onofrio ◽  
W. S. Slutske ◽  
E. Turkheimer ◽  
R. E. Emery ◽  
...  

BackgroundAssociations between parental depression and offspring affective and disruptive disorders are well documented. Few genetically informed studies have explored the processes underlying intergenerational associations.MethodA semi-structured interview assessing DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders was administered to twins (n=1296) from the Australian Twin Register (ATR), their spouses (n=1046) and offspring (n=2555). We used the Children of Twins (CoT) design to delineate the extent to which intergenerational associations were consistent with a causal influence or due to genetic confounds.ResultsIn between-family analyses, parental depression was associated significantly with offspring depression [hazard ratio (HR) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20–1.93] and conduct disorder (CD; HR 2.27, CI 1.31–3.93). Survival analysis indicated that the intergenerational transmission of depression is consistent with a causal (environmental) inference, with a significant intergenerational association in offspring of discordant monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs (HR 1.39, CI 1.00–1.94). Logistic regression analysis suggested that the parental depression–offspring CD association was due to shared genetic liability in the parents and offspring. No intergenerational association was found when comparing the offspring of discordant MZ twins [odds ratio (OR) 1.41, CI 0.63–3.14], but offspring of discordant dizygotic (DZ) twins differed in their rates of CD (OR 2.53, CI 0.95–6.76). All findings remained after controlling for several measured covariates, including history of depression and CD in the twins' spouses.ConclusionsThe mechanisms underlying associations between parental depression and offspring psychopathology seem to differ depending on the outcome. The results are consistent with a causal environmental role of parental depression in offspring depression whereas common genetic factors account for the association of parental depression and offspring CD.


1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Kendler ◽  
J. L. Silberg ◽  
M. C. Neale ◽  
R. C. Kessler ◽  
A. C. Heath ◽  
...  

SYNOPSISSymptoms during the premenstrual and menstrual phases of the female reproductive cycle were assessed in 827 pairs of female same-sex twins from a population-based registry. By conventional factor analysis, premenstrual and menstrual symptoms were relatively independent of one another and of baseline ‘neurotic’ symptoms (i.e. anxiety, depression and somatization). Familial resemblance for menstrual and premenstrual symptoms was due solely to genetic factors with heritability estimates of 39·2% and 35·1%, respectively. Multivariate genetic analysis revealed distinct genetic and environmental factors for menstrual, premenstrual and neurotic symptoms. The genes and individual-specific experiences that predispose to premenstrual symptoms appear to be largely distinct from those which predispose either to menstrual or to neurotic symptoms. The generalizability of these results may be limited because only a modest number of premenstrual and menstrual symptoms were assessed, all by retrospective self-report.


Heart ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 105 (6) ◽  
pp. 449-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine Johansson ◽  
Fabrizio Ricci ◽  
Giuseppe Di Martino ◽  
Cecilia Rogmark ◽  
Richard Sutton ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo assess the role of four biomarkers of neuroendocrine activation and endothelial dysfunction in the longitudinal prediction of fragility fractures.MethodsWe analysed a population-based prospective cohort of 5415 community-dwelling individuals (mean age, 68.9±6.2 years) enrolled in the Malmö Preventive Project followed during 8.1±2.9 years, and investigated the longitudinal association between C-terminal pro-arginine vasopressin (CT-proAVP), C-terminal endothelin-1 precursor fragment (CT-proET-1), the mid-regional fragments of pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), and incident vertebral, pelvic and extremity fractures.ResultsOverall, 1030 (19.0%) individuals suffered vertebral, pelvic or extremity fracture. They were older (70.7±5.8 vs 68.4±6.3 years), more likely women (46.9% vs 26.3%), had lower body mass index and diastolic blood pressure, were more often on antihypertensive treatment (44.1% vs 38.4%) and had more frequently history of fracture (16.3% vs 8.1%). Higher levels of MR-proADM (adjusted HR (aHR) per 1 SD: 1.51, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.28, p<0.001) and MR-proANP (aHR: 1.23, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.45, p<0.001) were independently associated with increased risk of any fracture. The fracture risk increased linearly across MR-proANP quartiles. Individuals who were in the top quartile of all four biomarkers had a significant higher risk of fracture at any site (aHR: 2.32, 95% CI 1.86 to 2.91), vertebral fracture (aHR: 3.16, 95% CI 1.97 to 5.07) and femoral fracture (aHR: 2.35, 95% CI 1.64 to 3.36).ConclusionsElevated levels of MR-proADM and MR-proANP independently predict fragility fractures in older adults. In subjects with top quartile levels of all four biomarkers there is a twofold to threefold increase in risk of vertebral and femoral fractures.


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