The overall objective of the proposed research is to enhance understanding of the relationship between biological and psychosocial risk and protective factors and level of alcohol involvement (alcohol use and alcohol-related problems) in Mexican American young adults. This project will be an extension of our previous investigations that have evaluated vulnerability factors associated with alcohol involvement in young adult Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and EuroAmericans living in San Diego, CA. Hispanics are the second largest ethnic minority group in the U.S. and the largest in the city of San Diego, yet biopsychosocial vulnerability factors for alcohol problems in this population remain relatively unexplored. We now have preliminary data that suggests a distinct cluster of biological factors may be associated with alcohol involvement in Mexican American young adults that merit further investigation. These potential biological vulnerability factors include: the presence of certain EEG variants previously associated with alcoholism risk in EuroAmericans, a quantitatively different response to alcohol challenge (see Polich Component), and a distribution of alcohol metabolizing genotypes (ADH2*3 and CYP2E 1 alleles). New studies utilizing EEG and ERP paradigms are proposed. A longitudinal follow-up is planned. This study will assess drinking patterns, alcohol-related problems, and psychiatric diagnoses, and is designed in a manner suitable for the development of a study that can eventually incorporate genetic analyses. Select psychosocial variables will be assessed and a risk/protective factor model will be developed and tested (see Clinical Core). Additionally, a new set of measures that index vulnerability and neuroadaption to alcohol will be developed that may allow parallel investigations to be made in human participants and animal models within the center. Ultimately, a better understanding of the factors associated with alcohol behavior in Mexican Americans will contribute important information for understanding the causes of alcohol abuse and dependence and might aid in the development of efficacious and culturally sensitive prevention and intervention programs.
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