Rs2066702

This paper found significant association with rs2066702, the SNP that defines ADH1B*3, in African American families. Association was strongest with the ICD-10 definitions of alcoholism, with P=0.046 for PDTsum and 0.029 for PDTaverage; it was also significant for DSM-IV for PDTaverage (P=0.039). The high-risk allele was the C that encodes ADH1B*1, and the low-risk allele encodes ADH1B*3.

A review of the (at times conflicting) findings regarding ADH1B genotypes and maternal and fetal alcohol syndromes is available.

In some African American and Native American populations, the ADH1B*3 allele (Arg369Cys in exon 9) is correlated with protection against alcoholism.