Author Description

The last few years have seen major advances in our understanding of the molecular and genetic events associated with alcohol abuse. The advent of recombinant DNA technology has allowed the structure of the genes and proteins of alcohol metabolism to be identified, and this work has formed the basis for genetic studies of factors that influence drinking behavior and alcoholism. This book provides an introduction for the non-specialist reader to recent developments concerning the molecular pathology of alcohol-related disease. It gives substance to the view that alcoholism is an organic disorder that stems from the specific interaction of alcohol and its metabolites with cellular components. Particular attention is paid to the molecular biology of the enzymes of alcohol metabolism.