PSU Magazine Spring 1996

• e genetics of alcoholism efore the 1930s alcoholism was often described as a vice, a weakness, even a sin. Today we know it as a disease that affects an estimated 11.2 million Americans– one out of every 25 adults. The ramifications of alcoholism on our society are enormous when you consider: another 7.2 million people are abusing alcohol but not showing symptoms of dependence; nearly half the violent deaths of men under 34 are alcohol related; and the country spends an estimated $150 billion each year on lost employment, reduced productivity, and health care as a result of alcohol abuse. Just as it took society decades to understand that alcoholism is a devas– tating disease, it has taken years for serious alcoholism research to receive nationwide recognition. But that's changing. PSU Biology Professor Larry Crawshaw is part of a team of researchers that is conducting pioneer– ing research on alcoholism. Crawshaw, who has specialized for 30 years in ther– moregulatory physiology-the study of body temperature-has spent much of the past decade examining alcohol's effect on body temperature. His research may give a better understand– ing of the genetic links to alcoholism. "It won't be long before we'll be able to look at a person's genetics and see if he or she has certain genes that can lead to alcoholism," says Crawshaw. "This is significant to society because you can then focus your efforts on 14 PSU MAGAZINE SPRING 1996 prevention and on the persons who are likely to have problems with alcohol." Crawshaw is one of 17 researchers taking part in an $8.5 million grant awarded to Oregon Health Sciences University. The five-year grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is furthering the exploration of genetic aspects of alcohol sensitivity, toler– ance, and craving. This grant contin– ues research that started with a similar NIAAA grant. A portion of this work has been subcontracted to Crawshaw's lab since 1990. The researchers, under the director– ship of John Crabbe, OHSU professor of behavioral neuroscience, meet regu– larly to compare notes on their find– ings. While Crawshaw concentrates on temperature regulation and genes, the other researchers focus on how alco– holism and genetics relate to alcohol preference, stress and alcohol intake, nervous system functions, and other body systems. A handful of other NIAAA research centers nationwide are also looking at the genetics-alcoholism link, but most are focusing on other aspects of the disease. For Crawshaw and his counterparts at OHSU, studying genetics and alco– holism is all about mapping, or "find– ing out which genes are involved and where they're located." Mice are a central focus of the study because mice and humans share more than 90 percent of the same genes. Says Crawshaw, "If you can find it on a mouse gene, you can probably find the related place in humans." Working with mice, Larry Crawshaw is mapping the genes affecting alcohol abuse. By Brian White PHOTOS BY STEVE DIPAOLA Crawshaw and his assistants (two graduate students and up to five undergrads) go through a long, methodical process to find and map mouse genes affected by alcohol. They use two strains of mice--one that strongly prefers alcohol, and one that