Variation of types of alcoholism: Review and subtypes identified in Han Chinese

- The typology of alcoholism reduces heterogeneity in research and practice.
- Exploration of genetic underpining in subtyped alcoholism is overlooked.
- Different subtyped alcoholism might have different pathogenic mechanisms.
- We reclassify the subtypes of alcoholism using comorbidity.
- Dopamine related genes explored to set up genetic validation of subtyped alcoholism.

Alcoholism, as it has been hypothesized, is caused by a highly heterogeneous genetic load. Since 1960, many reports have used the bio-psycho-social approach to subtype alcoholism; however, no subtypes have been genetically validated. We reviewed and compared the major single-gene, multiple-gene, and gene-to-gene interaction studies on alcoholism published during the past quarter-century, including many recent studies that have made contributions to the subtyping of alcoholism. Four subtypes of alcoholism have been reported: [1] pure alcoholism, [2] anxiety/depression alcoholism, [3] antisocial alcoholism, and [4] mixed alcoholism. Most of the important studies focused on three genes: DRD2, MAOA, and ALDH2. Therefore, our review focuses on these three genes.