The burden of cyclothymia on alcohol dependence

BackgroundThe relationship between cyclothymic temperament and alcoholism remains insufficiently explored.MethodsA sample of 125 alcohol-dependent patients diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR criteria (APA, 2000) was recruited from a clinical setting. Cyclothymic temperament was diagnosed according to the Portuguese version of the Akiskal and Akiskal (2005) temperament scale.ResultsAlcohol dependent patients who score positive (above mean) for CT present to some extent a more severe profile of alcohol-related problems.LimitationsCorrelational studyConclusionsCT traits in alcohol dependents seems to influence whether subjects engage earlier in pathological alcohol use and present particular alcohol-related problems, in particular Cloninger type II alcoholism phenotype.