Vol. 38, No. 2, 2005
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Original Paper
A Three-Axes Approach of Subtyping the Alcohol Dependence Syndrome
Gerhard A. Wiesbecka, Kenneth M. Dürsteler-MacFarlanda, Marc Waltera, Heinz-Gerd Weijersb, Jobst Boeningc
aDivision of Substance Use Disorders, Psychiatric University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland;
bUniversity of Applied Police Sciences, Aschersleben, and
cClinical Addiction Medicine, Psychiatric University Hospital, Würzburg, Germany
Address of Corresponding Author
Psychopathology 2005;38:91-96 (DOI: 10.1159/000085350)
![goto top of page](Showpic.asp?filename="/images/global/odstop.gif") Key Words
- Alcoholism
- Sensation seeking
- Age of alcoholism onset
- Dopamine activity
- Three-axes characterization
- Configuration frequency analysis
Abstract
Subtyping of alcoholics according to specific characteristics has a long tradition in alcoholism research with a number of different typologies that emerged in the literature. The goal of the present study was to test a multidimensional approach of subtyping with characteristics from different axes. Therefore, male inpatients meeting ICD-10 criteria for alcohol dependence were rated on three axes by assessing their degree of sensation seeking (personality axis), age of alcoholism onset (clinical axis) and level of dopamine activity (neurobiological axis). By using a configuration frequency analysis, we identified a subtype that was characterized by high sensation seeking early age of alcoholism onset and high dopamine activity. This subtype, which is in accordance with clinical experience and cannot be explained by antisocial personality disorder, embodied a significantly greater proportion of alcoholics than expected. The result emphasizes the usefulness of multidimensional approaches integrating personality, clinical and neurobiological characteristics. Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel
Author Contacts
Dr. Gerhard A. Wiesbeck
Professor of Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital
Wilhelm-Klein-Strasse 27
CH-4025 Basel (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 61 325 5111, Fax +41 61 325 5583, E-Mail gerhard.wiesbeck@upkbs.ch
Article Information
Received: January 16, 2004
Accepted after revision: October 19, 2004
Published online: April 22, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 39 |
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