This is the first genetic study regarding the GAD67 gene in relation to the condition of alcohol dependence in an Italian population of subjects all coming from the same region (Veneto).
We first conducted case-control analyses of the GAD genes with AD and, within the cases, examined associations with age at onset of AD, withdrawal symptoms, and two quantitative measures: initial sensitivity and tolerance (based on scales from the Self-Rating of the Effects of Ethanol) [Schuckit, M.A., Smith, T.L., Tipp, J.E., 1997.
The test-retest reliability for the age of onset of major depression and panic disorder was excellent, and for phobia, GAD and alcoholism, was acceptable.