Alcoholism At Large

A 2008 study suggests that genetic factors influence size variations in a certain region of the brain involved in regulating emotional processing and impulsive behavior, which could in turn be partly responsible for increased susceptibility to alcohol dependence. It appears that the size of the right orbitofrontal cortex is smaller in teenagers and young adults who have several relatives who are alcohol dependent, according to a study led by Shirley Hill, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.