Age of Alcoholism Onset: Relationship to Susceptibility to Serotonin Precursor Availability

Alcoholic patients grouped according to whether they started abusing alcohol before or after 20 years of age were studied as to relationships between tryptophan availability & mood & aggression regulation. Significant associations were found only in the early alcoholism onset group. This data is compatible with the interpretation that patients with early alcoholism have a preexisting serotonin deficit that could manifest by increased alcohol intake early in life. (30 ref)