Alexithymia in Males at High Genetic Risk for Alcoholism

Abstract

Recent research has demonstrated that males at high genetic risk for alcoholism are more cardiovascularly reactive to an unavoidable stressor than those at moderate and low genetic risk for the disorder. Alcohol has also been found to dramatically decrease this cardiovascular hyperreactivity in high risk subjects. The mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular hyperreactivity may reflect some deficit in autonomic nervous system modulation. This apparent deficit is similar to that associated with alexithymia. The present report is an investigation of the presence of alexithymic traits in these high-risk subjects. Nonalcoholic males at high, moderate and low genetic risk for alcoholism were administered the Schalling-Sifneos Personality Scale as a measure of alexithymia. The subjects at high genetic risk for alcoholism were found to be more alexithymic than both control groups. The potential role of alexithymic traits in the etiology of one form of alcoholism is discussed.

Alexithymia and temperament and character model of personality in alcohol‐dependent Turkish men

“…The prevalence of alexithymia in the present study sample was found to be 45.1%, which is consistent with the prevalence reported in Western populations 3,36 and in samples of Turkish alcoholic outpatients. 10,12 The present findings also replicated results of Uzun et al in a larger sample of Turkish alcoholic subjects.…”

“…Nevertheless, according to Sifneos, the optimal way to measure alexithymia should be to use both the Andreasen 'affect rating scale' and the Beth Israel Questionnaire, in conjunction with the well-validated original Toronto Alexithymia Scale. 2 Studies suggest relatively high prevalence rates of alexithymia both in men with high alcoholism risk 3 and in men with alcohol use disorders. 4,5 This prevalence rate among alcoholic patients has been reported to range from 42% to 79% in several studies.…”

“…4,5 This prevalence rate among alcoholic patients has been reported to range from 42% to 79% in several studies. 3,[5][6][7][8][9] The prevalence rate was not different in Turkish alcohol-dependent men (48-56%). [10][11][12] Studies on this issue suggested that alexithymic features may negatively affect the long-term alcoholism treatment outcomes and that they may also predict alcohol use.…”

Linking combat and physical health: the legacy of World War II in men's lives

“…Clinical research has previously described alexithymic behavior in patients with coronary disease (37) and ulcerative colitis (38). Alexithymia also has been noted in alcohol-and drug-addicted persons (39,40) and in concentration camp survivors (41). Approximately one-half of the Holocaust survivors studied by Krystal manifested traditional notions of "psychosomatic illness."…”

Alexithymia and Pathological Gambling

“…Recent research also finds elevated alexithymia in patients with addictive and compulsive disorders, such as alcoholism, cocaine abuse, and binge eating [3][4][5][6], Taylor [7] has hypothesized that alexi thymies have difficulty processing negative affects into conscious feelings and subsequent expression or fantasy, leading them to engage in compulsive behavior or use substances to regulate undifferentiated tensions.…”