Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

___________________________________________

Monday, October 27, 2008

Early-onset depressive disorders predict the use of addictive substances in adolescence: a prospective study of adolescent Finnish twins
Addiction Published Online: 8 Oct 2008

To explore the developmental relationships between early-onset depressive disorders and later use of addictive substances.

Early-onset depressive disorders predicted daily smoking [odds ratio (OR) 2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49–3.50, P < or =" 2.00," class="i">P = 0.001), frequent illicit drug use (OR = 4.71, 95% CI 1.95–11.37, P = 0.001), frequent alcohol use (OR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.04–3.92, P = 0.037) and recurrent intoxication (OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.18–2.85, P = 0.007) 3 years later. ORs remained significant after adjustment for comorbidity and exclusion of baseline users. In within-family analysis of depression-discordant co-twins (analyses that control for shared genetic and familial background factors), early-onset depressive disorders at age 14 predicted significantly frequent use of smokeless tobacco and alcohol at age 17.5.

Our results suggest important predictive associations between early-onset depressive disorders and addictive substance use, and these associations appear to be independent of shared familial influences.

Read Full Abstract

Request Reprint E-Mail: sihvola@helsinki.fi

____________________________________________________________

at