Offspring of alcoholics have enhanced antagonistic placebo response.

In this study, 85 college-age men who reported normal drinking practices believed they were drinking malt liquor when they actually drank dealcoholized beer. Following drinking, 11 subjects with an alcoholic biological father showed a significantly larger heart rate decrease (p less than .05) than subjects with a nonalcoholic father. The results are discussed in terms of opponent process and classical conditioning theories of addiction, and the etiological pathway from risk factor to final manifestation of alcoholism.