There are reports that "THIQ" plays a role in alcoholism. An "Essay on The THIQ Hypothesis" by Dennis McClain-Furmanski can be found by clicking on the phrase "visit The THIQ Hypothesis" below.
On the other hand, a contradictory note is found on a web page titled "EXPLODING DRUG MYTHS" where the authors respond to various myths:
"36. THIQs are a cause of alcoholism. This is an old theory, which was very attractive in the early 1970s. It suggested that alcoholics, when they drink, form opiate-like THIQs (abbreviation for several artificially-formed chemicals) in the brain, to which they become dependent. Later research was not able to consistently find THIQs in the tissues of alcoholics compared to those of non-alcoholics. Thus, the "THIQ theory" is no longer popular among most scientists."
Found in December of 2006 at www.utexas.edu/research/asrec/myths.html published by the Addiction Science and Research Center of the University of Texas at Austin.
This justifies AA's policy that regards researching the "cause" of alcoholism as an "outside issue" -- AA doesn't pretend to have knowledge it doesn't have. AA's approach is to apply a spiritual solution to a spiritual malady - a non-physical, intangible illness. If the solution works, apply it; many years ago, AA adopted a policy that leaves to others the task of researching the "etiology" the cause or origin of a disease or disorder as determined by medical diagnosis.