Science tells us that both our genes AND our environments shape the likelihood that we will develop problems with alcohol use. Because the COGA study has a wealth of data on both genetics and environments, our investigators are uniquely positioned to explore both simultaneously. See the summaries of a few recent publications to better understand […]
Alcohol use disorder is genetically influenced, but there’s no one gene that influences risk. We can now measure one’s genetic vulnerability to some common disorders using polygenic risk scores (PRS), which combine the effects of many genes into a single risk score. At the moment, PRS summarize only a small portion of an individual’s […]
“Externalizing” refers to a spectrum of behaviors and disorders related to impulse control. It includes substance use disorders, behavioral outcomes like risky sex, and childhood outcomes like ADHD or behavior problems. One of the ways genes influence risk for alcohol use disorders is through externalizing pathways. COGA investigators have been at the front line of […]
General background about how genes contribute to alcohol use disorder risks: The pattern of causes of alcohol use disorders are typical of most diseases such as heart attacks and diabetes in that genes contribute to the risk in the context of the environment and a person’s opinions and attitudes (e.g., Schuckit et al., 2011, 2012b). […]
A new study led by Rebecca Smith, and Dr. Seung Bin Cho made use of a sample of 937 individuals from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA). Their manuscript will be published in a forthcoming issue of Development and Psychopathology and explores the association between marital status and heavy episodic drinking as […]
