Alcohol use disorder and its related health problems come from a mix of genes, brain activity, and environment, affecting people differently as they grow. In this section, COGA has looked at how the brain works in relation to alcohol use risks and problems. They use brain tests and family info to separate the risks linked to the brain from the effects of long-term heavy drinking, considering how genes and surroundings influence this over a person’s life. COGA has found gene differences affecting brain function, boosting our understanding of how genes impact alcohol issues. They’ve collected data on brain function from over 9871 people, with a diverse range in age, gender, and race. This info is open for other researchers to use through different channels. COGA has collected this data in conjunction with brain tests used to help understand alcohol issues better.
The use of advanced brain tests, along with family data and long-term information, have helped separate risks linked to the brain from the results of long and heavy drinking, considering how genes and surroundings affect this across a person’s life. COGA has collected detailed brain function info from almost 10,000 people, along with interviews, questionnaires, and DNA samples, which are available for other researchers. As genetic analysis techniques improve, so do the tools for studying brain function. COGA plans to keep exploring this brain data to better understand how genes affect brain systems, shaping the development and course of AUD and similar issues.
Meyers, J. L., Brislin, S. J., Kamarajan, C., Plawecki, M. H., Chorlian, D., Anohkin, A., Kuperman, S., Merikangas, A., Pandey, G., Kinreich, S., Pandey, A., Edenberg, H. J., Bucholz, K. K., COGA Collaborators, Almasy, L., & Porjesz, B. The collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism: Brain function. Genes, Brain and Behavior. 2023; 22(5):e12862. doi:10.1111/gbb.12862
